A Note from the Director

Recent events of racism and physical violence against Blacks across our country are both frightening and abhorrent. Monroe County Public Library mourns the lost lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many more. 

As a trusted community institution, we stand in solidarity with the American Library Association (ALA), the Black Caucus of the ALA, and with Monroe County residents who are susceptible to acts of prejudice, threats of violence, and even death based solely on their race or ethnicity. We condemn the systemic and systematic social injustices endured by Black people and people of color and we stand against racism and injustice.

We must all affirm that Black Lives Matter and understand that “all lives matter” is not an appropriate response. We must acknowledge systemic racism and the role that we all play in it––in our homes, our workplaces, and our community organizations. Read more about Black Lives Matter

There was no way to anticipate COVID-19 when the Library implemented the Creating Access for Violence Survivors (CAVS) program in partnership with Middle Way House last summer. At the time, the Library was simply looking for a way to eliminate Library access barriers for survivors of family violence in our community. The CAVS program allows the Library to forgive fines and fees accrued by survivors who abandon Library materials while fleeing domestic abuse. Library staff members were also trained on how to recognize and understand domestic violence.  Read more about Resources for Survivors of Violence Still Available in Monroe County