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Oregon Library Association's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism Toolkit is Now Available

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Hi Everyone, 

I hope you and yours are safe and healthy.

It is with great excitement and honor that the Oregon Library Association's Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism present the OLA EDI Antiracism Toolkit!

You can download a copy at the Oregon Library Association Web Site, or the State Library of Oregon website.

A paper copy of this toolkit will be distributed to every library in Oregon.  They will also receive a digital copy to print and share with staff. 

We tried to make this toolkit as practical as possible! 

A  antiracism readiness checklist survey is part of the toolkit.  We are asking library staff  in Oregon to fill out the survey/checklist so that we may get some informaiton on Oregon libraries (see pre-conference information below).  We are asking that the survey be filled out by Friday, March 19, 11:59pm to give us time to prep for our pre-conference session on 4/8/2021.

I am proud to be part of this team!

Oregon Library Association Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism Committee:

Marci Jenkins/Alma Plasencia --Co-chairs

Kristen Curé

Martìn Blasco

Emily Ford

Max Macias

Melissa Anderson

Scott Rick

(Other authors of content listed in the toolkit)

Please note that there is also a recording of a training that we did for the Oregon Library Association's PLD.  The training was geared toward library directors.  It stressed how libraries could use the toolkit.  Many of the authors of the toolkit shared why they wrote what they wrote, how it relates to antiracism, how libraries can incorporate the toolkit into their organizations and anything else they had to say to library directors in Oregon.  

We hope this toolkit not only benefits libraries move toward antiracism in Oregon, but also throughout the country.   It is practical, useful and can be used as a model for expanding antiracism into other organizations and structures.  

The OLA EDI and Antiracism Committee will also be conducting a free Oregon Library Association pre-conference session in April.  Register here.

Thursday, April 8 | 1:00- 4:30 pm 
EDI Anti-Racism Toolkit; what we have done, where we are now and where we are going?
The EDI Antiracism Committee will present the OLA EDI Antiracism Toolkit metrics . This interactive data presentation will display the areas where Oregon libraries are thriving and the areas where we need help moving forward when it comes to EDI and Antiracism work. We will examine together the concerns, red flags, and talk about future initiatives concerning this theme. We will discuss awareness and engagement with the existing OLA EDI Antiracism work and library employees’ advocacy.
We are presenting as a committee, there are 8 librarian in our group. Marci Ramiro-Jenkins, Librarian/ EDI Antiracism Special Committee Chair McMinnville Public Library. 

Respectfully, 

Max Macias on behalf of the Oregon Library Association's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism Committee