Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility (DEIA) 

The history of the United States of America has been built on racism, from the period of colonial conquest of Native Americans to African slavery. These facts have infected every element of American history. Even the American library movement is not immune to this legacy. In this paper, we will briefly discuss the history of the American Library Association and its relationship to movements for civil rights. We will then turn our attention to the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement and ways in which libraries today can take this opportunity to be more inclusive in our programs and collections. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dfmBPv6G4wQCYxD9CyMa6pQ5x5_WwwtcQW15OWCmwFI/edit?usp=sharing

The use of alternative subject headings  promotes diversity and inclusivity in library systems. This in turn creates a positive and welcoming environment for the public. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qztoJHmPp54c13vFaW19xVJb8xJS37tHFY9PwXBLx8U/edit?usp=sharing

In the wake of the global pandemic, Black Lives Matter Movement, and 2020 election, it seems like this year has taken us on a bumpy ride. We have seen acts of hate towards Asian Americans, being blamed for the pandemic. We have seen protests nationwide supporting Black Lives Matter for the death of George Floyd in the hands of police. And lastly, we have seen a country divided, fueled my racism and hate, with this years presidential election. How can we ease this tension as a library? What can we do? 

https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/diversity-and-inclusion/home

As the world becomes more conscious of bias and inequality, it is our jobs as librarians to audit our collections to see if the fiction we care is both inclusive and diverse. This attached primer will help those who are looking to understand what diverse fiction is and how to partake in it. 

https://create.piktochart.com/output/54055037-diversity-libraries

We all know that filling a library up with materials is more than just picking at random. If only it were that easy. But then again, we would not have classes like collection development.😉 I have asked myself what is it that people want in a collection? Then after giving that much thought, I had to take it one step further and ask, what is it that is missing from our Spanish collection? Who comes and uses the collection and services? How are their needs being met? What do they have to say about it?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BEOviSngyvmzGerCvqUoJ7g0v5OwOP4obeDBzLaQymA/edit?usp=sharing

With attention laser focused on the current pandemic of racism, recruitment strategies for reaching diverse candidates are crucial to libraries. "The World Is Changing: Why Aren’t We? Recruiting Minorities to Librarianship" by Jenifer Grady and Tracie Hall, featured on the American Library Association site provides guidance for this important process.

"The World is Changing: Why Aren't We? Recruiting Minorities to Librarianship" 

Article by Kathy Ishizuka, for the School Library Journal, discussing anti-Asian racism and a list of resources including educational, media, mental health, and related organization.

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=anti-asian-racism-calls-for-education-a-place-in-our-national-reckoning-editorial 

This guide provides anti-racist, anti-oppressive terminology to replace traditional terminology that has resulted in the erasure and misrepresentation of Black history. Topics included are: metadata recommendations; community collaboration; auditing legacy descriptions; reparative processing; handling racist materials; describing slavery records, subjects and classifications; and transparency in your work. This guide is useful for archivist and librarians in charge of maintaining catalogs and building collections. Check back for updates on this guide at: https://archivesforblacklives.wordpress.com/resources/

https://archivesforblacklives.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/ardr_202010.pdf

A guide on how to archive and preserve raw video and audio footage with a social-justice framework. The guide includes how to create, transfer, acquire, organize, store, catalog, preserve, and share raw footage. This guide is useful to anyone archiving and preserving raw video and audio footage. The guide is also available in Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese.

English: https://archiving.witness.org/archive-guide/

Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese: https://library.witness.org/product/activists-guide-to-archiving-video/

Diversebookfinder.org provides "a comprehensive collection of children's picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC). We've cataloged and analyzed trade picture books fitting this criteria, published since 2002." They have also recently developed a "Collection Analysis Tool" to help librarians diversify their picture book collections. We Need Diverse Books provides resources for promoting diverse books for children of all ages, including links to a number of websites that support specific diversity goals. They also feature resources for collection building, and have published multiple anthologies which are available in eBook and audiobook formats. Social Justice Books "identify and promote the best multicultural and social justice children’s books, as well as articles and books for educators. It builds on the tradition of the Council on Interracial Books for Children which provided a social justice lens to reviews of children’s literature." They provide guides and reviews of anti-bias books. 

Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books. (2018, December 10). Retrieved from https://diversebookfinder.org/ 

We Need Diverse Books. (2021, April 15). Retrieved from https://diversebooks.org/ 

 Multicultural and Social Justice Books. (2021, January 27). Retrieved from https://socialjusticebooks.org/ 

Libraries are some of the best places for bringing communities together. They provide education, socialization, and technological access to all patrons, all for free or low cost. However, many library collections and programs do not necessarily represent their communities or meet the needs of everyone using the library. This site is intended to provide resources for all librarians to use to create more diverse collections and programs for the communities that they serve. 

https://sites.google.com/sjsu.edu/diversityresourcesforlibraries/home 

American Library Association: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The American Library Association believes that “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are fundamental values of the association and its members, and diversity is listed as one of ALA's Key Action Areas. The Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services uses a social justice framework to ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives within our profession and association to best position ALA as a trusted, leading advocate for equitable access to library services for all,” (See https://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity).

California State Library: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The California State Library website offers resources on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, such as Advancing Racial Equity in Your Library. “This webinar, presented by the Race Forward Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), presents an overview of concepts and approaches libraries are using to reduce racial barriers in their work,” according to the California State Library, (See https://www.library.ca.gov/services/to-libraries/equity/).

Library of Congress: Advisory Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Library of Congress created an Advisory Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in 2020 and works with the Program for Cooperative Cataloging on Guiding Principles for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Metadata Creation. The Library of Congress website includes a PDF with the following guiding principles: 

Program for Cooperative Cataloging
Guiding Principles for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Metadata Creation Approved: January 19, 2023 

Background 

The PCC Policy Committee (PoCo) agreed in November 2020 to add a new strategic direction to its existing strategic plan to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles in every aspect of PCC operations and to make DEI and metadata ethics an integral part of PCC work. The PCC endorses the Cataloguing Code of Ethics (Final Version - January 2021) drafted by the Cataloging Ethics Steering Committee and the following principles (based loosely on the Code) are provided for PCC members as focused guidelines for applying DEI principles to their cataloging and metadata work. 

Guiding Principles for Metadata Creation 

PCC members: 

1. Describe resources in our collections with end users in mind, to facilitate access and promote discovery, while respecting the privacy and preferences of the associated agents of those resources.
   
   

2. Work with user communities to understand their needs especially as they relate to DEI issues.
   
   

3. Acknowledge that the standards and controlled vocabularies we use and their application are
   biased, approach their development and application critically, and advocate to make cataloging
   and resource description more inclusive.
   
   

4. Take responsibility for our metadata and advocate for transparency in our cooperative and
   institutional practices and policies.
   
   

5. Collaborate widely to support the creation, distribution, maintenance, and enrichment of
   equitable and inclusive metadata in various environments and jurisdictions.
   
   

6. Advocate for the importance of incorporating DEI principles in all aspects of cataloging work.
   
   

Access the full PDF at https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/resources/DEI-guiding-principles-for-metadata-creation.pdf

View the Advisory Board Members at https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/advisory/dei.html

National Archives: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) 

The National Archives developed a four year, 2022-2026, DEIA Strategic Plan, which includes the following mission, vision and value statements. 

Mission, Vision, and Value Statement

NARA’s DEIA efforts are guided by the following vision, mission, and agency values that emphasize workforce diversity, workplace inclusiveness, and accountability.

Mission Statement

We drive openness, cultivate public participation, and strengthen our nation’s democracy through equitable public access to high-value government records.

Our mission is to provide equitable public access to federal government records in our custody and control. Equitable access to government records strengthens democracy by allowing all Americans of all backgrounds to claim their rights of citizenship, hold their government accountable, and understand their history so they can fully participate in their government.

DEIA Vision Statement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) is an integral part of NARA’s mission, vision, values, strategy, policies, and practices.

We achieve our mission by cultivating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for our workforce. NARA embraces diversity of talents, ideas, experiences, and identities to encourage collaboration, inspire innovation, and empower employees. Our commitment to DEIA positions NARA to serve as a model employer that values and promotes equity for all Americans.

NARA Values

NARA values reflect shared aspirations that support and encourage the agency’s long-standing commitment to public service, openness and transparency, and the government records that NARA holds in trust.

Collaborate: Create an open, inclusive work environment that is built on respect, communication, integrity, and collaborative team work.

Innovate: Encourage creativity and invest in innovation to build our future.

Learn: Pursue excellence through continuous learning and become smarter all the time about what we know and what we do in service to others.

Act with Integrity: Build trust by acting with honesty, fairness, and transparency.

Advance Diversity: Model diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility throughout the agency and expand participation by staff and customers of all backgrounds in NARA programs and decision-making.

Transformational Outcomes

NARA’s transformational outcomes describe the organizational culture that NARA must build to meet the challenges of the future, improve organizational performance, and better serve the American people.

View the comprehensive DEIA Strategic Plan at https://www.archives.gov/about/plans-reports/strategic-plan/diversity-inclusion#toc-mission-vision-and-value-statement