Competency C
Demographics
Demographics
Articulate the importance of designing programs and services supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equity for clientele and employees.
Introduction
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are current buzzwords in organizations of all types, yet even among those who are expected to demonstrate and uphold those principles there are some who might have a difficult time defining them. Competency C tells me that as an information professional, I must be an advocate for and steward of patrons’ and employees’ rights when it comes to DEI, and doing so requires me to understand what those terms mean in general and as they apply specifically to my institution.
Given the service-oriented nature of libraries and their mission to provide access to accurate, unbiased information, DEI is perhaps more central and critical to this profession than to most others. Granger (2017) noted that as events in the public and political realms have made marginalized individuals and groups more uncertain about their place in society, libraries in particular have taken on a greater role in creating inclusive environments to serve those diverse communities. More than just putting up a “welcome” sign, the information professional must take a strategic approach to implementing policies and technology to provide physical and virtual safe spaces to all members of their institution’s clientele and provide equitable access to resources.
Protecting Rights
Only through this sort of wholehearted commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can a librarian respect each patron’s right to information and protect their intellectual freedom. These rights are so fundamental that the information professional’s role in ensuring representation and social justice under DEI is thus a matter of protecting human rights. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions’ (IFLA, 2012) code of ethics emphasizes this direct connection between human rights and information access:
The idea of human rights, particularly as expressed in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), requires us all to recognise and acknowledge the humanity of others and to respect their rights. In particular, Article 19 sets out rights of freedom of opinion, expression and access to information for all human beings. (p. 2)
When it comes to employees, DEI can have a major impact on organizational success. A library that does not create a welcoming work environment by actively respecting and promoting DEI principles risks both losing key staff members and failing to attract top candidates. Even for those staff members who do stay, working in a culture that is dismissive of DEI principles and perhaps even hostile to certain individuals or groups will hurt morale, with negative ramifications for communication, collaboration, and productivity. Furthermore, failing to practice DEI principles with information organization employees makes it impossible to create an environment in which patrons’ rights are respected and protected.
Guidance
In the world of libraries and information organizations, ethics and matters of DEI have much in common. In particular, both require the information professional to put personal opinions and morality aside in favor of the profession’s documented principles and values. Furthermore, as with ethics, the information professional can refer to those documented codes for guidance when making DEI-related decisions that affect individual’s access to information or, where library and information organization employees are concerned, fair and equal opportunity and treatment in the workplace.
The American Library Association’s (ALA) Library Bill of Rights and the organization’s supplementary interpretations of that document’s articles are particularly rich sources of explication and guidance for practicing and safeguarding DEI principles. The Library Bill of Rights makes several direct statements in support of DEI, such as the guidance to provide library resources to “all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation” (ALA, 2019a, Policy I), and “A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views” (Policy V).
The ALA (2017) also dedicated an entire Library Bill of Rights interpretation to matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion, calling these concepts “central to the promotion and practice of intellectual freedom” (para. 1). Like IFLA, the ALA believes DEI and human rights are inseparable, and claimed that because “Libraries are essential to . . . every individual’s inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness . . . libraries and library workers should embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that they do” (para. 1).
Efforts
In my coursework and beyond, I learned not only of the importance of DEI but also about efforts that institutions and organizations are undertaking to implement DEI policies and build a welcoming and inclusive culture. This includes efforts at individual libraries and information organizations as well as at the associations they belong to. For example, at the 2021 Special Library Association (SLA) Midwest Symposium, then-SLA President Tara Grove Murray (personal communication, June 4, 2021) spent time addressing the large, ongoing push for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization and among its member institutions. She pointed out the SLA’s DEI community formed in 2018, as well as initiatives that have come out of that community, like updating SLA web pages for inclusivity, and publishing guidelines for choosing diverse speakers.
On a local level, when an equity steering committee in my current town of Camas, WA, held listening sessions in 2021, committee members “said they heard a lot of praise for the Camas Public Library and its diverse programs and inclusive events” (Moyer, 2021, para. 24), such as a project that asked community members to make art and write messages in chalk on the public sidewalks outside the library when Black Lives Matter protests were happening in 2020. These types of projects and the community’s response show how information professionals can be DEI leaders and how their efforts can have impact beyond their institutions.
Empathy
I also learned that one of the most important core competencies an information professional needs for DEI is empathy. This quality is at the heart of the overall effort to reach out to and serve diverse groups and individuals. Empathy allows the informational professional to see the world through the user’s eyes and comprehend at a deeper level what their circumstances are, what challenges they are facing, and what they might want or need out of an information organization. This more profound understanding equips the professional to come up with strategic solutions and creative ways of ensuring DEI for their patrons and communities.
