This plan serves as a road map to help the Libraries strategically meet its goals for inclusion, diversity, equity and access.
IDEA action plan for the 2023-2024 academic year
Goal area 1
Strategic plan
2022 accomplishments
- Changed the Libraries’ diversity committee’s name from EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) to IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) to incorporate the Libraries’ commitment to supplying access to all.
- The IDEA Committee created a belief statement for the Libraries’ new IDEA web pages.
2023 goals
- Host an IDEA Power Hour discussion designed to help inform the new strategic plan.
Goal area 2
Programming
2022 accomplishments
- IDEA Committee programming:
- Professional development opportunities for Library staff including Mental Health First Aid, SafeZone and UndocuAlly workshops.
- Four IDEA Hour discussion sessions for library staff focusing on topics such as refugee treatment, mental health in the workplace and implicit bias.
- Research and Instructional Services, Access Services and Digital Services:
- Physical and virtual book displays for Native American History Month.
- DeLaMare Library and Special Collections and University Archives:
- Tabling events and pop-up exhibits on campus in conjunction with the Latino Research Center and Women’s Resource Center
2023 goals
- Coordinate and sponsor no less than three IDEA-related trainings annually and maintain a perpetual training calendar showing which trainings are offered during the year.
- Continually develop IDEA-focused programming and outreach initiatives and assess staff impact through brief surveys and an annual participation goal of 50% of total employee count.
- Proactively seek campus and community programming partnerships.
Goal area 3
Spaces and places
2022 accomplishments
- Opened first public lactation/quiet space in a library building in partnership with Campus Facilities who funded and built the project based on library staff’s research.
- DeLaMare Library purchased and installed height-adjustable, accessible furniture for the Makerspace.
- The Web Team facilitated a full overhaul of the accessibility documentation available through the Libraries website.
2023 goals
- Create sensory comfort equipment kits (or equipment items) in conjunction with other Library departments and make them available for checkout inside the Libraries.
Goal area 4
Inclusive personnel recruitment and retention
2022 accomplishments
- Updated hiring practices to make the process more equitable for candidates and ensure that IDEA principles were infused throughout the process:
- Removed gendered language from job ads
- Added an explanation to the preferred qualifications that candidates do not need to possess all of them for consideration
- Sent interview questions to candidates ahead of time and provide a written copy during the interview
- Designed on site interviews to start later, end earlier and include more breaks
2023 goals
- Work with faculty diversity committee/faculty senate on diversity statement.
- Shift to focus on retention/exit interviews/off-boarding.
- Gather feedback on new hiring practices.
Goal area 5
Library collections
2022 accomplishments
- Several departments (Basque, Digital Services, MCOTA and SCUA) completed several projects improving collection materials. Some of these included:
- Transitioning .N to .B cutters for Blacks in all Library of Congress Classifications in our MARC records
- Restoring traditional Basque spellings of classical Basque writers in the Library of Congress Name Authority File
- Prioritizing alignment with the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials by re-describing collection materials to better attribute indigenous authors in their collection guides
- Implementing iso639-3 language codes in both MARC and ArchivesSpace records providing more granular language details
- Providing captions for dozens of interviews available online in the Digital Archive
- Added the American Indian Newspapers collection, including The Native Nevadan, the official paper of the Intertribal Council of Nevada.
2023 goals
- Expand collections to include materials covering racial theory and environmental equity in America.
- Address harmful language in our collections by developing a harmful content statement to share on our website.