Redwood City Library Pilot Program Addresses Racial Inequality

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The Redwood City Public Library has launched a program that aims to address systemic racial inequality.

The RCPL was selected last year to be one of the pilot libraries for California State Library's California Libraries Cultivating Race, Equity and Inclusion (CREI) Initiative.

The program was designed to infuse a race and equity focus into organizational outcomes and service delivery through evidence-based shifts in operations, processes and policies at government agencies.

The program launched in October with an all-staff training and conversation session centered around equity and anti-racism.

The library has given itself the name RCPL CARES - Cultivating and Advancing Racial Equity Systemically.

“The CREI Initiative's broad goal is to catalyze a statewide network of libraries and library staff committed to racial equity and full inclusion for all to share information and deepen conversations as well as actions to grow racial equity in library service delivery and the communities that we serve,” the RCPL said.