Academic Library Services Statement Against Racism and Social Injustice

ECU’s Academic Library Services supports the Black community and other communities of color and stand steadfast against all racism and social injustice. We stand in solidarity with East Carolina University leadership, Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Asian/Pacific American Libraries Association, American Library Association, and the Association of College & Research Libraries, strongly condemning the racism and oppression that disproportionately affect millions within the Black community and communities of color throughout our nation. We advocate for freedom of inquiry and expression, racial equity and social justice.

At Academic Library Services we are prepared to take action. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do. We aim for our efforts to transcend the confines of our buildings, departments and campus. We reaffirm our commitment to provide library users with resources and tools needed to educate, enlighten and expose inequities that plague all societies. We also recognize the responsibility of the library and its employees to make everyone feel welcome and safe. We will devote ourselves to fulfilling these responsibilities.

As an academic research library, it is our mission to collect and preserve history, no matter how painful the story. ECU Libraries Special Collections are working intentionally to fill recognized gaps in our historical record by collecting and sharing the rich stories of North Carolina’s marginalized communities, including through our Oral History Program. We recognize that this is a journey and while we as a library may be far from reaching perfection, we are committed to continued learning and growth.

August 2020