Thursday, November 12, 2020 | View in browser
EVANSTON, IL - The Evanston Public Library (EPL) announces the formation of the Collection Advisory Committee, a group created to ensure the collections of the Library are more accessible and equitable for all. The group, formed with Collection Development Manager Elizabeth Bird, will aid in the acquisition of materials for Evanston's Black community. The group may be the first of its kind in the realm of public libraries, according to Bird.
"It's a unique attempt to combat historical racism in library purchasing decisions," Bird stated.
The Collection Advisory Committee comes as a direct result of suggestions from the Library's Racial Equity Task Force comprised of Library staff, community members, and EPL trustees. Additionally, the Library's 2018 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Needs Assessment, conducted by D'Etta Jones and Associates, included as one of its recommendations the expansion of book collections that reflect the needs and interests of the Black community.
Early feedback from the new Collection Advisory Committee has led to a partnership with Afriware Books, an independent, Black-owned bookstore from which the Library will make purchases beginning in 2021. The group is exploring new ways to make the collections of EPL more accessible and equitable, even in the midst of the pandemic and will also look into aiding future local Black literary festivals.
Members of this group include Deshana Newman, Elizabeth Averyhart, Traci Powell, Anya Tanyavutti, Candice Shakur and Chaga Walton.
"The Library is making ongoing efforts to listen to as many voices as possible and reimagining how we serve everyone in our community, in this case specifically and unapologetically focusing on our Black residents. One of the ways we do that is to find new ways to receive feedback. The new Collections Advisory Committee is an important part of our commitment to serving Evanston's Black community," said Bird.
Anyone interested in receiving a monthly newsletter of the committee's actions, can email Elizabeth Bird at ebird@cityofevanston.org.
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Media Contact: Jill Schacter
jschacter@cityofevanston.org
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