The Fairfax Community Library welcomes patrons who want to build community for themselves and alongside us.
Libraries for All
The Library stands with our patrons and community in fighting against systemic discrimination, oppression, repression, and suppression.
Join us in fostering the ABCs of IDEA: Acceptance, Belonging, and Celebrations of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility.
To meet the needs and interests of all patrons, we take an intersectional approach:
- building our Collections and Services to access and reflect timely and diverse materials from creators of all walks of life, including those from underestimated backgrounds;
- designing our Programs;
- gathering Literacy Resources;
- opposing censorship, including book bans;
- inviting polite and constructive feedback and engagement;
- applying decades’ worth of professional education and knowledge;
- working with community partners, including other libraries; and
- continually learning with people who are willing to share stories of their lived experiences, as well as peers and experts.
Page Contents: Useful Definitions | In Our Collections | Resources – Anti-Racism | – Anti-Sizeism | – Intersectional | – Talking with Kids about Acceptance & Allyship
Useful Definitions
Systemic discrimination, oppression, repression, and suppression are systemic harms, predicated on antiquated, inaccurate, and dehumanizing notions of people being allegedly less worthy due to how
- their bodies and/or minds do or don’t function: ableism
- long they have or haven’t been alive: ageism
- much money they don’t or do have: classism
- they understand themselves, experience attraction, and with whom they act upon attraction and/or love: queerphobia
- much melanin their skin has: racism
- they understand and express their gender roles: sexism
- big their bodies are or aren’t: sizeism
- they reached this country, and/or they define culture, worship, values: xenophobia
The Library rejects these notions. The Library also rejects the notions that our stance is defined by one set of values, one set of politics, one set of interests, and that trying to understand, heal, and prevent harm is itself harmful.
In Our Collections
Content forthcoming–check back soon!
Resources
Anti-Racism
Fairfax Neighbors for Racial Equity (FNRE)
“Fairfax Neighbors for Racial Equity envisions and commits to working towards a community that embodies inclusion, equity, and justice while standing in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. We are committed to helping build a safe community, where all people experience dignity and respect, and feel a sense of empowerment and belonging.”
Ideas for welcoming diversity into your home by Repair the World
“Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service.
“Grounded in Jewish concepts, our values guide our work with the frame of repairing the world, tikkun olam, leading to the pursuit of justice, tzedek.”
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB)
”At WNDB, we’re on a mission to create lifelong readers and a more empathic world through the power of inclusive literature.”
Check out how WNDB defines diversity for an expansive definition.
Anti-Sizeism
Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH)
“ASDAH’s purpose is to create the conditions for people of all sizes, particularly those most impacted by systemic anti-fat bias, to have equitable and barrier-free access to the care and healthcare resources we need to support our wellbeing.”
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA)
“Founded in 1969, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) is a non-profit fat rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people.
“NAAFA is recognized as the world’s first documented fat acceptance organization.”
Sunny Side Up Nutrition
“We’re Anna and Elizabeth, two moms who are also Registered Dietitians and child-feeding experts with over 20 years of experience each supporting families and raising our kids. We are passionate about keeping diet culture out of parenting and supporting parents to make food simple and stress-free.”
Check out Sunny Side Up Nutrition’s free resources in support of raising confident eaters.
Intersectional
Racial & Food Justice handout by Repair the World
Addressing Hunger Together handout by Repair the World
General Facilitation Tips and Guide to Respectful Conversations by Repair the World
Information about how to facilitate civil and constructive conversations.
Justice & Peace Center
‘We use education, advocacy, and activism to advance the interconnected issues of human rights and economic, social, and environmental justice. We seek true and meaningful peace within and beyond Vermont.”
Talking with Kids about Acceptance & Allyship
50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know by TeachingBooks
“Our mission is to equitably give all readers insights and opportunities that deepen their understanding and joy of the books they are reading.”
Repair the World
“Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service.
“Grounded in Jewish concepts, our values guide our work with the frame of repairing the world, tikkun olam leading to the pursuit of justice, tzedek.”
Handouts from Repair the World
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB)
”At WNDB, we’re on a mission to create lifelong readers and a more empathic world through the power of inclusive literature.”
Check out how WNDB defines diversity for an expansive definition.