The board officially adopted our policy to mandate paid compensation for all equity work. This outcome belongs to every one of you who demanded an end to the exploitation of our colleagues. Keep checking the updated institutional budget to hold them accountable to these new payment standards.
March 19, 2022
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, represent the Oregon library community and Oregon library community supporters. We are library workers, patrons, volunteers, and library contributors who understand the need for fostering Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDIA) in Oregon libraries. We agree that the communities of color we serve and/or represent suffer tremendously by the need for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) representation in public agencies, professional associations, institutions, and organizations. We recognize there is a great reliance on the unpaid services of professionally qualified BIPOC in the attempt to obtain EDIA best practices and consulting services for advocacy, problem-solving, organizational change, cultural competence, and all library EDIA matters. The burnout and unrecognized emotional labor placed on professionals of color when they must include unpaid EDIA work alongside their professional obligations is one of the reasons libraries are failing to retain their best professionals of color. The solution for this challenge is not to replace our best BIPOC library leaders with outside consultants who use universal solutions, as this will foster a temporary compliance fulfillment and fail to produce ongoing EDIA results, and the cultural workplace changes our libraries seek. We recognize library professionals of color alert us of issues as the dominant culture cannot see, understand, or feel the damaging effects of systemic racism and oppression. These workplace issues are overwhelmingly met with limited EDIA understanding and therefore libraries miss the opportunity to demonstrate excellence in EDIA within libraries and communities.
We, the undersigned, recognize the State Library of Oregon attempts to assist libraries on EDIA issues. However, we must acknowledge the current Oregon Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) 2018-2022 five year plan lacks the support we need and deserve in EDIA. The continuous reliance on our colleagues of color for immediate assistance and/or on the Oregon Library Association’s (OLA) EDIA volunteers to help libraries find solutions for issues such as, but not limited to: funding discrepancies for underrepresented and underserved communities, safety for our patrons and staff of color, workplace inequities, EDIA training, EDIA advocacy for staff of color, EDIA advocacy for marginalized communities, EDIA processes and procedures, EDIA communication, and EDIA best practices. Ways to address these issues are asked of outside, paid consultants. Why is it then that our EDIA volunteers are expected to provide continuous, unpaid consultation?
We want to ask the State Library of Oregon (SLO) to create an EDIA Consulting position within their institution and provide the opportunity to our colleague Marci Ramiro-Jenkins to lead us in this effort. Marci has worked as an unpaid EDIA consultant for Oregon libraries. An accomplished professional, Marci is celebrated, awarded, and recognized by academic, public, and school libraries for the work she led as a volunteer for the OLA EDI Task Force and OLA EDIA Committee. As the primary project leader responsible for the creation and development of the Equity Diversity Inclusion and Antiracism Toolkit for Oregon libraries, Marci is the main contact regarding EDIA questions, inquiries, concerns, she is a mentor and confidante to many library staff of color. Marci’s work and dedication is evident by her election as the first person of color to serve as Oregon Library Association president. Her election demonstrates a willingness to build a path of reparation for our library professionals of color, and with it, an understanding that this conscientious effort needs to start within our own library community. We want to see other colleagues of color emerge, evolve, and receive equal opportunities. This reparative process is needed to recruit, encourage, support and retain talented BIPOC in this profession.
EDIA challenges are continuous, intense, strenuous, and seldom fully rectifiable. As long as social inequities exist, there will continue to be a need for EDIA. Therefore a long term solution is required for Oregon libraries. We know Oregon Libraries are overdue in EDIA specialized support, and that is why we want the State Library of Oregon to create and finance a paid EDIA staff consultant position.
Oregon Library Association Executive Board
OLA EDI Antiracism Committee
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 24, 2022
February 22, 2022
We are approaching 500 signatures and need a final push to hit this mark today. Post the link on Facebook and text three colleagues to ensure they sign as well. Keep the pressure on so the library board cannot ignore our demands.
Reached 100 supporters
February 11, 2022
February 8, 2022
We are approaching one hundred signers and the momentum is building. Post the link to your Facebook feed right now so we can hit this milestone today.
52 Comments
Let's be nimble State Library of Oregon- this should have been done years ago. Hire a permanent EDIA Consulting position. I would also suggest an assistant and a librarian to support the EDIA tasks.
As BIPOC staff who has, on occasion, taken on the additional labor of bringing up and educating about equity issues and seen other BIPOC do the same uncompensated I fully support this petition and the addition of a position at Or State Library.
I wholeheartedly support the creation and funding of a paid EDIA staff consultant position at the State Library of Oregon. We cannot continue to expect that library professionals of color volunteer their time, energy, expertise, and resilience to move this important work forward.
I support the creation of this position. However, it should be a competitive process for hiring, and I do not necessarily support one candidate above others.
I echo Meredith Farkas' in that we often expect people do this kind of work for free. I support this petition and believe Marci Ramiro-Jenkins should be financially supported for their work.
I support this petition and the work that OLA has done thus far fostering Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDIA) in Oregon libraries. I hope the State Library of Oregon decides to move forward with organizational change.
I support the excellent idea of a paid EDIA staff consultant position at the State Library. I hope it would help both lift and acknowledge the burden of additional labor done every day by colleagues of color and underrepresented identities. I appreciate the thoughtful work that led to the conception and crafting of this petition.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The board officially adopted our policy to mandate paid compensation for all equity work. This outcome belongs to every one of you who demanded an end to the exploitation of our colleagues. Keep checking the updated institutional budget to hold them accountable to these new payment standards.
