Happy Pride from the NCLA/SCLA Long Island Library Pride Alliance (LILPA)!
At this moment in time, it is more important than ever for queer members of the library community and our allies to stand together and fight for intersectional justice – particularly for our colleagues of color. We have come so far, which is reason to celebrate; but we have a long way to go, and there’s still work to be done. And that is precisely why LILPA was created.
We’re a new joint-county committee that is dedicated to serving both Long Island library professionals and users of libraries, who share an interest in LGBTQIA+ information and/or services. One of our primary goals is to help ensure that libraries have the resources necessary to meet the needs of their queer patrons (regardless of age) and staff members. In doing so, we also hope to provide a forum for discussion, as well as an environment for advocacy and education, regarding the needs of queer library workers and the queer community at large. In addition, we will work to support the free and open access to information, without censorship, for queer individuals and their allies. As we move forward, we’ll be working on resource and book lists, workshops, and other outlets to aid with these goals.
June is indeed Pride month, so let’s start now and continue showing our pride as we confront injustice for all marginalized communities! Please reach out to one the co-chairs below for more information about membership and opportunities for involvement. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate our past, fight for equity in the present, and work towards a better future.
Valerie Acklin
valerieacklin@gmail.com
Jody Ruggiero
Jruggiero@levittownpl.org
Co-Chairs/NCLA