Thanks to a $75,000 grant from an anonymous donor, we are able to add additional digital copies of books on the BPL Antiracist reading collection. This funding allows patrons to gain access to digital copies of books and media on the reading list, dramatically reducing patron wait and increasing accessibility to these items.
Since the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing national and local conversations, the Library has seen a more than 500% increase in checkouts and holds on the most popular Black Lives Matter and anti-racism titles in the Antiracist reading collection.
The BPL and BPLF recognize how important it is for patrons to have access to this list of books and media on race and racism. The BPL released a new Statement and Action Plan on Racial Equity, which establishes the Library’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization and outlines clear next steps in this work. The document outlines the steps in making the BPL a more anti-racist organization that is founded on the principles of inclusion, education and opportunity for all.
The Anti-Racist Reading collection includes: Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility, Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be an Antiracist, and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me — you can access the full reading list here.
