Next Draft: EDI digest – September 2021

Next Draft is a digest from EDIT, the Colorado State Library’s (CSL) equity, diversity, and inclusion team. It includes links to original articles by our staff, as well as curated events, news, and resources of interest to Colorado’s libraries. This digest is sent to Libnet subscribers, but we also share it here on the Colorado Virtual Library.

Are You A Library Worker Engaged in EDI Work? We Want to Hear from You!

Do you have any pearls of EDI wisdom to drop on the Colorado library community? What have you learned or experienced over the past year or more about EDI and engaging staff and community members in the dialog? We want to feature the work you are doing at your library on the Colorado Virtual Library website and Next Draft.

Interested? Send us an email at edit@coloradovirtuallibrary.org

Highlights from the Colorado Virtual Library

Nothing About Us, Without Us

Evaluation and data is a hot topic in libraries. How can you ensure that the evaluations you do are equitable? Two words: community engagement.

Being an Ally: What it Means and How to Do It

What does it mean, really, to be an “ally”? Resources on bringing allyship into your life and library.

What is Racism? What is Antiracism?

Definitions. Where would we be without them? This article examines the evolution of a word many of us think we instinctively understand.

Diversity and Diversity Audits

As the population continues to diversify, how can libraries ensure they are meeting community needs? One way is to conduct an audit on a collection.

Why EDI Jargon Can Be Counterproductive

Where buzzwords and uncivil behavior proliferate, let us focus instead on concrete issues and build a truly inclusive language.

What We Learned From the 2021 CAL EDSJI Conference

Some staff members here at the Colorado State Library attended this year’s conference and we collected some key takeaways in this short article.

EDI Library Leaders Survey

From Ozy Aloziem, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Denver Public Library:

“Denver Public Library (DPL) was recently awarded an IMLS LB21 grant to actualize its aspirational values of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into concrete actions that demonstrate that commitment. A foundational component of this grant project is that it must have broad impact and facilitate cross-collaboration so that libraries throughout the nation can increase their EDI capacity. As DPL will be convening a national cohort of libraries to co-create and/or vet all tools that can build libraries’ capacity to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are looking to recruit and convene a national cohort of 10-15 people serving in EDI roles in their libraries to guide this project. This cohort will be the first of its kind in the United States and will provide support and resources to staff who are working to expand the scholarship around EDI in libraries in the United States.”

Please share this survey widely. The survey can be accessed through this link to the DPL website and will close on October 15th.

Catch Up on Events

If you have events you would like to be featured in this section for the December edition of Next Draft, please email us at edit@coloradovirtuallibrary.org.

Introduction to Inclusive Description: Did you know CSL’s very own Marisa Wood offers office hours for CVL Collections participants? Her recent Introduction to Inclusive Description is a must-see for anyone interested in creating inclusive metadata for their online collections. Fear not! You don’t need to participate in CVL Collections to check out the recording of the session on Youtube.
CSL in Session: Using Courage to Confront Bias: CSL’s own Jean Heilig and Beth Crist shine a spotlight on the sometimes painful or frightening experience of confronting bias. Check out the archived webinar on the Libraries Learn website.
Sorry….You Just Don’t Fit into our Culture: unconscious bias in hiring decisions: A CSL In-Session webinar from Jean Heilig on a crucial issue for libraries: the intersection of unconscious biases and making hiring decisions. Another archived session not to miss on the Libraries Learn Website.
Dismantling Institutional Racism (Niche Academy Webinar): One of the major barriers to dismantling institutional racism is a lack of effective vocabulary, analysis, and principles. Libraries have the potential to be at the forefront of efforts to dismantle racism in our country. Niche Academy provides free access to their webinar series at their website.
CTD Answers Your Questions About AT! (Center on Technology and Disability): This recorded webinar is a Q & A session with Center on Technology and Disability (CTD) director Jackie Hess. In this session, Jackie answers both AT questions previously submitted as well as those asked during the live presentation. Topics include relevant laws, classroom practice, AT for libraries, recommended apps, and much more. Connect to this session and many others about assistive technology at the CTD’s Cafe Webinars page.
Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth: This site hosts a series of free, online professional development modules for school and public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth. Visit the website.
Eliminating Library Fines: Improving Community Access, Equity and Usage: This webinar shares how going fine-free eliminates barriers and improves access to your library’s materials and services. Check out the archived webinar on the website.

Upcoming EDI Events

FREE

Lyons Library will explore racial diversity in fall Get ready for series facilitated by anti-oppression activist, speaker, and trainer Regan Byrd. Find out more on the Lyons Library website.
All Pikes Peak Reads 2021 APPR is Pikes Peak Library District’s annual community reads program that focuses on celebrating literature, improving community connections, and fostering dialogue across social, cultural, and generational lines.
Libraries and Reading: New Service Models for Patrons with Intellectual Disability [broken link removed 2021-10-19](Niche Academy webinar – Wednesday Sept. 22 at 2:00 pm US Eastern, 11:00 am US Pacific) This presentation addresses the issue of library services to those with intellectual disability (ID), the subject of a recently published book by Matt Conner and Leah Plocharczyk.