The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is thrilled to provide an update on the upcoming March for Libraries event, scheduled to take place from 8 AM to 12 PM on April 13, 2024, in downtown Nashville, coinciding with the last day of National Libraries Week. This event promises to be a momentous occasion, offering a platform for all members of our community to come together in a nonpartisan demonstration of support for libraries.

Libraries serve as bastions of knowledge and inclusivity, welcoming individuals from all walks of life. In the face of challenges and uncertainties, our commitment to serving the people of Tennessee remains steadfast. Despite encountering various obstacles, such as changes in location, the DEI Committee has been hard at work to ensure the success of this event.

As we continue to navigate the planning process, we are grateful for the cooperation and assistance extended to us by the Metro Nashville Departments of Parks and Recreation and Special Events. Their support has been instrumental in helping us advance through the necessary permit procedures, bringing us closer to realizing our vision for March for Libraries. In spite of not having a set location, we do have a loose agenda planned for that day! Our proposed agenda for the event is as follows.

In order to ensure the smooth operation of the event, we are seeking additional volunteers to assist with various tasks, including managing resource tables for organizations such as TNLA, TASL, SELA, and Friends of Tennessee Libraries. Similar to We invite those who are interested in contributing to reach out to us at marchforlibrariestn@gmail.com.

March for Libraries Event Agenda

Date: April 13, 2024, 8-1

Location: Walk of Fame Park, Downtown Nashville

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM: Event Setup

Volunteers will assemble at Walk of Fame Park to set up event infrastructure, including tents, folding tables, and activity stations. Additional waste and recycling bins will be strategically placed around the park.

8:30 AM - 9:15 AM: Participant Arrival

Attendees will begin arriving at Walk of Fame Park, where they will be directed to the registration area. Volunteers will assist with check-in and provide event materials.

9:15 AM - 9:30 AM: Welcome Address

Event organizers will deliver a brief welcome address, expressing gratitude to participants for their attendance and setting the tone for the day's activities.

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Information Tables, Guest Speaker, and Children's Activities

Participants will have the opportunity to visit information tables hosted by organizations such as Imagination Library, Tennessee Library Association, Tennessee Association of School Libraries, and the Southeast Library Association. A guest speaker may deliver remarks on the importance of libraries and community engagement. Interactive children's activities, including storytime and crafts from Imagination Library, will also be available.

10:30 AM: Breakdown Before Parade

Event organizers and volunteers will dismantle tables and secure belongings in preparation for the parade, scheduled to begin shortly.

11:00 AM: March for Libraries Parade

The parade will commence from Walk of Fame Park and follow the designated route, proceeding along 4th Avenue towards Broadway, then turning left onto Rep. John Lewis Way, before returning to Walk of Fame Park for the closing ceremony.

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Parade Ends and Closing Ceremony

Participants will gather at Walk of Fame Park for the conclusion of the parade. A closing ceremony will feature final remarks, acknowledgments, and celebratory activities, marking the successful conclusion of the event.

We are also delighted to announce our partnership with Imagination Library, whose generous contributions will enhance the experience for attendees! Through their support, we will be able to provide freebies and register eligible families for the Imagination Library program, further promoting literacy and access to resources within our community. The DEI Committee is also brainstorming some fun outdoor interactive programs for the whole family! Such as a Diversity Storywall and Inclusivity Storytime. We are also looking for more fun opportunities like this for our attendees as we want to celebrate and advocate for all libraries. So, if you are interested in helping out in any way please let us know! Similar to how we all came together for the table at the Southern Festival of Books this past fall, we are seeking additional volunteers to assist with various tasks, including managing resource tables for organizations such as TNLA, TASL, SELA, and Friends of Tennessee Libraries. In order to ensure the smooth operation of the event, we invite those who are interested in contributing to reach out to us at marchforlibrariestn@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram @marchforlibraries.

Let us come together on April 13th to celebrate the invaluable role that libraries play in our lives and reaffirm our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within our communities. Together, we can make a difference and demonstrate the enduring importance of libraries for all. Join us for a day of celebration and community engagement as we March for Libraries and promote the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our communities!

March for Libraries is a demonstration and march to raise awareness of the goals and services libraries offer all citizens of the state of Tennessee. Our goal for this demonstration is to show how Libraries are for Everyone! If you love your library or are interested in being a part of this event, please join us in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 13, 2024, at the War Memorial Plaza.

If you are interested in supporting March for Libraries, you may make donations through the Tennessee Library Association by accessing their donation portal. All donations should be made to the General Fund with “March for Libraries 2024” listed in the donor comments. Your generosity and support will make sure we have a very successful event by providing resources, marketing materials, and refreshments to all event-goers.

This event is being organized by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Tennessee Library Association. For any questions, please contact the Committee Chair, Cassandra Taylor, by emailing marchforlibrariestn@gmail.com.

Approved by the Tennessee Library Association Advisory Council and Executive Board on Friday, June 9, 2023.

The Tennessee Association of School Librarians (TASL), Tennessee Library Association (TLA), and Friends of the Tennessee Libraries (FoTL) jointly express our strong beliefs in the freedom to read and unfettered access to information, as protected by our First Amendment rights. We oppose censorship within school libraries on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and contrary to the professional ethics of librarianship, and challenge and removal processes are already in place at the local school district level.

