University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 4

Dear Friends,
“We are all implicated
when we allow
other people to be
mistreated. An absence
of compassion can
corrupt the decency of
a community, a state, a
nation. Fear and anger
can make us vindictive
and abusive, unjust and
unfair, until we all suffer
from the absence of
mercy and we condemn
ourselves as much as we
victimize others.”
— Bryan Stevenson,
Just Mercy

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4 | LIBRARIES Fall 2016

Libraries are dedicated to the principles
and practices of social justice, diversity, and
equality among our staff, collections, and
services. In an effort to further opportunities
for education, benefit the good of the
public, and inform citizens, the University
of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries commit
ourselves to doing our part to end the
many forms of discrimination that plague
our society. We affirm our commitment to
support students, faculty, and staff as they
work to make the Libraries and the University
a welcoming and inclusive community.
In coordination with campus efforts, the
Libraries are moving forward with the
approved recommendations for action that
were developed as part of the UW–Madison
General Library System’s Diversity Task Force
Recommendations Report, November 2, 2015.
The task force recommendations include:

to look for ways to
eliminate undue
hardship for the
patrons who use our collections (print and
electronic), services, and facilities. We are
aware of the challenges presented by racial
hate and bias incidents that have occurred
on this and other campuses and through
social media. All of us are harmed by these
incidents. We know we have work to do.
We must move beyond the platitudes. We
will continue to work to ensure we provide
welcoming and inclusive surroundings for all
who wish to take advantage of our spaces and
services. Actions meant to hurt, alienate, or
divide this community will not be tolerated.
We also strive to create a safe, welcoming,
and inclusive work place.
The library staff at UW–Madison will
continue to work with each other, as well as
campus partners, to encourage practices that
1. Create an Equity & Diversity
promote education, equality, diversity, and
Committee
social justice. It’s important not only that the
2. Establish what the “inclusiveness”
UW–Madison Libraries provide a welcoming
core principle of the General Library
environment for patrons, but also that our