Competency C
Articulate the importance of designing programs and services supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equity for clientele and employees.
Introduction
The way the ALA Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion defines Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion makes it clear what information professionals should strive for in their practice and as an organizational whole. However, before we define these terms, it is essential to remember that they are not only ethnicity or race but also extend to age, gender identity, religion, language, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and family structures.
Equity (different from equality, which implies sameness) is “freedom from bias or favouritism, where differences are recognized and taken into account to ensure fairness.” (American Library Association, 2017). In the case of the information services industry, equity refers to the equity of access, increasing diversity by removing conditions that prevent disadvantaged groups from accessing information and resources.
From an information services standpoint, diversity is how people are similar or different (Wong et al., 2021). Therefore, when information professionals incorporate variety into their policies and programs, we uniquely recognize, value, and embrace each individual (American Library Association, 2017). Inclusion bridges the gap between equity and diversity by creating an environment where individuals are treated fairly and respectfully and valued for the skills, experience and perspectives that they bring to the table (American Library Association, 2017). These individuals also have equal access to resources and opportunities. Inclusion is to ensure the inclusion of those historically marginalized communities so that multiple perspectives can be presented and contribute fully to the organization’s success (A. Cooke, 2018).
Why are EDI Concepts Important to Information Service Professionals
For community-facing agencies such as information organizations, issues surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are paramount because EDI is intertwined with information services through various points. These points include:
Who has access
What can they access
Those who are employed in these services
According to Wong et al. (2021), information organizations should undertake tasks where the inclusion of diverse communities in the organization’s design and delivery of resources, services, and programs are at the forefront. To effectively do this, professionals should develop intercultural communication and collaboration skills. They can do this by meeting patrons where they are by familiarizing themselves with social customs and norms, languages, along with linguistic preferences (Wong et al., 2021).
What Can Be Done to Support Successful EDI Work in Information Organizations
As the picture of EDI has become more apparent, so too has the work and change that still needs to happen. This work includes audits, advocacy, training, and partnerships (A. Cooke, 2018).
a) Audits: assessments will allow information organizations to determine their EDI baseline and then subsequently track the effectiveness of changes/ decisions.
b) Voluntary Training: Research has shown that mandatory training has not supported EDI efforts. Making programs optional, more self-paced, designed to build awareness, and participatory.
c) Advocacy: For information organizations and EDI, this is primarily the need for equity in access to information and resources. The two main issues are net neutrality (internet services providers must enable access to all content and applications regardless of source) and the digital divide (where specific communities do not have the same access to information technologies).
d) Partnerships: Collaborating with organizations and stakeholders outside the organization assists in creating community and bringing awareness and support to EDI work.
Evidence
Lesson Lab: We Need Diverse STEM Books!
INFO 287-13 with Dr. Jennifer Hopwood
Description
For this assignment, we watched Professor Roni Ellington’s TED Talk, The future of STEM education, where she speaks about how her research showed impactful similarities in our appearances impact our perceptions and sense of belonging, how important it is for young people to have STEM role models who looked like themselves. Using this as a launching point, we were then asked to select and describe a book that featured the topics of diversity and STEM. I completed the assignment by choosing Boxitects, a children’s STEM book. I chose this book because while it does not directly address the topic of diversity in the story, the beautiful illustrations could show a diverse group of kids without alluding to particular cultures.
Justification
I selected this evidence for Competency C because it demonstrates that I can identify materials with various backgrounds and inclusivity. Furthermore, this assignment shows I can critically assess these titles when developing a more inclusive and diverse library collection.
Basic Accessibility Validation and Usability Testing Activity
INFO 251 Web Usability with Diana Kovacs
Description
In this assignment, we were asked to conduct a usability assessment on a provided website and a website of our choice. We were then asked to run the website through the WAVE 3.0 web Accessibility Tool (found at http://wave.webaim.org/).
Justification
According to the W3, web accessibility enables people from all backgrounds to use the internet; those with and without disabilities, people of different cultural backgrounds, and people without access to solid internet connections (W3C Web Accessibility, n.d.). I chose this assignment to support my knowledge and understanding of Competency C because it demonstrated my understanding of EDI and how it relates to web design. It also indicates that I can apply this knowledge to improve the usability of websites.
Applied Research Study Proposal (ARSP)
INFO 285: Applied Research Methods-Action Research with Renee Jefferson
Description
My partner, Chelsea Simpson, and I worked on different areas of this research proposal throughout the semester. We were interested in the creation of makerspaces in libraries and focused explicitly on identifying how these spaces could be created to be more accessible. We focused on accessibility not just in terms of physical ability but also in terms of an individual’s cognitive skills and life situation. We felt improved accessibility creates and maintains an engaging and barrier-free makerspace environment. Our exploration mapped out the current research landscape with the end goal of adding to the existing research body and providing practitioners with advice and insights.
Justification
I chose our ARSP report as evidence for Competency C because our research demonstrated a fundamental knowledge and understanding of diversity. It also demonstrated our commitment to designing services that support EDI initiatives for makerspace clients and employees.
Conclusion
Being from a multicultural background and having experienced instances of racism, discrimination and feeling othered, I have experience with EDI issues surrounding ethnicity and race. Throughout this MLIS program, I have expanded my knowledge of EDI issues to include other types of culture, including age, ability, sexual orientation and gender. Of particular interest to me is the role of accessibility in topics like graphic design, web design, and the design of spaces. Moving forward, I hope to continue to improve my intercultural communication skills through face to face interactions with patrons and participate in helping to shape EDI policy for the library I currently work for.
References
A. Cooke, N. (2018). Librarians as Active Bystanders: Centering Social Justice in LIS Practice [Print]. In K. Haycock & M.-J. Romaniuk (Eds.), The Portable MLIS (2nd ed., pp. 39–47). Libraries Unlimited.
American Library Association. (2017, September 7). ODLOS Glossary of Terms. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/aboutala/odlos-glossary-terms
American Library Association. (2018, November 16). B.3 Diversity (Old Number 60). ALA Policy Manual. https://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/3diversity
Canadian Urban Libraries Council. (n.d.). Statement on Race & Social Equity. https://culc.ca/advocacy/statements-briefs/statement-on-race-social-equity/
Carlton, A. (2018, March 21). Are Libraries Neutral? American Libraries Magazine; American Library Association. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/are-libraries-neutral/
W3C Web Accessibility. (n.d.). Accessibility Fundamentals Overview. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/
Wong, P., Figueroa, M., & Cardenas-Dow, M. (2021). Diversity, Equity of Access, and Social Justice [Print]. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information Services Today (3rd ed., pp. 52–68). Rowman & Littlefield.