IUPUI University Library Strategic Plan for Diversity 2007-2008

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Prepared by the
IUPUI University Library
Diversity Council

Based on Yale University Library’s Diversity Strategic Plan 2006-2008
http://www.library.yale.edu/lhr/diversity/YULDC%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf
June 27, 2007

Table of Contents:
1. Purpose and Vision
2. Members
3. Charter and Structure
4. IUPUI University Library Diversity Plan: Specific Goals
Goal 1 Diversity Undergraduate Fellowship
Goal 2.1 Recruiting and Hiring Diverse Library Employees
Goal 2.2 Diverse Librarian/Library Staff Posters/Media
Goal 3.1 Multicultural Materials Fund
Goal 3.2 Monthly Multicultural Displays
Goal 4 Assessment of Existing Data

IUPUI University Library
Diversity Strategic Plan
2007-2008

Indiana University and IUPUI have long held commitments to diversity. The Indiana University Board of Trustees statement of the University's Objectives and Ideals states, in part, that "Indiana University is committed to the principle of equal educational and occupational opportunities for all persons and to positive action toward elimination of discrimination in all phases of University life, as set forth in the Indiana University Affirmative Action Plan." (June 29, 1974, Indiana University Academic Handbook, 1992, p. 2, Appendix F). In 2006, IUPUI Chancellor Charles R. Bantz renewed this commitment and reinvigorated IUPUI’s actions towards the end of making the IUPUI population more representative of our globally diverse community and making IUPUI’s climate welcoming for all students, employees, and visitors. In the Fall of 2007 Chancellor Bantz called for the formation of departmental Diversity Councils whose responsibility it is to create departmental level diversity strategies, initiatives, and goals that aid in reaching the campus-wide IUPUI Diversity Vision, Mission, Values & Goals(http://www.iupui.edu/diversity/vision.html). This document represents IUPUI University Library’s Diversity Council’s work in support of IUPUI’s Diversity Vision, Mission, Values & Goals.

The Diversity Council’s (hereto after referred to as The Council) overarching goals are to enhance the diversity and cultural competence of our staff so that our workplace continues to evolve into an even more inclusive and congenial environment. This type of atmosphere is conducive to job satisfaction and will in turn lead to even more effective service to our diverse patrons. Additionally we support the increase of the library’s efforts towards being a more inviting place for all our users including university students, faculty, staff, and community members.

The Council recognizes various attributes relating to diversity including, but not limited to, ability, age, cultural heritage, ethnic background, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. Recognizing diversity is a key component of excellence in the workplace that allows individuals to reach their full potential. The Council strives to provide a positive work and learning environment which is free of any form of bigotry, harassment, intimidation, threat, or abuse, whether verbal or written, physical or psychological, direct or implied. The Council views multiculturalism and pluralism as essential components of its mission and work.

Faculty
Kristi Palmer (chair)
May Jafari (past chair)
Mindy Cooper
Jaena Hollingsworth

Staff
Jennifer James (secretary)
Kim Sorrell

Establish a Diversity Undergraduate Fellowship, whose applicants are from populations underrepresented in library professionals/staff. The Fellowship will mimic the structure of SLIS graduate assistantships, meaning the fellow could participate in work for various library Teams, supervised by that Team’s leader. Additionally the fellow will participate in organizing University Library’s monthly multicultural displays (see goal 3.2). This fellow will be appointed for a full academic year. Expected hours per week is 20 and expected compensation is $10 per hour.

The hope of this fellowship is to not only increase the diversity of our student worker population but also serves as a means of introducing the work of libraries or librarianship as a career to individuals who may not have otherwise considered this work, which also helps to reach Diversity Goal 2 of recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff.

As part of the application process the applicant will be asked to define multicultural and describe how he/she embodies this concept. It is important that this fellowship be open to students of all age, ability, cultural heritage, ethnic background, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

For fiscal year 2008, 25% of the total new University Library hires at the levels of PA, Clerical, Faculty, and TE should be from populations underrepresented in library professionals/staff.

Create and post posters, bookmarks, and/or other media that illustrate the multicultural background of librarians and library staff. Similarly to nurse recruitment campaigns, we will open people’s eyes to librarianship/library work as a career by visually presenting people from a variety of cultures working in libraries. If individuals are agreeable we could use University Library staff members in the posters which would add another level of meaning for viewers, the person in the poster would not just be a face but someone they can actually speak to in University Library.

Additionally these posters (either the actual printed poster or just the file) could be made either freely available or made available for purchase.

Establish a budget/fund for multicultural materials for purposeful collection of material, both print and electronic, that “reflect[s] the full diversity of the human experience and commentary on it” (from objective under IUPUI Diversity Goal 3 about the library collections). Encourage liaisons that are already purchasing multicultural materials to continue doing so. This new fund will be used for purchasing additional, more unique multicultural items that may not have been attained with subject-based funds. Funds will also support multicultural material purchases for the Herron Art Library.

Enhance climate for multiculturalism through the creation of monthly displays following the various nationally recognized, month-long multicultural celebrations, e.g. Martin Luther King Jr. day (January), Black History Month (Feb), Women’s History Month (March), Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May), Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered Pride month (June), Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26), Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 – Oct 15).

The creation of these displays will be an important opportunity for all members of University Library staff to become involved in increasing their own and others awareness of many cultures and points of view. Staff should attend a diversity training session (to occur during Organization Week) prior to display creation. Prior to University Library’s Organization Week each year each staff member will be randomly appointed to one of twelve display groups. Each group will have a designated leader. During Organization Week each of the twelve groups will have time to meet, develop the concept for their display, and begin working on the assembly of the display. Each group will install their month’s display no more than four days into their appointed month.

Each group should consider consulting campus student groups, faculty groups, and library liaisons which pertain to their topic for ideas. For the first year of displays, each month’s team will be responsible for all display creation, set-up, and tear down of their month’s display. Once hired the Multicultural Undergraduate Fellow (see Goal 1) will participate in display creation for every month and will be responsible for uninstalling the previous month’s display in addition to various other tasks.

Current Status: University Library has conducted an annual user survey since 1999. The objectives of the survey include: Identifying categories of service that library patrons seek and use; Identifying who our customers are; Obtaining a general picture of the quality of library service; and obtaining a baseline data set which would prove useful in identifying areas in need of attention. From this data the library already has a snapshot on various aspects of diversity as related to library users. For example, the data shows that between 1999 and 2003 an average of 26% of the library’s users were observed to be minorities, 53% male, 47% female, and 12% spoke English as a second language. [1]

While we have survey data regarding University Library users we have yet to conduct an in-depth, multivariate analysis with regards to diversity. Because we will be using already existing data that was not specifically collected for diversity analysis purposes, the library’s initial diversity assessment goal is to develop a plan detailing the process by which existing data can be used to evaluate University Library’s state of diversity. This plan should include identification of:

-Specific pieces of data that will be compared/contrasted/analyzed [2]

-Surveys/years that will be examined

-How and by whom the data will analyzed

-Cost of analysis

-How and by whom the data sets will be regularized/converted to a like format (if needed)