Anti-Racism in Practice: The Development of a Black Community Public Library in Canada

Abstract

Neutrality and diversity are the bedrock of public libraries. Yet, public libraries are also steeped in white privilege and many have yet to examine the effects of anti-Black racism. Amidst an ever-growing crisis of inequity, this chapter explores the development of the Black Community Public Library and its roots in Black-centered and community-based perspectives. It provides important insights into how public libraries can transgress the centrality of whiteness in traditional public libraries through community-led and community-based partnerships within collaborative anti-racism and justice frameworks. Opening in January 2022, the Black Community Public Library is the first of its kind to conceptualize and highlight the need for Black-centered services and collections in Canadian public libraries. Located in the Where We Are Now Black Community Centre, the library is the result of a year-long partnership between the Black Community Centre, local higher education institutions, and the municipal library system. It holds an initial circulating collection of 600 titles representing a variety of equity-seeking perspectives. Detailing the development and launch of the Black Community Public Library, this case study demonstrates how to re-envision library spaces with and for communities that have been historically under-represented and provides invaluable insight into how the public library sector can support and engage with Black communities through meaningful partnership and collaboration. Furthermore, it will substantially contribute to the growing body of collaborative knowledge on advancing anti-racism in LIS.

Citation

Matthews, A. and Thomas, S. (2023), "Anti-Racism in Practice: The Development of a Black Community Public Library in Canada", Williams-Cockfield, K.C. and Mehra, B. (Ed.) How Public Libraries Build Sustainable Communities in the 21st Century (Advances in Librarianship, Vol. 53), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0065-283020230000053008