Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services Town Hall Friday, January 21, 2017

Agenda Welcome Updates from the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services Racial Healing Framework Grounding Assumptions Facilitated Conversations (small group) Facilitated Conversation (large group) Next Steps

Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services Staff Jody Gray Director Kristin Lahurd Literacy Officer Gwendolyn Prellwitz Assistant Director Zina Clark Program Coordinator, American Dream Adult Literacy Initiative John Amundsen Program Officer, Outreach and Communications

Updates from the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services Our mission is to support library and information science workers in creating safe, responsible and all-inclusive spaces that serve and represent the entire community. To accomplish this, we decenter power and privilege by facilitating conversations around access and identity as they impact the profession and those we serve. We use a social justice framework to inform library and information science workers’ development of resources. We strive to create an association culture where these concerns are incorporated into everybody’s everyday work.

Outreach/Communications Intersections (blog) Libraries Respond (website) Monthly newsletter

Spectrum the full impact cannot be defined at this time without further information and analysis. BARC will revisit the financial impact as part of the implementation of the Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion's (TFEDI) Recommendation 6.1 calling for the development of a long-term library profession recruitment plan, which will include the Spectrum program. Spectrum Scholarship Resolution-The resolution was sent to BARC to determine if there would be an financial impact. BARC met on October 19, 2016 BARC identified that there will be a financial impact to the resolution presented

Literacy Round 5 Longitudinal Study LibraryThing Collection American Dream Adult Literacy Initiative Adult Literacy Through Libraries: An Action Agenda Round 5 Longitudinal Study LibraryThing Collection

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion EDI Report Follow Up Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Implementation Working Group 61 Recommendations Over half were referred to ODLOS See EDI report available at Midwinter Conference Co-Chair - Melissa Cardenas Dow Co-Chair and Committee on Diversity Representative - Martin Garnar Conference Committee Representative - Hannah Lee Member at Large - Max Macias Executive Board Representative - Mike Marlin Committee on Education Representative - Shannon McClintock Miller Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services Advisory Committee Representative- Lessa Pelayo-Lozada Member at Large- LaJuan Pringle Training, Orientation, and Leadership Development Committee Representative- Leslie Scott Librarians Build Communities MIG Representative - Sara Zettervall ALA Staff Liaison- Jody Gray, Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services

Partnership: Project Welcome Project Welcome: Libraries Serving Refugees and Asylum Seekers Summit Partners Monday February 6, 2017 Chicago, IL https://publish.illinois.edu/projectwelcome/ Mortenson Center at the University of Illinois Library ALA International Relations Office & Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services FUNDING From IMLS

Partnership: Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Pursuit of racial equity, an unprecedented Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation will help communities embrace racial healing and uproot the unconscious and conscious beliefs in racial hierarchy. https://www.wkkf.org/what-we-do/racial-equity/truth-racial-healing-transformation W.K. Kellogg Foundation ALA Public Programs Office & Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services

Racial Healing Framework It is a strategy that moves toward racial equity, designed to raise awareness of unconscious biases and inequities to help communities heal. It does this by promoting racial healing while addressing structural racism and uprooting the false ideology of a hierarchy of human value. The framework that ODLOS is working from was developed through the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation enterprise. NOTE: Although, the framework that we use specifically calls out race, the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services recognizes that these same concepts apply to all marginalized identities.

ODLOS Town Hall Grounding Assumptions The work of equity, diversity, and inclusion is about creating community, which involves building trust through careful listening, respectful disagreement and taking risks. We are all doing the best we can. Growth and learning can be uncomfortable; remember it’s ok to make mistakes – we all do. Individuals and organizations can-and-do grow and change, but it does not happen overnight. Practice Self Awareness; think about when you’re speaking up or when you are silent This work is everyone’s responsibility There are no “quick fixes,” and we don’t have to fix everything. Take care of yourself. Practice forgiveness and letting go, so you can sustain yourself in this work. Adapted from Jamie Washington Consulting Group

Small Group Discussion 3 Questions 1 question per table Each table has a facilitator Questions are repeated at different tables 30 minutes for small group discussion

Questions Reflecting on the events of this past year, how has ALA been responsive in a way that resonated with or satisfied you? And in what ways has ALA not responded in a satisfying manner? How has either response impacted your professional role? Do you feel served by your local professional networks in relation to equity, diversity, or inclusion? If yes, what does this look like? If no, what role can ALA play in filling this gap? A common request that ALA offices and divisions hear is that there is a need to create space or opportunity for individuals to share their experiences (in regards to equity, diversity, inclusion, or social justice). Over the years this has led to the creation of many tools, spaces, and programs (ONE example is the Diversity Member Interest Group) that do not get much traffic or traction. Where do you feel or see a disconnect in these actions? How might we address that disconnect?

Large Group Discussion

Opportunities to continue these conversations at Midwinter Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Implementation Working Group ALA Town Hall: Library Advocacy and Core Values in Uncertain Times Meeting Saturday, January 21 8:30am-10:00am GWCC B209 Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Recommendations: An Equitable Future for ALA and the Profession Sunday, January 22 3:00pm-4:00pm GWCC A403 Sunday, January 22 9:30am-11:00am GWCC Thomas Murphy Ballroom 3-4

Continue the Conversation Feel free to stay! Room is available from 2-3pm ODLOS staff will be available for conversations Want to continue the conversation? Feel more comfortable with one-on-one conversations? Need time to recharge, meditate, breathe, before going to your next Midwinter event?