WHEREAS, the OWWL Library System remains committed to being an organization that is intentional in its embrace of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and is committed to supporting our 42 member libraries to stand against intolerance of any kind;
WHEREAS, any speech or action that threatens the safety, equality, or dignity of any member of our library communities, including ableism, hate speech, homophobia, misogyny, racism, religious persecution, sexism, transphobia, xenophobia, and all other forms of discrimination and oppression, is unethical to the core mission of libraries and librarianship; and
WHEREAS, libraries and library service should recognize, value, and empower all aspects of identity, including: age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, creed, culture, disability/ability, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, geographic origin, language, marital status, national or ethnic origin, neurodiversity, parental status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and all others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System, on behalf of its Board of Trustees, will continue to build a culture that is respectful, open to change, and empathetic to all perspectives;
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will hold our organization accountable to our member libraries and to our library communities;
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will ensure our services, spaces, and resources are representative of diverse cultures and perspectives, inclusive, and accessible to everyone;
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will foster intellectual freedom and diverse discourse through Continuing Education opportunities;
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will encourage member libraries and their governing bodies to scrutinize policies, procedures, and practices that may create barriers to service or are exclusionary toward oppressed or marginalized populations;
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will support actionable steps by our member libraries in their ongoing efforts to be inclusive of all community members and to provide equitable library services to all; and
RESOLVED, that the OWWL Library System will maintain an open dialogue and work to continuously educate ourselves and learn with our member libraries to build an inclusive organizational culture.
Last Updated by the OWWL Library System on April 14, 2021