Through this course, you’ll learn about the concrete actions library leaders are taking to help cultivate an antiracist, inclusive library culture—from examining the impacts of implicit bias, to evaluating spaces, programs, and services and examining policies and practices through an antiracist lens—to ensure that there is a shared value of antiracism at the library.
Transform your library culture and services by learning how to build and maintain momentum toward your equity goals.
Through this course, you’ll learn about the concrete actions library leaders are taking to help cultivate an antiracist, inclusive library culture—from examining the impacts of implicit bias, to evaluating spaces, programs, and services and examining policies and practices through an antiracist lens—to ensure that there is a shared value of antiracism at the library.
See what a past participant had to say:
"The materials and information I've learned through Library Journal's Professional Development series on How To Build and Antiracist Library Culture made a great impact on my professional and personal skillset. I recommend this workshop across disciplines!" - Briana Meyer, Circulations Manager
Course Program
Week 1 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET
How To Establish a Personal Antiracism Practice
Building antiracist libraries begins with each of us understanding our own positionality and reflecting on the ways we engage with and are affected by race, class, gender, sexuality, ability and immigration status. Making a personal commitment to antiracism and anti-oppression sets the foundation for our work in our communities and institutions. In this session, we’ll discuss how to assess where you are currently and create a plan for how to dig deeper into cultivating actively antiracist practices at your library, starting with yourself.
Week 1 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Data-Driven Practices: A Method for Measuring Cultural Competency
Is your library making progress on your antiracism initiatives? How do you measure DEI-based success? We know that measuring the efficacy of your antiracism practices is paramount to your continued progress, but it can be difficult to establish appropriate metrics. This session will feature Dr. Kiara Butler’s PERM framework – a methodology to measure cultural competency. Leave this session with practical tools to demonstrate progress and growth areas for your library.
Week 2 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET
Centering Community and Flattening Power in External Library Services
Centering your equity work on the community you serve requires a deep understanding of who your community is and what they need and want. In this session, you’ll learn how to gather and analyze the community data you already have and find the data you don’t. You’ll learn the foundations of participatory design so that you can ensure you’re inviting your community’s input into the programs and services you design for them. We’ll also discuss how you can audit the DEI work your library or school is already doing against the data you’ve collected.
Week 2 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Centering Antiracism During Conflict
Between safety concerns and hostile patrons, tensions in and around libraries are at an all-time high. Research shows that implicit biases are more likely to surface and escalate during moments of tension and conflict. As a result, truly internalizing antiracist practices is key to centering equity during conflict. This session will discuss ways to ground yourself, recognize and deal with implicit bias, and respond rather than react in moments of conflict so that you remain aligned with your values.
Week 3 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET
Sustaining Equity and Diversity Momentum at Your Library
In this session, we’ll discuss how to build momentum for social justice work at your library by connecting with fellow staff and colleagues and amplifying each other’s voices. We’ll discuss how to organize your efforts and develop internal library initiatives such as discussion groups, library audits, and more, to create true and sustained investments in equity.
Week 3 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET
Building Something New From Your Sphere of Influence
In this closing session of our course, you’ll learn how to make valuable change from within your sphere of influence, regardless of your institutional support system or lack thereof. You’ll learn about what you can do as an individual to tap into your power to combat racism and promote antiracism in your library and community, as well as in your day-to-day life. You’ll hear from two expert conversation-makers how to initiate and navigate high stakes conversations on complex issues that will help you engage more deeply with antiracism work, and learn techniques for cultivating dialogue that can redefine and revolutionize the culture of your library and bridge the personal and the professional.