As your public library, we are aware of how choosing to be anti-racist touches everything we do. Read more about why anti-racism work is library work »
For questions, more information, and how we can work together, please contact Executive Director David J. Seleb at 708.697.6911 or at davids@oppl.org and the Director of Equity and Anti-Racism Stephen Jackson at stephenj@oppl.org.
Background: How did we get here?
Review a timeline of our commitment to this intentional journey to be a library for everyone »
Priorities: Our Anti-Racism Strategic Plan
Community & Staff Input: Anti-Racism Advisory Team
We work with a cross-section of stakeholders (administrators, staff, patrons, board representation, and young adults) who would work together to develop new protocols that shape the library’s strategic direction. These individuals meet regularly as members of the library’s Anti-Racism Advisory Team. We are both invigorated by and hopeful about each member’s willingness to continue to participate in this challenging yet fortifying road.
- Aaron Alonzo, Manager of Public Safety, Oak Park Public Library
- Virginia Bloom, Oak Park Public Library Trustee
- Chibuike Enyia, Village of Oak Park Trustee
- Reesheda Graham Washington, CEO, RGW Consulting, LLC
- Juanta Griffin, Multicultural Learning Coordinator, Oak Park Public Library
- Stephen Jackson, Director of Equity and Anti-Racism, Oak Park Public Library
- Orson Morrison, Oak Park Community Member
- David J. Seleb, Executive Director, Oak Park Public Library
- Tatiana Swancy, Restorative Practices Coordinator, Oak Park Public Library
- Sarah Yale, Manager of Community Engagement, Oak Park Public Library
Black staff affinity group
The group held its first meeting in June 2020, and now gathers monthly. Its intention is to provide a safe space where members can ultimately feel comfortable convening themselves and setting their own objectives.
Allies
- As a member of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium, a group whose mission is to connect all who seek to document, share, understand, and preserve Black experiences, we affirm that Black lives, Black stories, and Black collections matter. Of note: “Protest in the Archives” and “Collections on Black Experiences.”
- As a member of the American Library Association (ALA), we refer to resources compiled for both ALA members and the public about Black Lives Matter and related issues, sharing them for informational purposes.
- Community allies include:
