Racial microaggressions in libraries aren’t limited to teenagers. I’ve also seen white librarians ask for backup from security guards simply because they were outnumbered in a room with two people of color. I’ve seen librarians withhold computer guest passes from black and latino patrons because the patrons hadn’t anticipated needing ID at the library. (It’s easy in most libraries to print a temporary guest pass that anyone can use without ID.) And time and again I’ve seen black and brown patrons escorted out of libraries or even banned permanently for talking too loudly. I’ve seen white patrons treated these ways, too, but in my experience I’ve seen patrons of color disproportionately targeted.
Working in a public space does come with its own set of personal safety challenges. As public servants, librarians interact daily with people from all walks of life, including those who are intoxicated, mentally unstable, even publicly masturbating. There’s a legitimate need for security measures to help maintain a peaceful and safe environment. But I’ve seen enough instances of racial microaggressions in libraries to convince me that we often go too far when it comes to how librarians treat patrons of color, especially teenage patrons of color. We think we’re monitoring behavior, when what we’re actually monitoring is race.
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