libraries as sites for transformative justice

This project is a collaboration between Parsons Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Lab (DESIS Lab) and the Justice Initiatives at the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) that explores the needs and perceptions of Brooklyn Public Library’s services for the reentry population and for patrons impacted by incarceration. In their 2018 Strategic Plan, the Brooklyn Public Library, imagines its branches as community hubs and aspirational spaces. As part of this vision, BPL is committed to developing a system-wide approach that can meet the needs of individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system. Our research builds on BPL’s strategic plan, identifying needs and assets through ethnographic research. The project is ongoing. As a collaborator on the project, I conduct ethnographic research, guide teams of students working with library staff and patrons, analyze research findings, facilitate workshops, participate in reentry committee activities, and propose creative art and design based responses.