Comp C | Equitable Programs & Services

Articulate the importance of designing programs and services

supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equity for clientele and employees

Section A | Definition of Competency

Competency C requires verification on the importance of designing programs and services supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equity for clientele and employees. Starting with the understanding of diversity, inclusion and equity within the information setting through course readings of INFO 200 Information Communities. Patty Wong and Miguel Figueroa explain diversity as “a composition and as an exploration of differences…[with] initiatives focus[ed] on groups that have previously been excluded or experienced prejudice or discrimination and adopt active, significant, and intentional efforts to overturn or correct these experiences” (Hirsh, 2015). Diversity involves building awareness of marginalized groups and developing actions to sustainably change the inequity through inclusion.

Wong and Figueroa define inclusion as an implementation to “reinforce individuals’ worth and dignity by creating a strong sense of involvement and belonging” (Hirsh, 2015). This involvement and belonging are derived from supporting diverse clientele and leadership of diverse employment. Equity refers to access and “seeks to recognize the diversity of users and develop information services responsive to their unique experiences” (Hirsh, 2015). So, the purpose understanding diversity is to create a responsive impact through awareness of various needs and differences of users as well as employees and assure access through inclusive program and services.

Section B | Background to the Competency

Although, INFO 200 Information Communities syllabus includes competency C as shown in course reading definitions, assignments through INFO 281 Community Partnerships and INFO 285 Online Research offer further evidence of the significance of this competency. The evidence demonstrates awareness of diversity in public and academic library settings, knowledge of diversity impact, and programs and services that promote a diverse environment for users and staff. By exploring community partnerships and the inclusiveness of subject guides there is an understanding of diversity and its importance.

Section C | Discussion of Evidence

INFO 281| Toronto Reference Library

Document available to Academic Advisor only

While gathering community partnership information for Toronto Reference Library, the main branch for Canada’s largest public library system, Table 1 is created and includes a list of diverse programs. The diversity of programs is evident in the titles and descriptions of “events that are traditionally annual…advanced to more intentionally continuous programming for Asian, Black, Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ community members and those at the intersectionality” (Buchanan, 2021). These community partnerships are a response to a rising community need for inclusion and representation in content as well as service delivery in relation to Toronto’s diverse demographics. This response offers equitable access to information and the impact of involvement, belonging and leadership.

INFO 285 | Approaches to Inclusive Excellence via Subject Guides

https://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/approaches-to-inclusive-excellence-via-subject-guides-ea237f38a771

This group research project “provides evidence on approaches to inclusive excellence through online library subject guides intended to assist all library users” (Brooks et al., 2019). The inclusion refers to levels of diversity in content and collaboration in development of the guides from a selection of public and academic libraries in Canada and the US. In addition to researching diversity awareness, the recommendations for the project include “more equitable design links [for] these diverse topics and communities to broaden the representation across all subject guides” (Brooks et al., 2019). Therefore, placing diverse authors and content within relevant disciplines as well as cultural groups to increase inclusion and equity in this library service. As the only Canadian researcher in this project, it was an honour for follow members to be inclusive in the data sample and the impact of visibility is appreciated.

Section D | Conclusion

The course readings on diversity, inclusion and equity, with the community partnership assignment, and subject guide research project developed awareness as well as understanding of impact of programs and services that promote a diverse environment for diverse clientele and personnel. To reach information equity and freedom, these programs and services are essential in supporting and sustaining access of diverse community involvement and contributions.

Section E | References

Brooks, M., Buchanan, K., Grimm, C. Hurtado, I. & Ungerman, A. (2019). Approaches to Inclusive Excellence via Subject Guides. Medium. Retrieved fromhttps://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/approaches-to-inclusive-excellence-via-subject-guides-ea237f38a771

Buchanan, K. (2021). Toronto Reference Library. Info Prose. Retrieved from https://ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu/info/kejobuchanan/trl/

Hirsh, S. (2015). Information services today. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.