Diversity Member Initiative Group Community

Dear Friend, 

The ALA Committee on Diversity (COD) is in the process of renewing the Diversity MIG (Member Initiative Group) per ALA guidelines. Please consider signing our e-petition at http://bit.ly/2f1Is5D to help us continue the important work of this group. Everyone is welcome to join the Diversity MIG, regardless of ALA affiliation or membership status. 

The mission of the Diversity Membership Initiative Group is

• To provide a space for success stories and best practices and broadly highlight examples of activities that have improved services and fostered organizational change.
• To provide a community of practice for members to discuss ideas, concepts, and methods to positively impact library services to increasingly diverse populations.
• To provide a base for deepening our discussion and collective understanding of diversity and inclusion issues across our professional organizations.

At Midwinter 2016 the Diversity MIG came under the direction of COD Interns Miguel Ruiz and Rebecca Kemp. Building on the work of Diversity MIG founders Alexandra Rivera and Melissa Cardenas-Dow, we have more than doubled the membership and compiled the results from our member survey into the following report written by Miguel Ruiz:http://connect.ala.org/node/258733

Please consider signing our e-petition at http://bit.ly/2f1Is5D to renew the Diversity MIG for another three years of service. We need 100 signatures by December 1 in order to continue the important work of this group, which contains voices from within and outside ALA. NOTE: please note, you must be a ALA member to sign this petition. 

Sincerely,

Rebecca Kemp and Tiana Trutna
ALA Committee on Diversity (COD) Interns

Dear Friend, 

The ALA Committee on Diversity (COD) is in the process of renewing the Diversity MIG (Member Initiative Group) per ALA guidelines. Please consider signing our e-petition at http://bit.ly/2f1Is5D to help us continue the important work of this group. Everyone is welcome to join the Diversity MIG, regardless of ALA affiliation or membership status. 

The mission of the Diversity Membership Initiative Group is

• To provide a space for success stories and best practices and broadly highlight examples of activities that have improved services and fostered organizational change.
• To provide a community of practice for members to discuss ideas, concepts, and methods to positively impact library services to increasingly diverse populations.
• To provide a base for deepening our discussion and collective understanding of diversity and inclusion issues across our professional organizations.

At Midwinter 2016 the Diversity MIG came under the direction of COD Interns Miguel Ruiz and Rebecca Kemp. Building on the work of Diversity MIG founders Alexandra Rivera and Melissa Cardenas-Dow, we have more than doubled the membership and compiled the results from our member survey into the following report written by Miguel Ruiz:http://connect.ala.org/node/258733

Please consider signing our e-petition at http://bit.ly/2f1Is5D to renew the Diversity MIG for another three years of service. We need 100 signatures by December 1 in order to continue the important work of this group, which contains voices from within and outside ALA. NOTE: please note, you must be a ALA member to sign this petition. 

Sincerely,

Rebecca Kemp and Tiana Trutna
ALA Committee on Diversity (COD) Interns

Hello!
 
I just wanted to quickly reach out and engage the wisdom of our community regarding diversity efforts. At my institution, we are just kicking off a Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. Part of my contribution to this initial stage is a benchmarking effort - developing some awareness of what other libraries are currently doing in this area, and what they have found effective.
 
This has been an interesting exercise, because while I'm intimately familiar with diversity recruitment and development efforts within the profession, I am less aware of efforts that expand to the library patron population and connect to the campus community writ large. So far, I've done some very cursory searching and collecting of resources available on the web (and am happy to share what I have so far if you'd like!). But given that I know so many folks actively involved in diversity programs and efforts, I'd be remiss not to ask advice of colleagues like you. 
 
Some of the kinds of helpful things I've discovered so far include diversity action plans, strategic plans that incorporate diversity efforts, and web content that details the history and coordination of diversity efforts at given institutions. But I'm also interested in learning more generally about programming and ad hoc efforts that could be exchanged more casually. Any kind of advice is welcome at this stage. I think there's a really broad spectrum of input that could help chart our path. 
 
Anyhow, any advice or documentation you're willing to share would be much appreciated! We could start a public discussion here, or feel free to contact me personally (nikdragovic@gmail.com) if you prefer.
 
All the best,
Nik
 

The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services (ODLOS) is launching Intersections, a new blog that highlights the everyday work of library and information science workers as they advocate for equity and inclusion as they relate to diversity, literacy and access among membership, the field of librarianship and the communities they serve.

The blog invites submissions from across the library profession that feature support for those from historically and disadvantaged racial and ethinic groups; those who experience socioeconomic barriers, people experiencing hunger, homelessness and poverty; immigrants, refugees and new Americans; those discriminated against based on nationality or language; those who are geographically isolated; those experiencing barriers in regards to access to literacy; and new and non-readers.

“We envision Intersections to be a vibrant and thriving place for our members to share their stories,” said ODLOS Director Jody Gray. “We’ll also be sharing exciting news from ODLOS and our many constituencies, including information on conferences, initiatives, grants, and much more.”

For more information, including submission information, please visit www.ala.org/intersections.

The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services supports library and information science workers in creating safe, responsible, and all-inclusive spaces that serve and represent the entire community. To accomplish this, we decenter power and privilege by facilitating conversations around access and identity as they impact the profession and those we serve. We use a social justice framework to inform library and information science workers' development of resources. We strive to create an association culture where these concerns are incorporated into everybody's everyday work.

Please contribute feedback concerning the mission and name change for the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services. We are taking feedback until January 31, 2016. 

Feedback can be left as comments or emailed to diversity@ala.org.

