Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility
Central Rappahannock Regional Library is dedicated to upholding the dignity and worth of all members of the library community. Such dignity will be preserved in a community where members are safe to learn, live, work, and serve among individuals with different ideas, values, beliefs, abilities, and perspectives.
It is with this in mind that we are committed to principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA). In particular, we seek to foster a library community which values and celebrates each person’s race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, ability, class, national origin, and immigration status.
This is done in accordance with the library’s vision and mission statements of improving lives through the transformative power of information, learning, and ideas to meet the growing needs of our region, and of inspiring lifelong learning for everyone in our communities, as expressed in our strategic plan.
We honor these commitments by offering the services described on this page and by working towards eliminating institutional boundaries and barriers to information and services. Each member of our communities is encouraged to share their perspective about these services, thereby helping us to build more inclusive and positive communities that value every individual and group.
We encourage all members of our communities to share their ideas and feedback about how we can improve our diversity and inclusion initiatives by emailing us at community.manager@crrl.org.
This statement was drafted by the library's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Committee. The IDEA Committee makes recommendations to help the library integrate best practices related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. These matters include racial, gender, romantic and sexual orientation; disability, and age equality; social justice; and staff diversity and support.
Materials for Everyone in the Community
CRRL’s collection philosophy focuses on inclusion, supporting marginalized groups, and does not support banning or hiding books. The library seeks to offer something for everyone in our diverse communities, and understands and supports that not all materials are suitable for all readers.
Customers are encouraged to suggest titles to further help the collection represent our communities. When materials are challenged, the library evaluates and responds to those challenges, and then lists the title(s) challenged and the outcome on this page.
- Collection Management Policy
- Statement on Diversity and Censorship (November 2021)
- Suggest a Purchase (for materials published within the last 2 years)
Click the down arrows to display booklists in each category.
Note that updating blogs is in progress.
For Adults
For Teens
For Children
Harmful Language in the CRRL Catalog
A library catalog is an ever-changing effort to represent the materials available to the community. Our chief goals are to help customers find materials available in the library’s collections and to reflect the content and format of materials accurately through a process called cataloging, so that customers can make informed decisions.
Among the tools available to us for cataloging are lists of standardized terms, such as the Library of Congress Subject Headings. Because these are used around the world, these headings and other cataloging standards can be slow to change, and can lead to language in the catalog that is harmful to individuals and communities that we serve.
Some instances of harmful language in CRRL’s catalog may include:
- Materials that use outdated terms
- Historical materials that reflect past realities that may or may not persist
- Language that is historically harmful but has been adopted for use within marginalized communities
- Subject headings and other language that is retained in library systems and has not yet been changed
We routinely seek out up-to-date resources and modify our practices to reflect the communities we serve to the best of our ability. We also seek to preserve access to materials that provide a historical perspective.
We welcome feedback, opens a new window from our community to stay informed on how we may best serve your needs, and provide access that is welcoming and inclusive for every CRRL customer.
An Anti-racist Organization
CRRL is an anti-censorship, anti-discrimination, anti-racist organization. Here are some examples of how CRRL demonstrates these principles through its Black Lives Matter statement and promotion of related library materials.
On Streaming Video & OverDrive
Juneteenth streaming videos
Social and Systemic Injustice streaming videos
Everyone Deserves to Be Seen
Books and other materials are displayed in branches to highlight holidays, seasonal themes, and other topics of interest.
Lists of materials of a particular theme are also created and promoted.
These displays and lists include a diverse range of community interests and, like the overall collection, not all displays and lists are of interest to all users.
Everyone Deserves Access
Every member of our communities deserves access, regardless of specialized or adaptive needs.
Access Services supports individuals with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, physical or print disability, promotes Deaf culture and resources, and ensures library branches are accessible.
Library on the Go (outreach) Services supports individuals who are unable to come to the library with books-by-mail, educational programming in the community for children and teens, satellite locations, and Lobby Stop visits to assisted living facilities and senior apartments.
CRRL also supports those with cognitive and emotional impairments through Time with a Therapy Dog, Memory Cafés for adults with early memory loss and their care partners, an Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Groups, and Sensory Time for youth with autism or other developmental challenges.
Supporting Our Staff
CRRL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Beyond complying with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment laws, it is the library's policy that employment, training, and compensation are based on merit, competence, and qualifications, and never on aspects such as race or gender orientation.
CRRL’s hiring process aims to create a diverse workforce. Applicants’ identifying characteristics, including appearance, hometown, school, and personal organization memberships, are masked during the vetting process until a decision to interview is made.
What can you do to support the library’s mission?
Join the Friends of the Library, speak up in the community, suggest titles and ideas for classes and events, or contact CRRL’s Community Engagement Manager (community.manager@crrl.org) to connect the library with your community organizations.
