Kitchener Public Library: Access to Education Fund

Kitchener Public Library is launching a new initiative to support Indigenous and racialized library staff through its Access to Education Fund. The fund will directly support a bursary created to reduce financial barriers for Indigenous and racialized Kitchener Public Library staff pursuing graduate-level education in Library and/or Information Science, the standard education requirement for professional librarian roles across Canada.

We intend to begin dispursing funds to eligible recipients in the Winter of 2024 and have set up this GoFundMe campaign to give the initiative a boost in accordance with this timeline.

Kitchener Public Library’s Access to Education Fund is supported in partnership with Waterloo Region Community Foundation. This fund is an upstream initiative in response to educational barriers that disproportionally impact Indigenous and racialized communities. Library and Information Science programs have not traditionally attracted proportionally diverse students. As a result, librarian roles requiring this designation may exhibit less diversity than is reflective of their community. Kitchener Public Library is committed to reducing barriers for library staff and to support a diverse and inclusive generation of library staff and leaders.

“Kitchener Public Library is committed to encouraging Indigenous and racialized staff as they access education and build the skills to be leaders in our libraries and our communities. It is with great humility and joy that we launch this fund at the library,” said Mary Chevreau, CEO, Kitchener Public Library.

“We are pleased to support Kitchener Public Library in this important and timely initiative. Kitchener Public Library has a reputation in the community for innovative and equitable action and this fund continues in that tradition. We are confident that this partnership will contribute to representative staffing at all levels in the library,” said Eric Avner, President and CEO, Waterloo Region Community Foundation.

Bursary details: