Statement from Library Director Jeff Scott
We at Washoe County Library System support collective action to end systemic racism and inequality in our community. The events that led to the death of George Floyd were horrendous. We as a library and as a community need to take time to reflect on racism that is pervasive in every aspect of our communities, systemic racism that has led to the deaths of black men, women, and children. While George Floyd's death came at the hands of abusive law enforcement, it began over suspicion of a $20 bill. Racism is a learned activity and we must all work on our journey towards being anti-racist.
As a library, we work to provide collections that reflect our community and educate about these ongoing issues. You will find a collection that is ever-growing in our youth, teen, and adult collections. We strive to demonstrate that Black Lives Matter both to our library and our community. We hope that these books will help on your journey to anti-racism.
As an organization, we examine every interaction to ensure our services and our treatment of community members are equal to all. There are actions we can all take to make changes in our community. The journey to anti-racism is a personal one. It starts with education and the awareness of each individual action we take and how those actions impact others.
As the Library Director for the Washoe County Library System, I am signing on to the statement by the Urban Libraries Council in support of #BlackLivesMatter and their Statement on Race and Social Equity. We hope that we can make great strides going forward towards anti-racism and help you on your journey as well. We invite you to join us.
Sincerely,
Jeff Scott
Library Director
Washoe County Library System