Cal Poly Humboldt Library Diversity & Social Justice Working Group

Our Purpose

We are advocates for change in identifying and addressing issues around diversity and equity as they affect Cal Poly Humboldt students, staff and faculty, as well as the local community.

Our primary focus is ensuring that the University Library serves our diverse population of students, staff and faculty by embracing diversity, promoting equity, and helping to prepare our students to be responsible members of diverse societies.

Our Vision

We strive to lead by example, be an active partner in developing our institutional culture and foster collaboration across campus. We envision the Library as being an innovator within the University by modeling the development and implementation of a Racial Equity Plan.

Our Values

The Cal Poly Humboldt Library is committed to our campus and local community. We celebrate diverse intersectional identities including race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, and disability. We promote and prioritize our collection, services, and events to prepare the members of our community to be socially responsible leaders in a diverse and globalized society.

We want the library to live up to these values:

• The Cal Poly Humboldt Library is a decolonized library that respects tribal nations and indigenous knowledge.

• Students, scholars, faculty, and staff have equitable access to library resources and services:

  • As a member of the CSU, we aim to influence and leverage the system-wide shared collection through relationship-building and collaboration across institutions.

  • Community engagement activities hosted by the Library are inclusive, collaborative, and incorporate our values.

  • Our collections, services, and events reflect the breadth of human experience from diverse communities.

  • The Library promotes free and open access to information through initiatives such as HSU Sustainable Learning, Textbooks on Reserve and Cal Poly Humboldt Press.

  • The Library is the intellectual hub of the University that provides a welcoming space that is inspiring, collaborative and innovative.

  • The Library is an agent to help reduce the opportunity gap for our students and, through various means, supports our students to become prepared members of academia as well as their future professions.

• Our recruitment, hiring and retention practices are inclusive and attract candidates that reflect the diversity of our student body and the state.

  • Library employees have equitable access for advancement and promotion.

  • Library employees have equitable access to professional development opportunities. The Library values and encourages employees to learn about and deepen their understanding of topics related to diversity, humility, and increasing understanding of privilege at different levels (internal, interpersonal, institutional and systemic).

• The Library is accountable for demonstrating a commitment to diversity and social justice.

  • The Library conducts regular assessments of our collection, services, events, hiring and retention using tools such as the racial equity plan.

  • The Library uses a Results-Based Accountability methodology to ensure that our work is impactful and focused on our goals.

Meetings

TBD - if you are interested in joining the group or attending a meeting, please email us at twm2@humboldt.edu.