A Letter from the Library Director
At the Russell Library, we are committed to fostering an equitable society in which all people have the opportunity to transform their lives for the better. Libraries are in a unique position to provide these opportunities by offering free access to high-quality, reliable information and technologies that connect people and promote full participation in our democracy.
However, we also need to recognize that even in democratic institutions like public libraries, people have not historically been treated equally. The staff and Board of Trustees of the Russell Library pledge to our beloved community that we will do the hard work that needs to be done, and we will call out injustice when we see it. We will admit when we are wrong and we will educate ourselves in order to do and be better. We are committed to equal opportunity in hiring as well as representation on our Board of Trustees, and in our collections of materials, our programs, and our publicity and services. We will continue to learn and grow through consistent and ongoing training in equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Hatred, fear and ignorance have no place in our community. At the Russell Library, we pledge to promote awareness, inclusion, and understanding of our shared humanity now, and always.
Ramona Burkey, Library Director
Eamonn Wisneski, President, Russell Library Board of Trustees
Land Acknowledgement
We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the territory of the Wangunk peoples who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.
Learning and gaining a better understanding of indigenous lifeways is an important step towards acknowledging the value and ecological significance of indigenous stewardship in Connecticut, and in Middletown.
We recognize that by being silent, we are just as complicit in the ongoing oppression of indigenous peoples, and those who were enslaved.
We make this acknowledgement as a first step in our responsibility to critically look at the colonial histories and their present day implications as we give respect to the keepers of the land, and to the land, and to the bodies of water.
Suggested Reading for Teens and Adults
Borrow a Title
Russell Library has most of the books mentioned above in a wide variety of formats: hardcover, ebook, audiobook. Search our online catalog and place a hold. You can also send us an email or give us a call!
More Resources
Project Implicit is a non-profit organization and international collaboration between researchers who are interested in implicit social cognition – thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control. The goal of the organization is to educate the public about hidden biases and to provide a “virtual laboratory” for collecting data on the Internet.
This site hosts a series of free, online professional development modules for school and public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth.
Kids and Racism
These titles explain complex issues such as racism, sexism, environmentalism, and immigration. While far from an exhaustive list, these texts will be a strong foundation for budding activists.
The stereotypical representations—or omission altogether—of people of color in modern children’s literature promote a Eurocentric worldview and value system that denotes nonwhiteness as inferior.
SocialJusticeBooks.org is a project of Teaching for Change, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide teachers and parents with the tools to create schools where students learn to read, write and change the world.
As US racial divisions and inequities grow sharper and more painful, the work of envisioning and creating systems of authentic racial inclusion and belonging in the United States remains work in progress. Reversing the trend must begin in our homes, schools, and communities with our children’s hearts and minds.
Russell Library
123 Broad Street, Middletown CT 06457
Phone
860-347-2528
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Sunday 1-5pm (October-March)