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Anti-Racism Team Learning Series

Pre-Work Objectives

We chose readings and activities that would introduce the topic areas for discussion in the session. We estimated that the pre-work would take about an hour to complete.

Session 1: Services Pre-Work

Anti-Racism Team Learning Session 1: Library Services

**Reminder: The reflection exercises are intended to get us all thinking about these issues before our session together, but we won't ask you to share anything from them.

 

Framing Anti-Racism Pre-Reading (7 pages)

  • How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
    • Chapter 1
      • Definitions at beginning
      • Page 17-23 (starting with "My own, still-ongoing journey...")
    • Chapter 17
      • Page 226 (steps to be an anti-racist)
  • Racial Equity Tools Glossary
    • Anti-racism definition: Anti-racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts. (Source: Race Forward)
  • Reflection Question
    • Reflecting on the definitions of anti-racism by Ibram X. Kendi in the reading, and the definition from the Racial Equity Tools Glossary above, what are some of the differences that you see between being "not racist" and being "anti-racist"?

 

Anti-Racism & Library Services (10 minute video)

  • EDI-fying our LIS Services Video by Nicole A. Cooke
    • Watch 5:30 min - 15:50 min (or the whole thing!)
  • Reflection Question
    • Think back to a time when your awareness of your identity had an impact on your experience at a public location (a library, public park, grocery store, etc.). How did the power dynamics in the situation affect how you felt?

 

Community Analysis (4 pages)

  • Assessing Information Needs: Managing Transformative Library Services by Robert Grover, John Agada, & Roger C. Greer
    • Chapter 1: Introduction
      • Pages 1-4
  • Activity!
    • What I Do - Perceptions Activity
      • [For this activity, participants filled out an online survey that asked them to write three short answers to each of the following questions: What do students think I do? What do faculty think I do? What do I actually do? What do I want to do?]

References