We believe that libraries play an important role in educating the communities they serve. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us all to rethink and re-evaluate how we serve our communities, find ways to bridge the digital gap and deliver essential library services to all, irrespective of differences in race, gender, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background. The events that occurred in the past weeks highlighted the deep inequity and systemic racism that the Black community faces. We stand against racial injustice and all forms of racism and we believe education can serve as impetus for self-reflection, personal learning, and societal change. As librarians, educators, research facilitators, and public servants, it is our obligation to educate ourselves and our community. It is in this spirit that we compiled the following annotated reading and resource list on anti-racism that we would like to share with you. In addition to our resource list, you may also contact staff for remote access to our HeinOnline database, which has access to historical and government documents. 

Unless we learn and understand our country’s history of racism and injustice, we can never fully understand or even begin to imagine what it is like to live in America or other parts of the world as a black person or a person with dark skin. Education is the first step.