Our Mission

Redwood City Public Library cultivates community and advances equity by welcoming all people to experience the shared joys of literacy and learning.

Our Service Priorities

  • Belonging
  • Growth
  • Wellness

Learn more

RCPL CARES - Cultivating and Advancing Racial Equity Systemically

Redwood City Public Library has been actively immersed in racial equity work for our community since the fall of 2019, when we were selected through a competitive application process to be one of the pilot libraries for California State Library's California Libraries Cultivating Race, Equity and Inclusion (CREI) Initiative. CREI was designed specifically for government organizations to infuse a race and equity focus into organizational outcomes and service delivery through evidence-based shifts in operations, processes and policies. The CREI Initiative's broad goal is to catalyze a statewide network of libraries and library staff committed to racial equity and full inclusion for all to share information and deepen conversations as well as actions to grow racial equity in library service delivery and the communities that we serve. Our diverse staff team participating in CREI has given itself the name RCPL CARES - Cultivating and Advancing Racial Equity Systemically.

The RCPL CARES team has crafted a Racial Equity Story/Case Statement. Read it here

The goals of the RCPL CARES team are included in the Library Service Priorities. In early 2025, the Library conducted 10 bilingual RCPL Listens community conversations with partners serving youth, caregivers, seniors, and unsheltered individuals, as well as open listening sessions for the general public and specifically for BIPOC individuals, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ folks, to identify community issues, challenges, and aspirations. Over 150 people representing a diverse cross section of Redwood City community members participated, and their discussions highlighted three common themes in the form of community aspirations toward which the Library could contribute in a positive way:  Belonging, Growth and Wellness. The Library’s areas of focus in new and ongoing service initiatives for the next three years were developed in service of these aspirations.

Initiatives and Programs

Check out our RCPL CARES events listings at the top of the page. Also visit Redwood City's IDEAL RWC page, which highlights programs centered on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and leadership.

Suggested reading

Find all RCPL CARES reading lists on a wide variety of IDEAL (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and leadership) topics here

Other activities

  • Programs and activities for all ages to authentically reflect our community’s diverse cultures. Learn more
  • Library Takeover: Programs designed by members of our community from historically marginalized populations. Learn more