As the Library Bill of Rights states,

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

                                                Library Bill of Rights, American Library Association

School districts already have reconsideration policies for textbooks and materials. Concerns about library materials should be first discussed with the school librarian; many concerns can be addressed and resolved informally. If no resolution is reached, one may consult the school’s reconsideration policy and submit a formal request for reconsideration. If there is still concern after those steps are taken, the district school board’s procedures for requesting materials reconsideration should be followed.

Every book is not for every reader but every child should have access to books they may want to read. School librarians strive to know learners and assist them in finding books that fit their needs and interests. Ready access to a wide variety of reading materials increases the chances that learners will become readers and choose to read.

A parent/guardian has the right to determine what’s best  for their child and only their child.  Therefore, the reconsideration processes already in place should be strictly followed.

The executive boards of the Tennessee Library Association, Tennessee Association of School Librarians, Tennessee Library Ecosystem Coalition, and Friends of Tennessee Libraries have voted to support this position statement.

Lindsey Kimery, President
Tennessee Association of School Librarians (TASL)

Sharon Edwards, President
Tennessee Library Association (TLA)

Diane Johnson, President
Friends of Tennessee Libraries (FOTL)

Eryn Duffee, Chair
Tennessee Library Ecosystem Coalition (TLEC)

March 29, 2021

Bruce Griffey, Representative to District 75 introduced HB0800 on February 9th and the bill was introduced as SB1216 by Senator Niceley of District 8. This bill seeks to prohibit “LEAs and public charter schools from adopting or using textbooks and instructional materials or supplemental instructional materials that promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender issues or lifestyles.” (Tennessee General Assembly).

The Tennessee Library Association (TLA), Tennessee Association of School Librarians (TASL), and Friends of the Tennessee Libraries (FoTL) jointly express our strong disapproval of HB0800/SB1216 on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and goes against the democratic ideal of free access to information that is fundamental to the American way and the professional ethics espoused within the library profession. Furthermore, school districts already have reconsideration policies and controversial materials policies for textbooks and materials. This legislation takes away the rights of parents to have a voice in their student's education when it comes to instructional materials and creates barriers to a school districts meeting the unique needs of their students.

In speaking out against this bill we are living up to the principles of the Library Bill of Rights, specifically:

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.        

                                        Library Bill of Rights, American Library Association

This bill would be an act of censorship by the state General Assembly. The First Amendment applies to both federal and state laws and states (should we need reminding) that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Policymakers in America have attempted to enshrine censorship and religion-based values in public school textbook policy many times over the years and have repeatedly been admonished by the Supreme Court, such as in Epperson v. Arkansas, where “the Court struck down a state statute that made it unlawful for any teacher in any state-supported educational institution to teach the theory or doctrine that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animals…” because it was a policy based on the reading of a particular religious text and was therefore unconstitutional (Consitution.Congress.Gov).

Librarians have long been advocates for free speech and First Amendment rights, thus we feel that it is our responsibility to publicly and vehemently oppose harmful legislation such as HB0800/SB1216.

Signed,

Eryn Duffee, Chair

Tennessee Library Ecosystem Coalition (TLEC)

Erika Long, President

Tennessee Library Association (TLA)

Lindsey Kimery, President

Tennessee Association of School Librarians (TASL)

Diane Johnson, President

We, as a library association, stand for equity, diversity and inclusion; but more importantly, we will ensure that we are living those ideals in examining ourselves and our organization.  We challenge our member libraries to do the same.

The Tennessee Library Association stands steadfast in the belief that all libraries provide a welcoming and safe environment.  To that end, TLA, in concert with the TLA Diversity & Inclusion Committee, sets the following goals:

• Provide training and resources for the Board, members, and libraries to examine policies, procedures, and actions to ensure that all are welcome in our libraries and association.
  
• Ensure that TLA is a truly inclusive environment for all librarians and staff of color and identify barriers to the profession and association.
  
• Provide educational programs for librarians and staff on issues of racism, privilege, and breaking down barriers for patrons.
  
• Encourage libraries to continue to create and promote diverse programs and collections to share with their communities and patrons.

This statement was approved unanimously by the Tennessee Library Association Advisory Council and Executive Board June 12, 2020.

“The ALA expresses our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those lost and injured during this weekend’s protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. We will not forget their efforts to enlighten and safeguard their communities from bigotry while opposing racist, anti-immigrant, anti-GLBTQ, and anti-Semitic violence. We stand in solidarity with the people of Virginia as well as anyone who protests hate and fights for equity, diversity and inclusion."

“The vile and racist actions and messages of the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups in Charlottesville are in stark opposition to the ALA’s core values. No matter the venue or the circumstance, we condemn any form of intimidation or discrimination based on culture, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Our differences should be celebrated, and mutual respect and understanding should serve as the norms within our society.

“The ALA supports voices of hope as such actions mirror the library community’s efforts to abolish bigotry and cultural invisibility. As we recently stated, ‘we must continue to support the creation of a more equitable, diverse and inclusive society,’ and we will do this through the work of our members and through resources such as Libraries Respond.”

--The TLA 2017 Executive Board

About the Tennessee Library Association

The mission of the Tennessee Library Association (TLA) is to promote the establishment, maintenance and support of quality library services for all people of the state; to cooperate with public and private agencies with related interests; and to support and further professional interests of the membership of the Association.