{"id":14488,"date":"2016-11-24T00:01:34","date_gmt":"2016-11-24T05:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=14488"},"modified":"2016-11-28T10:17:34","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T15:17:34","slug":"tolerance-not-enough-inclusion-librarians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2016\/11\/tolerance-not-enough-inclusion-librarians\/","title":{"rendered":"Tolerance Is Not Enough: Inclusion for Librarians"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tolerance<\/a>: noun<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one\u2019s own.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. the act or capacity of enduring; endurance: My tolerance of noise is limited.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      <\/p>\n

      If tolerance were a product<\/h1>\n

      It\u00a0would be reviewed as out-of date. As public librarians, we put diversity in our shopping baskets. \u00a0It was a\u00a0new and improved version of tolerance, fortified with \u201cforeign\u201d languages and customs.\u00a0 It fit neatly on our shelves and we were happy.\u00a0 Of late, we realized that tolerance must instead be replaced with inclusion<\/a>. \u00a0Inclusion means a commitment to nurturing and maintaining an environment that represents, values and respects diversity and fairness. This cannot be purchased and requires action.\u00a0 If inclusion feels forced or not true\u00a0to who you are, please read on – this is a blog post for you.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Speaking of you<\/h1>\n

      Firstly you have to be happy<\/em>. And, more than that, your happiness is dependent upon others being happy. If you conduct a story time, and you smile, others will (hopefully!) smile with you. \u00a0In turn, this nourishes\u00a0everyone in the room. The same is true of inclusion. Inclusion nurtures peace and happiness. If you can find it in yourself, you can transmit it. Easier said than done, I know. We are here on the doorstep\u00a0of Thanksgiving. \u00a0I ask you to embrace the spirit of this holiday: shift from a complaint-based life to life based on gratitude<\/em>.<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      What will endure longer than any collection you ever build is your actions. The act of making your library a safe place\u00a0for everyone in your community is the first step, and in reality increases your community’s freedoms. It takes action,\u00a0<\/em>though. So, how can we accomplish this?<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      It’s about Freedom<\/h1>\n

      In the U.S., we treasure and revere our freedoms.\u00a0 As David Foster Wallace once said, though:\u00a0\u201cThe really important kind of freedom involves attentions, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over\u2026every day\u201d<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n