6-7-2020
In Solidarity.
The University of California, Merced Library condemns all forms of racism as fundamentally contrary both to human rights, and to the values of our profession. We unequivocally affirm that Black Lives Matter, and we stand in solidarity with those in our community and across the globe in the fight against anti-blackness, racism, and bigotry.
Libraries are public institutions who strive to improve the lives of individuals and the communities they serve. They have the responsibility to actively promote inclusion, providing equal opportunity access to information and knowledge. Racism and discrimination of any sort have no place in the library we all value. The UC Merced Library welcomes thousands of visitors each day, and we see ourselves as essential partners in our community’s education and quest for self-empowerment. As stewards of information and knowledge, we acknowledge that we have the potential to contribute greatly to the fight against racism and anti-blackness. In fact, we see ourselves as vital partners in this struggle.
Our duty in the fight to create a more just world requires us to always embrace our core principles of equity and inclusion, and ensure that our policies, procedures, and decisions enforce those principles. The work we do as stewards of information and knowledge asks us to constantly make choices about how that information and knowledge is accessed, described, and engaged with. We will work harder to make sure that every act we take reflects our commitment to affirm the lives and dignity of the diverse communities we serve. I urge all of us, as individuals and as groups, to take action, not through violence, but through peaceful demonstrations, community dialogues, and constructive conversations to build a society that is rid of racism and discrimination.
In the memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Botham Jean, Philando Castile, Tony McDade, Sandra Bland, and many others, the UC Merced Library, along with our campus community, commits itself to the fight for justice and equality.
Together we will build a better world.
Haipeng Li
University Librarian
University of California, Merced
