Karen Toonen

I support Naperville Public Library's Diversity Statement and the Adult Reading Round Table EDI stance.

Further, I strongly feel that libraries need to focus more on reaching undeserved population, presenting diverse points of view. My passion for readers advisory led me into collection development. Without strong collections, libraries are not able to support the interests of their entire community. We have to intentionally make ensure multiple voices and diverse viewpoints are present within our collections. We must also actively advocate for more diversity within the population of library workers and particularly degreed librarians.

No library should stand by a Collection Development policy that limit their ability to serve their community by limiting themselves to only specific vendors, specific formats, or materials reviewed in specific journals. Allowing collection development to be restricted in such ways reinforces the existing systematic racism within publishing and librarianship.