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From the Library Director’s desk:
The John G. McCullough Free Library’s Staff and Trustees stand in solidarity with the American Library Association, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and the Vermont Library Association in opposition to racism, and condemn the violence and oppression experienced by Black people, Latinx people, Indigenous people, people of color, and all marginalized people.
Black lives matter. Black voices matter. Black stories matter.
These facts have compelled us to listen, to reflect, to seek additional training, and to act.
Information and literature are essential, especially at this moment. We have renewed our commitment to responsive, inclusive, and actively antiracist collection development and community event planning.
Free, equal access to information and literature is necessary for hearts, minds, individuals, and societies to change. We are reviewing our policies and operating procedures to ensure that the services we provide are inclusive and actively antiracist.
Recently, the McCullough Library has received and fulfilled numerous requests for resources to guide personal reflection, public action and conversations about community policing, race, and racism. If you are interested in learning more about these topics, we encourage you to review the resources below. Library staff members can help connect you with any of the books on these reading lists. Email your requests to mcculloughlibraryclerk@gmail.com, call us at 802.447.7121, or use our easy online book request form: https://forms.gle/y5NPgqmKwvyWA7Vf8.
You can also request items through our online catalog anywhere you have Internet access. If you aren’t sure how to do this, please email us at the address above or call. Additionally, many of these titles are available in ebook and digital audiobook formats and can be borrowed for free with your McCullough Library account. If you don’t know how to access this resource, please ask.
Community Policing and Related Topics: Recommended Resources
For Adults and Teens:
Vermont Department of Library’s Racial and Social Justice Resources: https://libraries.vermont.gov/services/racialjusticeresources
The National Museum of African American History and the Smithsonian Institute’s Talking About Race: https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race
Black Lives Matter: Essential Readings for Adults and Teens from the Los Angeles Public Library: https://lapl.org/black-lives-matter/essential-readings
Understanding Structural Racism from the San Francisco Public Library: https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/list/share/433865467/1651517679
The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center Black Liberation Reading List: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/06/09/schomburg-center-black-liberation-reading-list
An Antiracist Reading List by Ibram X. Kendi, as published in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/books/review/antiracist-reading-list-ibram-x-kendi.html
5 Books to Read About Race and the Police, a list by Joumana Khatib, as published in The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/10/burst/books-policing-race.html
Resources to Teach the History of Policing in America That You Won’t Find in Textbooks, compiled by Valerie Strauss, as published in The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/06/09/resources-teach-history-policing-america-that-you-wont-find-textbooks/
For Parents and Educators:
Race, Racism and Revolution Reading List for Educators from the New York Public Library: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/06/17/race-racism-revolution-booklist-educators
Anti-Racism Books for Kids from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/02/parenting/kids-books-racism-protest.html
School Library Journal’s Diversity & Cultural Literacy Toolkit: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=diversity-cultural-literacy-toolkit
School Library Journal also provides many recommended reading lists on its website.
How to Explain Racism to Kids: the CNN/ Sesame Street Town Hall video:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/06/app-news-section/cnn-sesame-street-race-town-hall-app-june-6-2020-app/index.html
-Jennie Rozycki, Library Director
Bill Bryson’s I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After Twenty Years Away on September 22nd at 7:00 PM.
News from the Children’s Room:
https://forms.gle/8RABhRRa7Dfp2RkC9
We’re excited to offer two ways for kids to participate in our Summer Reading Club this year! Kids can earn tickets for our prize raffles by reading, experimenting with our play prompts, and attending virtual or live events. Track your child’s participation online with the new Beanstack app, or with paper reading logs. This year’s prizes include a razor scooter, a dress-up kit, two art supply prize baskets and two science-themed prize baskets!
Beanstack, an online book discovery service, not only enables you to track your child’s reading, but also offers personalized book recommendations and special learning tools. You can choose to keep track of the number of books you read or the number of minutes you read. As reading is logged and activities are completed, kids will earn tickets for our raffle prize drawings. Instructions for accessing Beanstack are included in Summer Reading Club registration packets.
The paper reading logs work the same way. Track your child’s reading and activity completion by filling in the circles on the paper slips in this kit. When all the circles on the slip are filled in, choose a raffle you’d like to enter and return the slip to the McCullough Library’s book drop anytime. Be sure to include your child’s name on the paper slip. If you need more slips, please call the Library at 802.447.7121 to arrange for pickup.
Need a little help registering children in your care? Need more information? Contact McCullough Library Youth Services Librarian Katrina Hastings at 802.447.7121 or email mcculloughyouthservices@gmail.com
Mark Your Calendars!
Here’s just some of what’s ahead!
The digital library is open, even when the building is closed!
Check out these fantastic services.
