Mission, Administration and Staff

At its core, BCPL’s mission is to transform lives, enabling everyone to reach their fullest potential. However, we cannot begin the work of transformation within our community without committing to diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do. Yet diversity, equity and inclusion are impossible without naming and tackling the obstacle in the path of many to leading full lives of dignity—racism. Systemic racism towards BIPOC undergirds and upholds inequity towards all people. We must acknowledge that centuries of systemic racism have created barriers that limit futures and prevent many from thriving. These systems have persisted in creating two Americas where certain lives are not valued and many are not afforded the essential human right to live a life without fear and with equally-applied justice.

Libraries, including BCPL, have historically claimed to be neutral, choosing not to take sides on what others deemed controversial. But BCPL cannot continue to do so—the cost of neutrality is too high. Neutrality comes from a place of privilege that allows us to ignore the systemic inequities that prevail in our community and society, while remaining comfortable and preserving existing power structures. We can no longer and will no longer stay silent. We must recognize the pain, anger and frustration in our community, and convert that outrage into meaningful and lasting change. BCPL has not consistently led or served with an equity lens, however we pledge to do more to transform ourselves and our communities into ones where all can live their best lives.

We understand that we are merely at the start of an ongoing journey to address racial and social inequity in our community and within our organization. BCPL commits to do better and to be better. We will work and communicate with all segments of our community to improve our own understanding of systemic racism while providing opportunities for the community to do the same. We will develop concrete steps to work toward a better future for each and every one of us.

We will:

• Work to dismantle any systemic racism within our organization and collaborate with partners to dismantle systemic racism throughout the community.
• Hold difficult conversations. For too long the voices of many people in our communities and in our libraries have gone unheard. We pledge to listen, learn and hold ourselves accountable to real, lasting and positive change.
• Utilize the expertise of BCPL's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer to provide staff and customers with the tools needed to achieve greater equity.
• Conduct equity audits to establish and guide a plan of action that covers all aspects of BCPL’s operations and service model, and sets clear goals and objectives for creating a fairer and more equitable anti-racist library.
• Change library policies and practices that are punitive, create barriers to access and harm our community.
• Develop and maintain programs, services and collections that amplify the lives of people of color.

Democracy is under siege throughout the world and close to home. Daily, we witness assaults on basic freedoms and human rights we’ve long cherished as books are banned, programs and events are canceled, disinformation and misinformation spread unchecked and racism is institutionalized. Democracy’s future is diminished when people’s access to power, information, a diversity of voices and the ability to influence policy are restricted. As cornerstones of democracy, it is incumbent upon libraries to stand up against all efforts to impede the democratic process and limit the full participation in civic life.

Banning books through policy and legislation is one such example of the challenges facing us. These efforts have unfortunately met with success in some parts of the United States as lawmakers codify restrictions on reading material—and we strongly stand against the furtherance of such restrictive policymaking.

As leaders of North America’s public libraries, we are committed to preserving, protecting and advancing the highest hopes and ideals of democracy so all members of our communities may fully participate in the democratic process. To meaningfully participate in society, people need access to a broad range of information and ideas, as well as opportunities for open, uncensored discourse to hear, read, debate and learn from each other’s perspectives.

It is for this reason that libraries as trusted institutions in their communities join to advance this Declaration and commit to the following:

• Educating and informing the public about the rights afforded to them in the United States Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, among them the freedom of religion, thought, speech, expression, belief, the press, peaceful assembly and association.1
• Encouraging an active citizenry where all are engaged in creating an equitable and just society where everyone may realize their potential as individuals within the community.
• Serving as a convener for and facilitator of civic engagement and civil discourse, where all voices may be heard and respect is displayed for community members’ diverse opinions, thoughts, histories and cultural heritage.
• Increasing efforts to fight misinformation and disinformation, providing reliable resources and seeking new ways to help patrons find verifiable and accurate information.
• Leveraging programming, collections and other resources to promote human dignity, open dialogue and respect for diverse viewpoints, civil rights, and all other protections and freedoms fundamental to democracies, and based on the conviction that “laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind”2, holding fast to the expectation that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”3, and that “the Just Society will be one in which the rights of minorities will be safe from the whims of intolerant majorities.”4

We resolve to continue to create spaces where entering our doors is an act of participating in democracy, where people can read and learn freely from all points of view, make up their own minds and engage in their communities. We stand as proud leaders of libraries, and as such, we will continue to guard democracy’s great promise and ensure all those we serve are included in its fulfillment.

1 See First Amendment in the United States Constitution and Section 2 in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
2 Thomas Jefferson, from a letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816, enshrined on Southeast Portico of the Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C.
3 Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington National Cathedral, March 31, 1968, enshrined on South Wall of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Washington, D.C.
4 Pierre Elliott Trudeau, as cited in The Essential Trudeau, ed. Ron Graham (pp. 16–20).