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In the June 8th, 2020 ARLIS/NA Advocacy: Statement Against Anti-Black Racism and Violence, it was stated “As an organization, the Art Libraries Society of North America will hold itself accountable to continue the challenging, but necessary, work ahead: educating and self-educating, disrupting structural racism perpetuated in our institutional systems, and building equity through forums for discussion, policy, and action.”

 

By the fall of 2020, the Anti-Racism Task Force had been formed and charged with developing a long-term plan to address systemic racism in ARLIS/NA and the visual arts information profession. The task force wrapped up this work in December 2021 and completed a report that is now available on the ARLIS/NA website here: https://www.arlisna.org/news/anti-racism-task-force-reports.

 

The report includes a number of recommendations that allow for continued work on anti-racism in ARLIS/NA, recognizing that everyone should contribute to this goal so that the work does not stagnate. There were two key recommendations that the task force sought and obtained board approval for:

  • The creation of a standing committee, the Anti-Racism Committee, whose charge will be to assess and evaluate the anti-racism work ARLIS/NA has done in the previous year and set goals for the organization for the following year. The committee will be convened and chaired by the ARLIS/NA President annually. Members will be drawn from groups across the organization (executive board; Diversity and Inclusion, Professional Development, and Nominating Committees) and two members-at-large recruited via an open call to the membership (refer to the ARLIS/NA Policy Manual for details). Timed to take place after the membership renewal cycle and annual reports are submitted, the committee’s annual review will assess the organization’s demographic make-up, anti-racism-related activities, and progress towards anti-racism goals. The committee should submit its report and recommendations to the board approximately 3 months after work commences, and in advance of the midyear board meeting. 
  • Forming a group to coordinate student-led research into the legacies of racism and structural inequality within ARLIS/NA and related professions (formed via Project and Service Charter process). Establishing an archivally-grounded student-led research effort will enable community members to better understand the legacy of racism and structural inequality within the visual arts information, library, publishing, and bookselling professions. 

There are more recommendations detailed in the report. Some of these ARLIS/NA constituent groups may take on, others the task force suggested become part of the strategic planning process. To be clear, the report offers recommendations for consideration by the society and its constituent groups rather than directives or decisions. The Executive Board is not mandating any recommendations included in the report except for the two specific items noted in the bulleted list above.

We encourage ARLIS/NA members to read and reflect on the task force’s report. The task force is asking members to share with us your preferences for feedback about the report and next steps. Please complete this short survey by March 18, 2022: https://forms.gle/mXWKBRXJSwNEjaYbA.

Questions may be directed to task force co-chairs Heather Slania and Amy Trendler. 

Thank you to the task force members for their work over the course of the year, and thank you to the board for its thoughtful review of the report and approval of the task force recommendations.

On behalf of the task force,
Heather Slania & Amy Trendler, Co-chairs, Anti-Racism Task Force
Stephanie Beene, Arthur Fournier, Natisha Harper, Mar González Palacios, Dan Lipcan, Kiana Webster, members, Anti-Racism Task Force

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