SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Springfield Town Library’s Monday Evening Book Club is open to new members. Pick up your book now, and then join us on Monday, May 15, at 6 p.m., at the library and over Zoom, to discuss “Subtle Acts of Exclusion” by Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran. The book is available at the library in print, and multiple copies are available online as an eBook or eAudio via the Palace Project app.
This month’s title ties into the library’s quest to become certified as a sustainable library. One focus area of the certification process is to help the community develop better social cohesion.
According to Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, the Executive Director of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, “social cohesion is an ingredient that libraries can cultivate by actively fostering connection and activating our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in new ways, as each piece connects to the next. Libraries have, for many years, focused on economic development – helping residents find jobs or start small businesses, and supporting the creation of a trained workforce to attract employers to an area. As much of our focus, if not more, needs to be put on social cohesion. I often describe social cohesion as the ‘fabric’ of a community. Fabric that is more tightly knit together is stronger, whereas loosely woven fabric often leaves gaps that people can fall through. It is a matter of life and death. Ensuring our neighbors have a high level of empathy and respect for one another, particularly for others who don’t look like them or come from a different culture than they do, should be one of the strongest parts of our legacy.”
The meaningful message from “Subtle Acts of Exclusion” is that we do not intend to offend others. However, it is the impact of our words and actions, and not the intent, which matters. The book club will talk about how to minimize that impact and how to stand up for yourself and others. Even if you cannot attend the discussion, this book is important to listen to or read.
According to their publisher, the authors of the book “give simple and clear tools to identify and address such acts, offering scripts and action plans for everybody involved. Knowing how to have these conversations in an open-minded, honest way will help us build trust, and create stronger workplaces and healthier, happier people and communities.”
Springfield Town Library serves as the heart of the town, connecting people, ideas, and endeavors of all kinds in order to transform lives.