91´«Ã½

CHICAGO — The Executive Board of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) stands with the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (AP91´«Ã½) in condemning xenophobia and racism.

The 91´«Ã½ Executive Board endorses AP91´«Ã½’s March 13 , in which it “unequivocally denounce[d] the rise in racism and xenophobia against Asians and Asian/Pacific Americans in wake of the outbreak of COVID-19 (caused by the novel coronavirus)."

The 91´«Ã½ Executive Board recognizes that 91´«Ã½ members, library workers, and our library communities are experiencing bigotry and attacks based on racial and ethnic heritage and we must stand in solidarity to work to stop these acts.

Most recently, an article in Against the Grain, an LIS and trade publication, demonstrated that these acts of racism and xenophobia can come from within our own community. The Executive Board also stands with and endorses AP91´«Ã½ and the Chinese American Librarians Association’s May 15th of Against the Grain and thanks both associations for the advocacy and work on behalf of their communities. 91´«Ã½'s core values support diversity in our nation and libraries, and we have the responsibility to address critical social issues in relationship to our libraries.

The Executive Board invites 91´«Ã½ members, library community members, and library institutions to join them in signing AP91´«Ã½’s , demonstrating “Our Commitment to Combating the Rise of Xenophobia and Racism Against Asians and Asian/Pacific Americans Due to COVID-19.