Showing Up Whole 

As a middle school librarian at an independent school, Maegen Rose believes that libraries have a responsibility to shape the growth of their students through developing reading habits reflective of the larger world and deepening critical thinking skills. In a recent article, she wrote that libraries have a responsibility, along with schools, to engage in equity, diversity, and inclusion work. She helps the profession meet that challenge through her advocacy efforts. After “Black at...” Instagram postings outed instances of racism at schools (including hers), Maegen co-led professional development at her school based on How To Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi.

She gave her recent presentation on “Showing Up Whole: Black Librarians in Independent Schools” for the Black Caucus American Library Association and served as guest editor of the American Association of School Librarians’ Knowledge Quest for its spring issue about the experiences of Black school librarians. She partnered on the Coretta Scott King Book Awards blog, assumed responsibility for the Twitter account, has continued to serve on the award jury, and has presented on celebrating Black culture with the award-winning titles.

Greenwich Country Day School librarian Susan Polos commends Rose’s work in “lift[ing] up colleagues and bring[ing] people together.” For example, Rose and Jennifer Gladkowski, head school librarian at Village Community School, started the “Antiracist School Librarians NOW!” Facebook group, with over 600 members, as a space for librarians committed to antiracist efforts in their libraries.