LibGuides: Professional Development for Delaware Library Staff: Social Justice

Feature LibGuide

Delaware Libraries Social Justice LibGuide

DDL Contacts

Delaware Resources

Environmental Justice at DNREC
Environmental justice seeks equity for minority and low-income communities that may be disproportionately exposed – and vulnerable – to adverse environmental impacts. Simply put, practicing environmental justice ensures that everyone has an equal seat at the table where decisions are made.

Let's Talk About Environmental Justice: A Toolkitfrom Delaware Humanities
This toolkit is designed to help inspire, facilitate, and guide conversations about the importance of environmental justice efforts in Delaware.
The goals of this toolkit are to teach participants:
1) to understand how issues of environmental injustice, environmental racism, and classism have emerged and impacted all parts of Delaware and their own community
2) to learn how people in the past and today combat environmental injustice in diverse ways
3) to identify the local environmental justice efforts in Delaware and how to learn more and get involved if they wish.
As this is a Delaware Humanities project, special attention will be given to the human component in these topics so participants can recognize how the environment plays a central role in their lives. This toolkit will emphasize both the seriousness of these issues and the positive impact hope and collective action can have on them.

Collections

Evaluating Children’s Books about Police (2017)
Because “libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues" it is important for children's material selectors to understand and consider all potential views of police officers when selecting materials for our collections.
Library Collection Shelf Audit for Diversity and Inclusion (2017)
Use this worksheet to analyze your school library book collections and determine where there are strengths and where there are
gaps in diversity.

Delaware Code

House Bill 198
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BLACK HISTORY EDUCATION
This Act requires each school district and charter school to establish and implement a curriculum on Black History for students in grades K through 12. This Act incorporates contemporary events into discussions of Black History and the tools of experience.
Signed 6/17/21

Black Historical Consciousness Principles
Table from HB 198

Additional Resources

Black Excellence in LIS Syllabus
Culturally Sustaining Library Walk
The goal of the Culturally Sustaining Library Walk is to identify strengths, to discover areas that
need improvement, and to develop a path to achieve a culturally sustaining library program.
Dismantling Racism
A web-based workbook offered by dRworks as a community resource on dismantling racism.
Divorcing White Supremacy Culture
A revised take on the 1999 article White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun. This website offers resources on understanding and dismantling white supremacy culture.
Library Freedom Project
Teaches librarians about surveillance threats, privacy rights, and digital tools to thwart surveillance.
Project Implicit
From Harvard University, free test to find your implicit biases.
Project Ready
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.
Food is a Right: Libraries and Food Justice
Public libraries are trusted community institutions that are addressing food insecurity among
many local, regional and national issues. This paper frames the current state of food insecurity
across North America and the strategic role libraries play in addressing local needs. Included are
descriptions of programs, services and activities leading libraries are implementing and
recommendations for other library leaders to follow in ensuring their community is nourished.
URBAN LIBRARIES COUNCIL White Paper
JANUARY 2023