ALA, ACRL Issue Joint Statement in Support of HBCUs After Recent Bomb Threats
From a Joint Announcement:
The American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of ALA, have issued the following joint statement in response to incidents of bomb threats against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs):
“The American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) stand in solidarity with the faculty, students, a nd staff of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and in particular we voice our support for those whose campuses have recently received bomb threats.
“We especially wish to reach out to our library colleagues whose libraries anchor these important institutions. We lament that racism and the threat of violence continue to plague our colleagues in higher education, places where students, faculty, and workers come to learn and expand understanding. HBCUs do not exist as places apart. They belong to all of higher education and hatred directed towards these schools affects us all. ALA and its more than 49,000 members, including ACRL and its nearly 9,000 members, are united in their support of our fellow library workers at HBCUs.”
In releasing the statement, ALA and ACRL support the following statement released by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL):
“The Association of Research Libraries strongly condemns all forms of racially intended violence. The recent targeting of historically Black colleges and universities with bomb threats meant to silence their voices calls on all of us to speak out against racially motivated hate crimes. By spreading fear, intimidation, and misinformation, these acts threaten the very essence of research and learning in a democratic society. As stewards of humanity’s knowledge from the past, present, and future, we will always seek the truth represented in the multitude of contributions, achievements, and lived experiences. We do this by our advocacy for the US Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation; in our coalition work to establish an archive for truth and cultural healing; in our Association work on structural equity and inclusion; and in every aspect of our programs and services. We act and demand that others stand for a more just society. Acts centered in hate such as these can never be acceptable.”
Filed under: Academic Libraries, Associations and Organizations, Libraries, News
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About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.