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Core Position Statement - Race and Social Equity

July 24, 2020

The Kitchener Public Library (KPL) Board fully endorses the Statement on Race and Social Equity from the Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC) and the Urban Library Council (ULC) and KPL’s own Inclusion and Diversity Policy.

 

In keeping with those statements and policies, as a Board, we recognize the need for action and leadership and we commit to the following:

• Making diversity, equity and inclusion a key focus of and prioritizing anti-racism work in our upcoming strategic planning.
• Actively and intentionally recruiting and retaining board and committee members that reflect the community we serve, particularly those from Black, Indigenous and other racialized groups who are currently under- or un-represented.
• Ensuring that research, surveys, polls, conversations, focus groups and other data used as input in the strategic planning process are inclusive of our full community.
• Reviewing our existing board and governance policies with a lens to racial and social equity barriers.
• Participating in anti-racism training and actively seeking out other opportunities to learn about how we can better serve our community in matters of race and social equity.

As a Board, we acknowledge that these commitments and intentions are only a starting point. We recognize that we are likely to make mistakes as we take these steps to address systemic and structural racism. With that in mind, we are always open to feedback and we will do our best to respond to that feedback in constructive ways. We thank you for your support.

 

-- Kitchener Public Library Board of Directors