Equity & Inclusion Office Mission Statement (DRAFT)

Our mission is to create spaces and places that support the empowerment of marginalized voices, while exploring issues of privilege, access, and identity that impact the profession. We will accomplish this by coordinating library professionals’ development of resources within a social justice framework; our goal is to make these issues everybody’s everyday work.

Scope

The Equity and Inclusion Office actively works with membership to consult, facilitate, coordinate and train on issues of equity and inclusion as they relate to diversity, literacy, and outreach within membership, the field of librarianship, and our communities. It is our responsibility to serve and support the following individuals and groups:

• New and non-readers
• People geographically isolated
• Rural and Urban people experiencing hunger, homelessness & poverty
• American Indians
• People discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, various gender and sexual identities and expressions, age, language, disabilities, and social class

We recognize that people may have more than one of the above identities.

The Equity and Inclusion Office will liaison with the following groups to accomplish our mission:

Committees

• Committee on Diversity
  • Diversity Research Grant Advisory committee
  • Spectrum Advisorycommittee
    • Spectrum Jury
    • Spectrum Scholar Interest Group
    • Equity and Inclusion Office Advisory Committee (Tentative name, see Appendix A)
    • Committee on Literacy
    • Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds
    • Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table
      • Coretta Scott King Book Awards Committee
      • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table
      • Social Responsibilities Round Table
      • Sustainability Round Table
      • Literacy Assembly
      • American Indian Library Association
      • Asian Pacific American Librarians Association
      • Black Caucus of the American Library Association
      • Chinese American Librarians Associations
      • The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA)
      • Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services
      • Association for Rural and Small Libraries

Round Tables

Assembly

Affiliate Organizations

Appendix A

Proposed structure for the Equity and Inclusion Office Advisory Committee (AKA OLOS Advisory Committee)

18 members with two-year staggered terms, including a chairperson appointed Annually

3 Members at large to be selected by the ALA President-elect
1 member representative of each of the following groups:

1. American Indian Library Association (AILA)
2. Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
3. Black Caucus of the American Library Association
4. Chinese American Librarians Association
5. The National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA)
6. Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS)
7. Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL)
8. Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA)
9. Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT)
10. Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT)
11. Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT)
12. Sustainability Round Table (SustainRT)
13. Committee on Diversity Chair (ex officio)
14. Committee on Literacy Chair (ex officio)
15. Committee on Rural, Native, and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds Chair (ex officio)

Thank you so much for your involvement with the Diversity Member Initiative Group (MIG). We are writing to share some exciting news. As you may know, the MIG was established at the ALA Midwinter meeting 2014. Melissa Cardenas-Dow and I (Alexandra Rivera), have been serving as co-chairs working to foster the MIG in its early stages. In collaboration with the new director of the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services, Jody Gray, we are seeking to re-engage the MIG in its mission (listed below).

Changes intended to strengthen and sustain the MIG include appointing the Diversity Interns for  ALA’s Committee on Diversity (COD) to serve as its co-chairs. This will bring continued new vision and energy to the Diversity MIG. The current interns are Rebecca Kemp, Reference Librarian at the Tulare County Library, Visalia, CA and Miguel Ruiz, E-Learning Librarian at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Melissa and I will continue to serve as ex-officios for the MIG.

Additionally, over the next 3 months, prior to the ALA Annual Conference, we will:

• Increase membership - you will see a message inviting people to join. It is being sent to all Diversity stakeholders within ALA and beyond. We need your help to get the word out to any persons who are interested in issues related to diversity and inclusion within libraries. They do not need to be ALA members or even work in libraries.

• Administer a questionnaire to garner ideas from the Diversity MIG membership for activities and ways to further the mission of the MIG (included below)

Finally, to ensure full engagement with the MIG we are using ALA Connect. Please visit your ALA Connect page and follow these instructions to receive the Diversity MIG communications in your home email account:

From within ALA Connect - once you are logged in and on the main page - 

• Click on the notifications tab

• To receive email notifications when there are new posts you should check the box by the group name and click on the "Submit" button. The status should then read “Active”

Please note, Non-ALA members can create an ALA Connect account and participate in the Diversity MIG community. To learn more follow this link: ALA Connect.

Diversity MIG Mission:

This member initiatives group provides an organizational home for any individuals dedicated to fostering an improved climate for diversity within their institutions and professional organizations.

The mission of the Diversity Membership Initiative Group is:

• To provide a space for success stories and best practices and broadly highlight examples of activities that have improved services and fostered organizational change.

• To provide a community of practice for members to discuss ideas, concepts, and methods to positively impact library services to increasingly diverse populations.

• To provide a base for deepening our discussion and collective understanding of diversity and inclusion issues across our professional organizations.

If you have any thoughts or questions please feel free to share them with the MIG or with Melissa and/or me.

Thank you!

Melissa and Alex

I apologize for the duplication but I am sharing this request on behalf of close colleagues. Please consider taking this survey and/or sharing it those who have a perspective on this important topic of diversity recruitment programs and their outcomes.

Thanks,

Alex

 ____________________________

Dear Colleagues,

I hope this email finds you well.  My colleague and I are conducting a study on diversity recruitment programs and what happens to ethnically/culturally underrepresented LIS students, including American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, upon graduation. Respondents are asked to self-identify using the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Revision to the Standards for the Classification on Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. We would greatly appreciate your participation (IRB Number: 20160616144EX).

This survey will take you about 20-25 minutes to complete. Please feel free to forward this link to others who might be interested in participating in our study. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B7SKZX5

The survey will close on July 29th, 2016.  

We appreciate your time.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email us. 

Thank you in advance,

Toni Anaya, Associate Professor

Instruction Coordinator

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

tanaya2@unl.edu

Charlene Maxey-Harris, Associate Professor

Chair, Research & Instructional Services

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

cmaxeyharris2@unl.edu