March 19, 2022
Final supporters
We, the undersigned, represent the Oregon library community and Oregon library community supporters. We are library workers, patrons, volunteers, and library contributors who understand the need for fostering Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDIA) in Oregon libraries. We agree that the communities of color we serve and/or represent suffer tremendously by the need for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) representation in public agencies, professional associations, institutions, and organizations. We recognize there is a great reliance on the unpaid services of professionally qualified BIPOC in the attempt to obtain EDIA best practices and consulting services for advocacy, problem-solving, organizational change, cultural competence, and all library EDIA matters. The burnout and unrecognized emotional labor placed on professionals of color when they must include unpaid EDIA work alongside their professional obligations is one of the reasons libraries are failing to retain their best professionals of color. The solution for this challenge is not to replace our best BIPOC library leaders with outside consultants who use universal solutions, as this will foster a temporary compliance fulfillment and fail to produce ongoing EDIA results, and the cultural workplace changes our libraries seek. We recognize library professionals of color alert us of issues as the dominant culture cannot see, understand, or feel the damaging effects of systemic racism and oppression. These workplace issues are overwhelmingly met with limited EDIA understanding and therefore libraries miss the opportunity to demonstrate excellence in EDIA within libraries and communities.
We, the undersigned, recognize the State Library of Oregon attempts to assist libraries on EDIA issues. However, we must acknowledge the current Oregon Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) 2018-2022 five year plan lacks the support we need and deserve in EDIA. The continuous reliance on our colleagues of color for immediate assistance and/or on the Oregon Library Association’s (OLA) EDIA volunteers to help libraries find solutions for issues such as, but not limited to: funding discrepancies for underrepresented and underserved communities, safety for our patrons and staff of color, workplace inequities, EDIA training, EDIA advocacy for staff of color, EDIA advocacy for marginalized communities, EDIA processes and procedures, EDIA communication, and EDIA best practices. Ways to address these issues are asked of outside, paid consultants. Why is it then that our EDIA volunteers are expected to provide continuous, unpaid consultation?
We want to ask the State Library of Oregon (SLO) to create an EDIA Consulting position within their institution and provide the opportunity to our colleague Marci Ramiro-Jenkins to lead us in this effort. Marci has worked as an unpaid EDIA consultant for Oregon libraries. An accomplished professional, Marci is celebrated, awarded, and recognized by academic, public, and school libraries for the work she led as a volunteer for the OLA EDI Task Force and OLA EDIA Committee. As the primary project leader responsible for the creation and development of the Equity Diversity Inclusion and Antiracism Toolkit for Oregon libraries, Marci is the main contact regarding EDIA questions, inquiries, concerns, she is a mentor and confidante to many library staff of color. Marci’s work and dedication is evident by her election as the first person of color to serve as Oregon Library Association president. Her election demonstrates a willingness to build a path of reparation for our library professionals of color, and with it, an understanding that this conscientious effort needs to start within our own library community. We want to see other colleagues of color emerge, evolve, and receive equal opportunities. This reparative process is needed to recruit, encourage, support and retain talented BIPOC in this profession.
EDIA challenges are continuous, intense, strenuous, and seldom fully rectifiable. As long as social inequities exist, there will continue to be a need for EDIA. Therefore a long term solution is required for Oregon libraries. We know Oregon Libraries are overdue in EDIA specialized support, and that is why we want the State Library of Oregon to create and finance a paid EDIA staff consultant position.
Oregon Library Association Executive Board
OLA EDI Antiracism Committee
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
February 24, 2022
February 22, 2022
We are approaching 500 signatures and need a final push to hit this mark today. Post the link on Facebook and text three colleagues to ensure they sign as well. Keep the pressure on so the library board cannot ignore our demands.
Reached 100 supporters
February 11, 2022
February 8, 2022
We are approaching one hundred signers and the momentum is building. Post the link to your Facebook feed right now so we can hit this milestone today.
52 Comments
This is a huge problem in schools and school libraries as well. The expectation that people of color volunteer their time and emotional energy to combat racism is unacceptable.
Let's be nimble State Library of Oregon- this should have been done years ago. Hire a permanent EDIA Consulting position. I would also suggest an assistant and a librarian to support the EDIA tasks.
As BIPOC staff who has, on occasion, taken on the additional labor of bringing up and educating about equity issues and seen other BIPOC do the same uncompensated I fully support this petition and the addition of a position at Or State Library.
I wholeheartedly support the creation and funding of a paid EDIA staff consultant position at the State Library of Oregon. We cannot continue to expect that library professionals of color volunteer their time, energy, expertise, and resilience to move this important work forward.
I support the creation of this position. However, it should be a competitive process for hiring, and I do not necessarily support one candidate above others.
I echo Meredith Farkas' in that we often expect people do this kind of work for free. I support this petition and believe Marci Ramiro-Jenkins should be financially supported for their work.
I support this petition and the work that OLA has done thus far fostering Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDIA) in Oregon libraries. I hope the State Library of Oregon decides to move forward with organizational change.
I support the excellent idea of a paid EDIA staff consultant position at the State Library. I hope it would help both lift and acknowledge the burden of additional labor done every day by colleagues of color and underrepresented identities. I appreciate the thoughtful work that led to the conception and crafting of this petition.
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This is a huge problem in schools and school libraries as well. The expectation that people of color volunteer their time and emotional energy to combat racism is unacceptable.