Introduction to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Check out the South Carolina State Library's guide on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion by clicking here

Resources for LGBTQ+

Public Statement on Racial Equity

June 2, 2020

Across the country and in our own community, peaceful protesters have been and continue to gather to insist on justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and the many, many others before them. These horrific acts are the result of institutional and systemic racism.

Our hearts are heavy with these recent events and the tremendous suffering of our Black community members. At the Union County Library System, one of our core values is inclusiveness, and we are committed to standing against racism. We recognize our role within our community and our responsibility to our community members in overcoming racial inequity. We are honored to serve a richly diverse community, and we reaffirm our mission to provide access to opportunities, activities, and services that improve the quality of life for all members of our community.

As an organization, we began our strategic planning process with the Weathers Group in Fall 2019, which included equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training for all library staff, board members, and facility partners. We are now working to incorporate EDI principles into a thoughtful plan ensuring our vision of making Union County a joyful, welcoming, and thriving community.

We know this is a challenging and stressful time for everyone and we're here to help by providing resources to be healthy, informed and empowered. Posted below are reading lists with titles available through the Jasmine Overdrive consortium (click here to access), which contain books for all ages to help understand and facilitate conversations about racism. We know these lists are not exhaustive and will continue to work to add more diverse titles, authors, and contributors to our collection to ensure all perspectives and voices are represented.

We lift our voices in love to silence the hate. Black Lives Matter.

-- UCLS Leadership Team