Evidence
Evidence 1: INFO 281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues: Graphic Novels – Annotated Graphic Novel List
The ALA (2017) noted that “Historically, diverse authors and viewpoints have not been equitably represented in the output of many mainstream publishers and other producers” (“Books and other library resources” section, para. 1). This made it especially difficult for librarians to achieve equitable representation in their institutions’ collections. However, especially in the 21st century, small press, independent publishers, self-publishing, and even large publishers have been rectifying this situation. This is making it easier for librarians to follow the ALA’s (2019b) guidance to build diverse collections that “contain content by and about a wide array of people and cultures to authentically reflect a variety of ideas, information, stories, and experiences” (para. 2).
This annotated graphic novel list demonstrates my awareness of the importance of diversity in collections and of choosing novels that reflect and are of interest to an institution’s clientele. In selecting titles for this assignment, I aimed for a range of voices and cultural backgrounds. Thus, a Superman graphic novel appears alongside books by (among others) a civil rights leader, an immigrant from Iran, and a Japanese-American recounting his internment during World War II. Through summarization and analysis of these graphic novels that take viewpoints and representation into account, I show that I am able to assess materials critically for consideration when developing a diverse and inclusive collection.
Evidence 2: INFO 234 Intellectual Freedom – Labeling
In this assignment I analyzed a particular passage from the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights interpretation of the practice of labeling in libraries. The interpretation’s language argues for the use of viewpoint-neutral directional labels instead of ones designed to activate people’s biases in an attempt at de facto censorship by discouraging people from using a particular resource or even the library in general. I discuss how the guidance is to avoid terms that are alienating and that could create an uncomfortable environment for some patrons, and thus impede inclusivity and diversity among patrons. This assignment shows my ability to consider the potential ramifications of library policies toward various patrons and user groups and to enact practices that promote DEI and lower barriers for more equitable access.
Evidence 3: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Webinar
This sampling of slides is taken from author and library trainer Maurice Coleman’s Library 2.0 webinar titled “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Your Library: How to Start Talking About DEI,” which I attended live via Zoom on February 10, 2022. Coleman (2022) used the acronym SALA to convey the message that librarians must seek knowledge to understand other people by listening to their stories, acknowledge other people’s experiences and pain and the fact that the librarian’s institution might have work to do when it comes to DEI, learn about local history and the communities the librarian serves, and act individually to be honest, welcoming, and compassionate while opposing hostile behavior. Coleman acknowledged that DEI means change for many people, but he expressed his hope that it means positive change.
DEI itself is not a fixed concept, but rather, what it means to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive changes over time with shifts in demographics and cultural norms. My attendance at this webinar highlights my understanding of the need for information professionals to continuously seek out opportunities to educate themselves on these changes and how best to be a DEI champion within their organization and community.
Conclusion
Hirsh (2018) argued that the information organization’s primary mission is “to serve and transform their communities” (p. 6). To me, Competency C asserts that serving a community means serving every member of the community who wishes to be served. Discriminating against groups or individuals is, or should be, wholly anathema to those whose responsibility it is to reduce barriers to access rather than raise them through bias or personal beliefs. I believe that my coursework has given me greater awareness of how crucial diversity, equity, and inclusion are to the information profession, as well as the knowledge and tools I need to act individually to advocate, implement, and fight for DEI principles in my place of employment and beyond.
References
American Library Association. (2017, June 27). Equity, diversity, inclusion: An interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/EDI
American Library Association. (2019, January 29). Library Bill of Rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
American Library Association. (2019, June 24). Diverse collections: An interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/diversecollections
Coleman, M. (2022, February 10). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in your library: How to start talking about DEI [Webinar]. https://www.library20.com/safetysecurityaccess/diversity-equality-and-inclusion-in-your-library
Granger, L. (2017, May). Messages of inclusion: A grassroots campaign for turbulent times. American Libraries, 48(5), 12–15. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/05/01/libraries-respond-messages-of-inclusion/
Hirsh, S. (2018). The transformative information landscape: What it means to be an information professional today. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (2nd ed., pp. 3–13). Rowman & Littlefield.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2012, August). IFLA code of ethics for librarians and other information workers (full version). https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/1850
Moyer, K. (2021, November 4). Equity steering group: many residents living ‘different version of Camas.’ Camas-Washougal Post-Record. https://www.camaspostrecord.com/news/2021/nov/04/citys-equity-steering-group-says-many-residents-living-a-different-version-of-camas/