OUR MISSION
Provide free and equal access to information, ideas, books and technology to educate, engage, and enrich the Stamford community.
OUR VISION
The Ferguson Library helps individuals and organizations achieve success in an effort to build a strong, vibrant and inclusive community.
OUR FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
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Intellectual Freedom
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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Underlying the Ferguson Library’s mission and vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as the belief that intellectual freedom is the cornerstone of our democracy. Our values are reflected in how we serve the community and how we work together.
The Ferguson Library provides a diverse offering of programs, workshops and classes for the Stamford community that enhance and complement our digital and physical collections.
Ultimate responsibility for programming and program selection rests with the CEO or his/her designee.
The following criteria is used for program selection, curation, and development:
- Relevance to community needs and interests
- Accuracy, authority, effectiveness, and timeliness of presentation
- Presenter background/qualifications in content area
- Inclusion of diverse points of view
- Meets one of the goals in the library’s strategic framework
- Education or historical significance
- Relation to library collections, resources, exhibits and programs
- Ability to partner with other community organizations
- Budget
- Availability of program space
All Ferguson Library programs are free and open to the public, unless they are fundraising events. Advanced registration may be required. Attendance may also be limited by age or grade level. Within programs for designated age groups, children and their parent, legal guardian or caregiver are solely responsible for determining the suitability of any program offered for their child.
The Ferguson Library may offer programs, which are timely or have educational value, even though an individual or organization might find them controversial.
Library users may request the library to reconsider a planned program by completing the attached form. Staff will review the request in relation to the library’s mission and program criteria and will present their recommendation to the Library CEO, who will review the request and reply to the user within thirty days of receipt of the request.
APPENDICES
Connecticut State Statues Chapter 814c, Human Rights and Opportunities, Sec. 46a-63 Discriminatory public accommodation practices
Statement on Drag Storytimes
Drag Storytime is a special program that we sponsor with Stamford Pride to coincide with their events. Stamford Pride is a nonprofit organization that engages, inspires, supports and celebrates LGBTQ+ members and allies through initiatives that educate, connect, and enrich our diverse community.
During a drag storytime, storytellers, dressed in drag, inspire a love of reading while teaching lessons on diversity, inclusion, tolerance, self-love, and self-expression. It is a wonderful event and one that is suited to public libraries, which provide an inclusive and safe place for such messaging.
This event is just one of our many programs, workshops and classes that we offer to the entire Stamford community. As with any program, drag storytimes align with our vision to help individuals and organizations achieve success in an effort to build a strong, vibrant and inclusive community.
As a place of public accommodation, we adhere to the Connecticut human rights statute: Connecticut State Statutes Chapter814c, Human Rights and Opportunities, Sec. 46a-63.