Some of the cornerstone principles of libraries are codified in the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, the professional body which is tasked with “provid[ing] leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.”
Among these principles are intellectual freedom, equitable access, privacy, and unbiased responses to all requests. These values are meant to inform our collections, services, and spaces. Recent opinion pieces have highlighted that libraries — and therefore these principles — thus plays a strong role in upholding democracy. Others even call for bolstering library services as a way to restore civil society.
Here at the University of Washington Tacoma Library, we pledge to be an active partner in combating systemic discrimination on our campus and foster skills and resources that students, faculty, and staff can use to confront discrimination in our world. As part of this process, we wanted to remind our community of our commitment to equity, and are sharing our Equity Statement below.
_______
The University of Washington Tacoma Library strives to create an environment of intellectual freedom which protects the interests of all members of our diverse campus. Access to research, information, and technology is fundamental in identifying and dismantling social injustice. As a library we pledge to be an active partner in combating systemic discrimination on our campus and foster skills and resources that students, faculty, and staff can use to confront discrimination in our world.
The UW Tacoma Library
Protects the privacy of our users.
Provides welcoming spaces to foster discovery and collaboration.
Provides access to diverse resources, including work by historically marginalized and silenced voices.
Is intentional in our practices and trainings to confront bias and be alert to the needs of our campus community.
_______
There is ongoing work in the library world to make spaces and collections more equitable and inclusive and diverse. There is ongoing work in centering patron needs, and finding ways to do so. We welcome your thoughts and comments.