We all know that there are outdated and racist classics on our shelves. These books reflect a homogenous past, yet they still thrive in an ostensibly multicultural present. How do we hold fast to intellectual freedom while solidifying our commitment to diversity and inclusiveness?

Nashville Public Library spent a year asking that question and the resulting work can be replicated by other libraries seeking to apply an anti-racist lens to their collections. Join us as Klem-Marí Cajigas and Lindsey Patrick-Wright offer insight and suggestions for us to re-evaluate our own collections. This webinar was previously presented as a session at both TLA’s 2019 Annual Conference and at the 2020 PLA Conference, and for the Tennessee State Library & Archives.

Klem-Marí Cajigas is the Family Literacy Coordinator for Bringing Books to Life!, Nashville Public Library’s award-winning early literacy outreach program. She has been with Nashville Public Library since 2012, after more than a decade of academic training in Religious Studies and Ministry, including doctoral work at Vanderbilt University.

Lindsey Patrick-Wright was formerly the Youth Services and Continuing Education Coordinator for TSLA. She has been at Nashville Public Library for 9 years now, first managing the Children’s Department and is currently managing the Southeast Branch.