Group On Library Diversity (GOLD)

The Group on Library Diversity (GOLD) is Penn Libraries' group dedicated to organizing diversity and inclusion programs as well as creating and maintaining a pipeline for young people of color to pursue librarianship as a career. GOLD initiated the Eugene Garfield Residency in Science Librarianship in 2010, so as the 2015 - 2017 Garfield Resident, it is my honor to be able to serve on the GOLD team.

In early 2016, I joined the GOLD Programming Committee to lead the publicity of the Diversi-tea series, in which campus resource centers present to library staff. I created digital flyers on Smore for each Diversi-tea speaker from Spring 2016 to present.

• April 2016 - Oct 2016: https://www.smore.com/u/amanpreetkaur6

• Nov 2016 - Feb 2017: https://www.smore.com/u/amankaur

• Feb - March 2017: https://www.smore.com/u/amanpreetkaur2

The innovative use of Smore announcements increased event attendance from a handful of attendees to well over 20 attendees. The increase in attendance also led to new partnerships between departments within Penn Libraries and various campus resource centers. Due to the success of the Diversi-tea series, I was asked to join the GOLD Executive Committee and shortly after became Chair-Elect.

In Summer 2016, I attended Safe Space Training at the Penn LGBT Center, one of the partner organizations that presented a Diversi-tea.

In 2017, I wrote an American Library Association Intersections blog post and aided in organizing the GOLD Annual Open House, the group's signature event. Leveraging the success of our new partnerships, I invited former and upcoming Diversi-tea speakers. In April 2017, several student organizations awarded GOLD with the inaugural Campus Diversity Award for a Notable Cultural Contribution. Student leaders were impressed with the Diversi-tea series and the Library Resource Liaisons program.

In Summer 2017, I continued to promote GOLD's programs including a brown bag presentation titled "Civility, Engagement, & Respect at Penn" in June 2017, a day-long "Safe Space Training" in June 2017,  and the Annual Potluck in August 2017. I also created the GOLD Diversi-teas poster, which highlights all previous and incoming speakers. This poster will be displayed at the Penn Libraries Showcase.

Following a Fall 2017 Diversi-tea, the Engineering Librarian and I brainstormed library resources that would be useful for students served by the Greenfield Intercultural Center and PennFirst. In October 2017, one of my examples of microaffirming FGLI students was cited by librarians at Dartmouth College.

As the Community Health & Engineering Librarian, I continue to be active in GOLD as the 2018 Executive Committee Chair leading a review of our roadmap, goals, accomplishments, and areas of needed improvement, which will continue in 2019 under two co-chairs. In Fall 2018, Vice Provost and Director Libraries Constantia Constantinou invited me, as the 2018 Chair of GOLD, to serve on the Academic Engagement & Community Outreach Campaign Priority Libraries Working Group and the Penn First Plus Campaign Priority Libraries Working Group. As a past chair, I have continued to support GOLD on as needed basis, until it was formally put on hiatus by the Penn Libraries Leadership Team.