Anti-Racism Resources

In an effort to provide anti-racism resources for our community, Albany Public Library staff compiled a series of lists that feature books, music, and documentaries that explore race and celebrate people of color. The APL staff who put together these lists are predominantly white.

Our goal is to (1) offer resources for white parents on talking to their children about race and racism and (2) provide resources for our communities of color, especially our Black community, that offer them representation and celebrate their stories. Representation is important as it shows Black children that they can have lives as full and rich as the white characters they’re so used to seeing in their media. It also shows white children that other stories matter just as much as their own, and other people are just as worthy of having stories as they are.

APL staff also wish to support our Black community during this time and do what we do best as information professionals: provide clear, accessible information and resources.

RESOURCE LISTS

All of the titles on the lists are available from the library online. Click on the link below. Once in the document, click the link next to each book, movie, or music title to be taken to the borrowing page.

Books for Parents

Books for Young Children

Books for Elementary and Middle Schoolers

Books for Teens

Books for Adults

Documentary Films

Protest Music

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE DIGITAL COLLECTION

In addition to the APL lists, Hoopla (a digital library resource that provides titles for streaming and downloading), created a “Conversations About Race” collection, which can be accessed here. You will need to sign up for a free Hoopla account with your library card number to use these online resources.

Lists updated July 2020