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Cheery Friday Greetings,
This has been a week of catch up after last week’s New York Library Association conference, which was held in Syracuse.
Keynote speaker Amanda Jones, one of the first librarians to sue for defamation against those who launched personal attacks on her when she supported challenged books, spoke of her experiences. She recently published a book, That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America. The Empire State Library Network’s luncheon speaker, Alison Macrina, CEO of The Freedom Project, spoke on Building Power and Community in Crisis Times. There is a plethora of free resources on their website. Kudos to Jessica for organizing the program! One of the conference’s final programs was the Intellectual Freedom breakfast featuring Dr. Jonathan Friedman of PEN America—another organization offering a wide-range of resources on its website. And then...there were our many members who presented sessions, including our former intern Sam MacQueen now of Tompkins County Public Library who was on a panel with our very own Claire!
Congratulations are also in order to Brian Hildreth, Executive Director of the Southern Tier Library System, who was awarded NYLA's Public Librarian of the Year!
As you know, diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility plus belonging are integral to SCRLC. They are embedded in our vision, mission, values, and strategic directions and are interwoven throughout our entire Plan of Service.
One of my colleagues, another system director, recently shared a couple of DEI-related resources from the Harvard Business Review—one to a podcast, Why DEI Still Matters (and How to Get It Right) and the other to an article, What Trump’s Second Term Could Mean for DEI. The article discussed how companies could approach DEI under a second Trump administration by drawing on strategies used by pro-LGBTQ+ international businesses operating in unfriendly regions of the world:1) When in Rome comply but don’t over-comply; 2) Embassy—create a safe haven, i.e., “No matter how hostile the external environment becomes, organizations have control over the culture within their own walls. Indeed, they have a responsibility to create such a refuge as the only bodies capable of providing it within the workplace.” This really spoke to me regarding libraries as safe spaces where people belong; 3) Advocate: shift the narrative. Recommended reading.
This is our last issue before the Thanksgiving holiday, so I will wish you a happy, safe, and peaceful holiday. On Sunday November 17, for those interested there is a national Rethinking Thanksgiving program that features some of our neighbors from the Onondaga Nation. Click on the link for more information and registration.
Yours in partnership,
Mary-Carol Lindbloom
Executive Director
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