Competency C

Competency C

Articulate the importance of designing programs and services supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equity for clientele and employees.

Libraries have a reputation for being “safe spaces” that welcome everyone. This spaces do not just naturally occur, however. Careful and deliberate consideration of programs and services in necessary. Addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, and equity is a key part of the design process for both programming and training of library staff.

Diversity is recognition of the similarities and differences among people, and that these differences and commonalities may be visible or invisible. Inclusion means that all patrons and employees are valued, respected, and heard. Equity is less about providing “equal” services and more about making sure that the outcomes for patrons and employees are equitable by identifying and addressing disadvantages that groups or individuals may be experiencing (Wong, Figueroa, Cardenas-Dow, 2019).

Library programming can and should be designed to address the needs of the patrons in the community. In a school, programming offered to students should ensure equitable access. This can be done by recognizing services that benefit all students rather than specific groups. For example, in my school we have a Prevention Specialist who educates students about mental health and drug and alcohol use. I could partner with the specialist to present lunchtime programming in the library for a Wellness Week featuring stress relieving activities, discussions on related topics, and curated book displays. This type of programming benefits all students regardless of ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status providing equitable access to resources. This type of programming should be coupled with collection development policies that emphasize representation and access to a variety of viewpoints (Wong, Figueroa, Cardenas-Dow, 2019).

Addressing the professional development needs of staff is also an important part of creating an environment supportive of EDI. It is important to take time to address cultural values and recognize norms that may be excluding those who are unfamiliar with those cultural norms. Teacher librarians can offer professional development opportunities to teachers that accommodate differences in physical and mental abilities by making resources available in multiple formats. At the district level, training in diversity practices can be made available, especially to those in leadership positions, such as a teacher librarian. These efforts positively impact the school’s ability to make sure all students’ and employees’ needs are being met.

Conclusion

Celebrating diversity in the library works to create environments where differences in opinions and points of view can be regularly shared and normalized. It is particularly important for students of color to have mentors (librarians, assistants, teachers and volunteers) who identify with their experiences and values. When I move into the librarian position next year, I will need to hire my replacement as library assistant. This is an opportunity for me to recruit someone who has experiences and skills different from my own, to better support our culturally diverse student body.

Evidence 1: Issues in School Library Collection Development research paper

I wrote this paper in INFO 266 Collection Management. This artifact connects to the competency because I discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in a school library as it relates to the collection development process and intellectual freedom laws. As a result of this research, I learned that part of a school librarian’s responsibility is to protect students’ rights to intellectual freedom, and this includes rights to access (Adams, 2009). Librarians and administrators can be held legally responsible for not providing adequate access to resources both in person and digitally.

Evidence 2: Virtual Book Display and report

I created this interactive virtual book display, “Level Up…Books for Gamers” in INFO 237. This artifact connects to the competency because as part of the display, I use icons denoting the type of resource the book connects to increasing accessibility. In the display, I added a cover to each book; the covers link to a variety of materials such as YouTube book trailers, first chapters, games inspired by the book and a playlist. Each book has an icon denoting the type of material linked. The controller in the upper right corner links to the library catalog. I also included a link to information about National Video Games Day. These icons can help with accessibility and inclusion as well as facilitating classroom use.

References

Adams, H.R., (2009). Access for students with disabilities. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 25(10), 54.

Wong, P., Figueroa, M., & Cardenas-Dow, M. (2019). Diversity, equity of access, and social justice. In S. Hirsh (Ed.) Information services today: An introduction (2^nd ed., pp. 52-68).