LONG BEACH, Calif. – For a while, the collection was forgotten.

Recently Nicole Ballard stumbled upon 1,200 items about race and social justice, all stored in a back room at the Burnett Neighborhood Library. This African American Resource Collection was vital, if not a little outdated, for a homeschool project she was doing with her sons.

 

What You Need To Know


  • The African American Resource Collection is 1,200 items located at the Burnett Neighborhood Library

  • The Resource Collection focuses on race, history, and social issues

  • The Resource Collection was officially dedicated in 1998, but hasn't received much attention since then

  • A new fund has been established to update the collection

 

“What is in our public libraries and the information that’s out there is not taught in the schools unfortunately,” said Ballard.

The Resource Collection was officially dedicated in 1998. For years it was overlooked and no new titles were added. Then televised killings led to rallies and a nationwide movement.

“Fortunately it has opened up the conversation to talk about things that were really just swept under the rug, that colorblind syndrome,” said Ballard.

Reverend Melinda Teter Dodge preaches at multiple churches. Her sermons touch on racism, but she, along with other faith leaders, believed people needed more information. Rather than start from scratch, Teter Dodge thought the people in the pews could fund the solution and update the Resource Collection.

“I am so excited. I’m going to get the chills about this because, well first of all our congregation… There’s a lot of teachers, a lot of educators, a lot school administrators, librarians… and so I think they’re going to be really excited about this and that connection that giving and sharing educational resources as a true tool to systemic change,” said Teter Dodge.

Now a special fund has been established to add more hardcopy and e-books to the resource collection as well as bring in authors and storytellers to expose the world to the collection once again. Anyone can contribute.

 

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This is not a knee-jerk reaction to the headlines. The Executive Director of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, Kate Azar is not putting a deadline or cap on the project.

“It’s wonderful that the rest of us are waking up to this now, but we’re a little late to the game,” said Azar.

They want to expand the collection into all 12 Long Beach libraries.

To learn more about the library or make a contribution, visit The Long Beach Public Library Foundation.