Interrogating systems and structures to build equitable practice
Channel: Connected Learning Alliance
Date: 2023-12-15

Opportunities for creative learning, relationship building, and making connections with community are supported by libraries around the US. At the same time, traditional summer programming—a central focus of library youth services across the country—is often organized as a response to education narratives centering deficits such as “learning loss” or "summer slide." While well-intentioned, these models may not actually reflect the unique place-based community values, interests, and strengths, increasingly recognized as imperatives. In 2020 the California State Library and the California Library Association launched the Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS) initiative to reframe how public library summer services are designed and implemented  by emphasizing the integration of equity principles. The initiative is starting its fourth year in California and has expanded to eleven additional US states in the past two years. Findings highlight the opportunity for transformation as well as various systemic, organizational, and individual challenges to explore together. We look forward to engaging CLS participants in reflection on the foundational principles established with libraries through BEBS and the barriers to and opportunities for enacting those principles within the learning ecosystem.