Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Building Inclusive Libraries One Step At A Time: Kindness, Equity, And Candidate Experiences In Hiring, Annie Bélanger, Sarah Beaubien, Preethi Gorecki

Presentations

Have you ever wondered if the interview process could be a kinder, more accessible experience anchored in equity that is ultimately meant to develop connections? Would you like to critically examine practices in the hiring process to ensure empathy for applicants going through the process? In taking a closer look at our own practices, we made significant improvements to our processes, which have led to a more positive experience for candidates and our organizational outcomes. Each component of the hiring process can be centered in equity and accessibility. It is key to ensure that each stage contends with bias, both …

Centering Or Empowering—Shifting Power To The Library Members, Annie Bélanger

Scholarly Papers and Articles

Libraries are activated by our community members and our staff. Libraries use a variety of words to describe the people that frequent them. The words are often used habitually, rather than after a critical review of their origin and impacts. If libraries are not neutral, how might this translate into the language that we use, the way we make decisions, and how we engage with our community members? This column will explore the growth of public services, the language we use to refer to the people we serve, and how to empower our community members as well as partners in …

Ul Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, And Accessibility Framework, Annie Bélanger, Stacey Burns, Samantha Minnis, Susan Ponischil, Ashley Rosener

Library Reports and Communication

This framework is meant to provide a shared understanding of the University Libraries’ commitment and approaches toward Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA). The framework is intended to ground us in theory as we move toward action, to guide us as we make decisions about IDEA-related initiatives, and to prioritize our IDEA commitment in all that we do. The framework allows us to leverage systems thinking as well as to connect library efforts to the University’s goals, values, and frameworks for IDEA. While the framework does not provide action steps, it is meant to provide ways for all library colleagues …

Journey To Idea 2.0: Moving From Education To Action, Annie Bélanger, Stacey Burns, Samantha Minnis, Ashley Rosener

Presentations

Join members of one university library’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee to learn about their journey from IDEA to IDEA 2.0 over the course of a few years. This library took steps to move beyond simply educating their colleagues to actively reviewing and addressing systems level issues. They will share their challenges and progress with a number of initiatives. These initiatives include drafting a detailed IDEA framework for the library, conducting an organization-wide policy and culture audit, facilitating library-wide action-oriented workshops, incorporating IDEA goals for all individuals and departments, and leveraging systems-thinking to empower individuals to be leaders …

Grand Valley State University Libraries Journey To Idea 2.0: Moving From Education To Action Toolkit, Lucille Near, Annie Bélanger, Stacey Burns, Samantha Minnis, Ashley Rosener

Library Reports and Communication

An annotated bibliography of resources to explore and advance inclusion, equity, diversity, accessibility work (IDEA). Includes background documents related to IDEA work at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Grand Valley State University Libraries, as well as toolkits and frameworks external to GVSU.

Through An Inequitable Collective Trauma Lens: Elevating Narratives On Mental Health And Covid-19, Juliana Espinosa, Sheila García Mazari, Samantha Minnis

Presentations

This panel session sought to elevate the voices of library professionals who had been impacted both personally and professionally by COVID-19. Speaking from their perspectives at different career points, the panelists shared their experiences, as well as how the pandemic has compounded for some, several pre-existing collective traumas. Panelists addressed the crisis narrative inherent in librarianship, and discussed how the profession can reframe its approach to inequitable trauma, unsustainable workloads, and other structural inequities. The handout provided lists the questions that panelists addressed, a resources list for further reading, and an accountability agreement for participants to engage with the space.

Idea Reinvisioned Charge, Jon Jeffryes, Sheila García Mazari, Annie Bélanger

Library Reports and Communication

This documents details the purpose, accountabilities, and timeline for IDEA 2.0, a group of university library staff who focus on active interrogation of existing policies and practices. The group works to ensure that the library’s policies and practices do not reinforce existing inequitable power structures with an early focus on white supremacy culture, but not to the exclusion of other inequities such as patriarchy, ableism, and others. IDEA 2.0 acts as a guiding body to establish best practices and mechanisms of accountability.

University Libraries Equity & Inclusion Committee White Paper, Janelle Yahne, Samantha Minnis, Annie Bélanger, Jacklyn Rander, Matthew Reidsma, Gayle Schaub, Jennifer Torreano

Library Reports and Communication

By Fall 2017, ULEIC, and the task force before it, had been successful in bringing training opportunities to the attention of Libraries faculty and staff. However, the committee was struggling with defining its scope in relation to the work of Faculty Development and Support Committee (FDSC) and Department Heads. Collaborating with the Dean, it was decided to move forward with a co-creation facilitation, which would engage all members of ULEIC, to define:

• The vision/purpose for the committee
• It's relationships and partnerships with other library and campus groups
• The desired outcomes
• A new charge
• A workplan

This report summarizes the findings …