<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:248732313;
mso-list-template-ids:-523305846;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:308442737;
mso-list-template-ids:746079468;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2
{mso-list-id:1278294749;
mso-list-template-ids:69787920;}
@list l2:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3
{mso-list-id:1868761972;
mso-list-template-ids:560754874;}
@list l3:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l3:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4
{mso-list-id:1916548776;
mso-list-template-ids:381997406;}
@list l4:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5
{mso-list-id:2067222344;
mso-list-template-ids:-1911913596;}
@list l5:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Marly,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you so much for your e-mail I particularly like the part your mentioned:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Yes, fighting against bans by schools and government is important, especially since the books most likely to be challenged or banned are by authors or about people from marginalized communities but that is only a small part of making the
Freedom to Read a reality.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Freedom to read and <u>freedom to belong</u> are still unachievable goals in certain parts of Oregon, sadly affecting our students at their own schools, the place where they should be embraced, protected, seen and surrounded by knowledge
instead of influenced by hate, ignorance and self-righteousness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, some of our colleagues still need to abide to decisions that go against our core values as librarians, in order to keep their jobs, when the right thing to do is to give libraries the autonomy to be a safe-haven to our youth
and support their quest for social justice and overall freedom to read and to belong.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Once again thank you for bringing up this important theme.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Marci<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces@omls.oregon.gov> <b>On Behalf Of
</b>Marly Osma de Forest via Libs-Or<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 30, 2021 1:02 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> libs-or@omls.oregon.gov<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Libs-Or] Collection Development Policies & Racism<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:red">This message originated outside of the City of McMinnville.</span></b><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">
<hr size="2" width="100%" align="center">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">What I’m going to say may be provocative - but I need to push against some of the ideas around the Freedom to Read.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Freedom/Right to Read - does not exist. Has never existed.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">At least not in the idealized way that we have and continue to use it. When we use this phrase it is to often removed from historical context and the context of how publishing, bookselling, and libraries actually
work.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The Freedom/Right to Read is already manipulated before libraries ever enter the picture, and then we build on those practices, turn them into policy undermining our own stated values. The reality is that
when we take into account the historical/current exclusion of groups of people from libraries (Jim Crow-era segregation, those experiencing houselessness, often unwelcoming environment for neurodivergent people), limited access because of location and the
burden of fines, the lack of a diversity in materials that the libraries provide - it is clear that the Freedom to Read has only ever been a reality for some groups of people.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Over the last 10 years, there has been more visibility of the work of disabilitycrit, LGBTQIAP+, and BIPOC library people who discuss and provide data about the lack of books by and about queer people, disabled
people, and people of the global majority yearly. Here are the </span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/ZlcqCAD2O9S6g2YtG5shc"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">latest numbers</span></a><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> from the Cooperative Children’s
Book Center about US publishing if you haven’t gotten to see them yet.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">This lack of diversity affects person’s Freedom to Read.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo3">
<span style="font-size:16.0pt">A Garifuna immigrant didn’t have the Freedom to Read about someone like them. They didn’t/don't have the freedom to pick up a book and trust that anti-black/indigenous racism wouldn’t be present. Historically they couldn’t even
be guaranteed that the library would be open, available, and welcoming to them.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;mso-list:l3 level1 lfo6">
<span style="font-size:16.0pt">Queer children couldn’t freely read about being queer for years, and if they did it was a moral tale where the characters died or experienced trauma because of their identity.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:0in;mso-list:l5 level1 lfo9">
<span style="font-size:16.0pt">Until recently you couldn’t find books by transracial adoptees about the experience of being adopted. Books about adoption were almost always by an adoptive parent or industry professional. Most were guides or books about how
to adoption, storybooks were from the adoptive parents' perspective, not adoptees.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">The examples are countless.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">At the inverse : white, middle-class, straight, heteronormative people have always had the opportunity to read books that speak to them. To have an abundance of stories to choose from. Some terrible but also
many that aren’t racist, ableist, </span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/a1kkCBB2ERt61Bot6xw24"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">queermisiac</span></a><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> or otherwise oppressive to whole groups of people. These books have
had the freedom to be read, to exist for decades - even centuries - just by virtue of having taken up space on library shelves when countless books never even got published.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">If we can agree that we cannot have ALL the books - that there is not enough shelf/server space in our libraries to have every book and we have to use our judgment in selecting what goes on our shelves - then
we need to acknowledge that the library does discriminate. Has always discriminated. Has used collections to welcome AND exclude, to connect and ignore. We obscure that discrimination by leaning so heavily on the Freedom to Read. Whether we do it knowingly
or simply because we’ve succumbed to </span><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/gBerCDk2EJUv10PSAWWNj"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">vocational awe</span></a><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> (F. Ettarh) does not lessen the impact or harm.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Yes, fighting against bans by schools and government is important, especially since the books most likely to be challenged or banned are by authors or about people from marginalized communities but that is
only a small part of making the Freedom to Read a reality. Until we look critically at the interlocking systems that make the Freedom to Read a privilege for some - not a right for all - until we look at how we perpetuate this in our policies and procedures
then it will never be anything more than a slogan. We have an obligation to do better than that. Shifting our lens as we build collections is a start.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">This is not to say that all libraries are in the same place - location, funding, community, leadership and the will to change are varied. I want acknowledge the difficult work many libraries are doing , usually
lead by library workers of the global majority and other marginalized communities, to a more equitable and liberatory framework.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Thank you for taking the time to read.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Marly Osma de Forest<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">she/they <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:marlyo@wccls.org"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">marlyo@wccls.org</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">West Slope Community Library<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">3678 SW 78<sup>th</sup> Ave<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Portland, OR 97225<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Links from body of message for easy copy and paste:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Data on books by and about Black, Indigenous and People of Color published for children and teens compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/ZlcqCAD2O9S6g2YtG5shc"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">https://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/literature-resources/ccbc-diversity-statistics/books-by-and-or-about-poc-2018/#USonly</span></a><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Simmons Libguides : Anti-Opression - what does “misia” mean?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/a1kkCBB2ERt61Bot6xw24"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">https://simmons.libguides.com/anti-oppression#s-lib-ctab-10174165-1</span></a><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">In the Library with a Leadpipe : Vocational Awe by Fobazi Ettarh 01/10/2018</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/gBerCDk2EJUv10PSAWWNj/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2018/vocational-awe/</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#4864A7"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>