2020 has been one of the most important years for social reform in the United States in decades. Right now, we’re experiencing a pivotal moment, one that will go down in history books as a new era for social equity in which many changes to government policy and attitude will be made. Concerns over police reform have brought to light social justice issues that can no longer be ignored by the American people.
Behind the social justice movement is a demand for equal access to opportunity, education, and the pursuit of happiness. These constitutional values have been upheld by public libraries since the beginning of their existence. Truly, social justice is the very reason that we have libraries in the first place.
However, the efforts made by libraries to fight social inequality in recent months are even more remarkable than they have been in the past. Librarians are truly going above and beyond to support the social justice movements happening today.
As innovators who often work in public libraries and help them discover ways to improve their space to better serve their community, we feel that it’s important to highlight these efforts. Below, we’ve listed a few examples of what libraries are doing to pave the way for the changes that our country so desperately needs.
How Libraries Are Fighting Social Injustice
Libraries are doing remarkable things to fight social injustice every day. Simply by keeping the doors open, they’re providing equal access to education, resources, and technology that people need to survive in the modern world. However, after the recent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, this year, they’re really going above and beyond. Here are a few ways that libraries are working to fight social inequality and support human rights in 2020:
- Creating inclusive collections. Libraries are starting to create and highlight collections that support inclusivity and diversity.
- Hosting social justice workshops and meetings. Libraries are hosting workshops, trainings, book discussions, and meetings that support Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements.
- Diversifying staff. Libraries are understanding the need and importance of diversifying their staff in order to better serve the surrounding community.
- Examining library policies. Many libraries are examining their policies to determine their inclusivity. Is it easy for everyone to obtain a library card? Do loan policies exclude certain members of the community?
- Engaging with patrons. Libraries are creating ways to hold discussions with patrons and obtain their feedback. After all, what better way to help the community than by asking them directly what they need?
- Educating staff on social justice issues. Public library districts are working hard to learn about social justice issues and provide their staff with the necessary training and education they need to navigate them in the workplace.
Create an Inclusive Space
Create a library that caters to the needs of the entire community and supports inclusivity. Contact the Supple Collection today to learn more about our design and fabrication services.