Following the recent discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at residential schools across the country, let this Canada Day be about reflection, learning, and reconciliation.
Let’s take this time to elevate awareness and reflect on reconciliation and our relationship with Indigenous Peoples. We encourage our community to spend time reflecting on how far we have come, but also how much farther we must go. We all have a part to play in reconciliation and moving forward.
As a public library, we are uniquely positioned to help with this process of learning and discovery. Our resources are available for free with a library card, without fines, providing equitable access to all. We must not turn away from our past, we must learn from it.
Start your learning with our Diversity Reads – Indigenous Voices reading list:
Read the Truth and Reconciliation 'Calls to Action'.
Read the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls 'Calls to Action'.
The Barrie Public Library continues to work to address issues of discrimination and racism and promote inclusivity. We launched our Enji-Maawnjiding Gathering Space in 2019 at our Downtown Branch in consultation with the Barrie Native Friendship Centre. We are currently working with Journey into Truth to create a Land Acknowledgement specific to the library. We have also adopted ‘blind recruitment’ that eliminates potential bias in the hiring process.
Public libraries at their core are community hubs and gathering spaces for people and ideas. As stewards of open and equitable access to information, we’re sharing the Canadian Urban Libraries Council’s call for all stakeholders to openly share the records, archives and documentation that will allow the truth to be further uncovered and enable reconciliation to begin. We stand with all Indigenous communities across Canada in mourning the loss of these children.
If you or a family member needs support, contact the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSS) 24/7 Emergency Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.