We recognize the University is strongest when all its members have the support and freedom to thrive. The Libraries value and commit to creating inclusive, diverse, and accessible library systems and environments that support all university employees and students. Our physical and virtual environments will reflect a wide range of perspectives and experiences, and our programming and messaging will reflect our core IDEA values. In that work, we prioritize the creating of safe and inclusive spaces where students can learn with the support of experts and collaboration with their peers.
Foster Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) in all aspects of our work
Access Services
Increasing diversity of authors represented in the University Libraries Popular Reading collection
In order to best represent the diverse University of Nevada, Reno campus, the Libraries created an online form to be used by students, staff and faculty to request that items be purchased by the Libraries and added to the Popular Reading collection. The goal is to maintain a collection that best reflects the diversity of the campus community. Access Services developed a selection plan to use when assessing which new items to add to Popular Reading, paying specific attention to enhancing diverse authors and topics.
@One Digital Media and Technology (@One)
Providing outreach to underrepresented clubs and organizations: Disability Resource Center, QLAB
During the summer of 2024, the @One team reached out to the Disability Resource Center for an accessibility guidance consultation for the general @One floor, located on the first floor of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center.
The @One team continued to deepen its partnership and strengthen communication with the University's Queer and LGBTQIA2S+ Advocacy Board (QLAB). It was the team's goal to be seen as a leader in accessibility-focused VR development. The team created and published a sample project featuring captioning templates, blueprints, scripts and other VR-specific accessibility features. They utilized templates and best practices on internal projects. By the end of spring 2024, the team had posted project files to Github and other developer-centered communities.
Jon Bilbao Basque Library (Basque Library)
Increasing cultural awareness for the Jon Bilbao Basque Library across campus
The Basque Library was featured in the Center for Basque Studies newsletter. The focus was on the Lertxun-Marrak project which was previously published in "The Conversation". The piece was titled "Arborglyphs - Basque immigrant sheepherders left their marks on aspen trees in the American West." It has been read more than 9,000 times, translated into Spanish, and republished by several outlets, including Atlas Obscura.
Providing Library staff with Basque language and culture-related professional development opportunities
In partnership with the Libraries' Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) committee, the team hosted a discussion on the topic of Linguistic Diversity and how it relates to the Basque Library's mission to preserve Basque heritage. Additionally, the Library Operations Coordinator participated in Basque Language classes offered through the College of Liberal Arts' Center for Basque Studies.
Budget, E-Resource, and Discovery Services (BERDS)
Establishing rubric for evaluating vendor Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPATs) as part of standard acquisitions workflow
The BERDS team established a rubric for evaluating vendor Voluntary Product Accessibility Template to aid in acquiring accessible content and advocate with vendors for improvement. This evaluation is now a part of the standard acquisitions workflow. The rubric was updated in Fall 2024 to reflect Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) accessibility after the campus guidelines were amended.
Building Operations
Enhancing customer service training for all department employees
A special focus was placed on learning more on how to be welcoming and inclusive. Department leadership identified online learning resources as well as practical exercises and added them to Canvas for tracking and ease of access. The customer service and front desk training topics were heavily emphasized at the Fall 2024 all-staff training for building monitors.
DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library (DLM) and Makerspace
Incorporating multimodal learning opportunities into Makerspace training materials and course-related activities
Teams from Dela Mare incorporated multimodal learning opportunities into Makerspace training materials and course-related activities to help increase accessibility by the start of fiscal year 2025. The team partnered with the Libraries' @One Team to create a Makerspace video tour for integration into Canvas, enhancing accessibility for course-related activities.
Digital Services
Working toward full adoption of Web Content Accessability Guidelines 2.2 (WCAG 2.2)
Making incremental progress, the Digital Services team placed its focus on ensuring that current content remains accessible, especially in systems outside the University's Content Management System.
Accessibility feedback for vendor materials, platforms
With work complete and systems in place, the team now has established and implemented document workflows, providing vendors with feedback regarding the accessibility of their materials and platforms.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) committee
Developing book display best practices handbook
The team partnered with the Libraries' Outreach Committee to create a set of best practices for book displays. A handbook is now available to Committee members via Confluence, the Libraries intranet.
Publishing IDEA Committee e-Newsletter for Libraries faculty and staff
The IDEA Committee's Programming Task Force developed and distributed email newsletters each semester highlighting IDEA-related events, books and online resources. Newsletters were distributed in Spring and Fall featuring IDEA committee content, trainings, and recommendations for diverse books and community events.
Hosting several events, trainings which included participation from external, on-campus partners
Spring 2024:
- Make Your Mark Pride Artwork contest- in collaboration with QLAB
- UndocuAlly Training - in collaboration with UndocuPack
- SafeZone Training - in collaboration with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Neurodiversity IDEA Hour- in collaboration with the Neurodiversity Alliance
Fall 2024
- Pride Celebration Tabling - in collaboration with QLAB
- Supporting Our University Hispanic Community IDEA Hour- In collaboration with Latino Research Center and Hispanic Latinx Community Relations
- VetSmart Training - in collaboration with Veteran Services
- Ableism Training - in collaboration with Neurodiversity Alliance
Growing relationships with on-campus partners
The IDEA Committee cross-promoted services offered by the QLAB via signage, as well as tabling together at Reno's Pride 2024 Celebration.
Fostering partnerships with other Libraries departments
The IDEA Committee and the Libraries Distinctive Collections department partnered to find and remediate existing harmful metadata in finding aids and digital collections using the Libraries' harmful content statement as a guide.