Q&A
Library representatives discuss maintaining neutrality and trust in programs
1:01:00
·
3 min
Representatives from Queens Public Library, New York Public Library, and Brooklyn Public Library explain their approaches to maintaining neutrality and trust in their programs and services. They emphasize the importance of being nonpartisan institutions that provide safe spaces for civil discourse.
- Libraries prioritize staff training to distinguish facts from fiction and understand their nonpartisan role
- They strive to represent all voices and provide information for informed decision-making
- The libraries position themselves as trusted institutions that allow for equal representation of diverse viewpoints
Scott McLeod
1:01:00
Sure.
1:01:01
Thank you for the question.
1:01:05
We take our position as a trusted institution very seriously.
1:01:11
And it's it's something we do not want to threaten.
1:01:16
We don't want to breach the community in the public's trust.
1:01:20
So we we pride ourselves really on one training.
1:01:25
We make sure that our staff understand really the facts from the fiction.
1:01:33
We understand our position as a nonpartisan institution.
1:01:38
We make sure to either be completely sort of out of the conversation or if we're going to be, and I think I'll speak for every I'll throw this out and you guys can correct me.
1:01:49
But it's the idea of being a safe space that allows discourse in a civil manner.
1:01:55
And allowing whatever side of the issue you happen to be on for both sides, for all sides to have an opportunity to speak what their truth is.
1:02:06
We are simply the place where they all can convene and know that it's a trusted place.
1:02:12
And so when we are doing, whether it's a program, whether it is a speaker, whether it is classes, whatever we're doing, and within, you know, those walls, whether and those walls are not just physical walls, but digital walls, interpersonal walls, we're making sure that we are sort of right down the middle, that we are still that safe space, and all of that goes into our trainings, our information, how we prepare our staff, the information that we we research to make sure that it is factual.
1:02:50
All of that goes into sort of are standing.
1:02:53
And like I said, we take that very seriously.
1:02:55
So those are the things that we make sure that we have in place.
Dr. Brandy McNeil
1:03:01
I I mean, I completely I think he really answered that really well.
1:03:04
I will also say that you know, one of the things for us is that we really rely solely on information available.
1:03:13
And so we ensure that all voices are represented.
1:03:16
That's part of what we do as a library.
1:03:19
And so, you know, our our theme is libraries for everyone if you've seen our swag.
1:03:24
And so you do have that one.
1:03:27
Okay.
1:03:27
Great.
1:03:28
And so, right, we we simply just wanna make sure that people have the information they need to make informed decisions.
1:03:35
And that's really the goal, and we do that in a non by persistent way.
Edwin Maxwell
1:03:40
Yep.
1:03:41
I don't think I have to say anything different.
1:03:43
I just wanna again highlight the beauty of libraries.
1:03:47
Right?
1:03:47
We talked about being that one of the last democratic institutions.
1:03:53
Just like my colleagues said, being that place to convene, being that place where that all voices are equal, And we we we heavily we heavily rely on that.
1:04:06
And throughout trainings, everything that we speak about as a library system to to point to that beauty of having that space.
1:04:15
That everyone can have fake fake discourse.
