Library and Academic Institution Movements & the Law

Amplifying Blackness in the Borderlands is a new program that will allow students to create projects that explore what it means to be Black in Tucson and the Southwest.

Over the past several years, public, state, academic, and law libraries have increasingly sought to serve people in prison through a variety of services. Now, with a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Ithaka S+R is undertaking a planning project that will set the stage for future partnerships to develop and pilot wrap-around library services to meet the information needs of people who are currently incarcerated.

Diversity is a cornerstone of the library profession and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has recently announced a renewed emp…

During the Summer and Fall of 2022, threats directed to public and school libraries and library workers escalated, including the forced temporary closure of five public library systems due to bomb and shooting threats. On September 27, the executive board of the American Library Association (ALA) transmitted a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing concerns about the threats directed to public and school libraries and library workers.

ACRL announces the publication of Using Open Educational Resources to Promote Social Justice, edited by CJ Ivory and Angela Pashia, which explores the opportunities and challenges of moving the discussion about open educational resources (OER) beyond affordability to address structural inequities fo

ALA is the first organization to launch a nationwide public-facing anticensorship campaign with Unite Against Book Bans.

CHICAGO — The Public Library Association (PLA) Strategic Plan 2022—2026 is now available on the PLA website, following its unanimous approval by the PLA Board of Directors in June 2022. Informed by member surveys, member and partner interviews, and PLA leadership and staff engagements, the PLA strategic plan centers Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (EDISJ) and expands PLA’s role as a platform for innovation and amplifier for sharing public library community impacts. The PLA Board of Directors began the process of updating the strategic plan in 2021.

As AALL and RIPS committee work ramps up again this fall, the RIPS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force is off and running.  Not familiar with the Task Force?  Let me get you up to …

This collection of resources is designed to be of use both to new collection development librarians as well as those … "Collection Development Resources on the Web"

The enemy of well-intentioned DEI initiatives is backlash — and not just from people from privileged groups. Backlash from all directions is often due to DEI initiatives being framed as solutions to individual problems to be fixed rather than to correct for systemic issues at play in an organization. To reframe the conversation the author recommends five steps to implement in your DEI strategy: 1) Collect data to diagnose specific inequities in your organization, 2) communicate about initiatives using a systems-focused framing, 3) as change-making efforts begin, appeal to “fairness,” 4) clearly lay out expectations for change alongside resources and support, 5) sustain momentum by affirming effort and celebrating wins.

Libraries do a lot of the heavy lifting for society. They not only circulate books, but also provide crucial Internet access for job seekers and students

Law schools should be free to individualize admission criteria, argue two law school deans, a chancellor, and a law professor. They call on the ABA to repeal the requirement that applicants for J.D. programs submit standardized test scores for admission.

AALL Spectrum - AALL Spectrum / July/August 2022 / Volume 26, Number 6

By Mikayla Redden I hadn’t been in graduate school more than a month when I noticed something alarming about the Library of Congress (LoC) classification system—the alphanumeric system we, in acade…

The 2022 Urban Libraries Unite Trauma Study addresses a crisis of trauma in urban public libraries.

Diversity initiatives are designed to help workers from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve equitable opportunities and outcomes in organizations. However, these programs are often ineffective. To bett...

The intent of this report is to provide meaningful data and analysis to the Canadian Association of Research Libraries for the purposes of informing future decisions on issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in the workplace. The data we provide and the insights we derive from the data are based on proven statistical methods to determine significant associations between certain identities and workplace opportunities, in terms of hiring and advancement and other talent management processes. Unfortunately, the data does not tell us why a particular trend is happening or not happening. We can only use our experience and expertise combined with relevant research to provide insights, to the best of our ability, on what the potential reasons might be for one trend or another. Based on these potentialities, we also provide recommendations for next steps to address the key findings presented by the data.

As discussed in my forthcoming book Classified, contrary to popular belief, racial and ethnic classification in the US is not...

The ABA Journal is read by half of the nation's 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

A unified voice for home broadband access, public broadband access, personal devices, and local technology training and support programs. A community of digital inclusion practitioners and advocates.

By Hannah Plotkin and Francesco Fasano The rate of housing loss is unfortunately increasing throughout Arizona. Rising rents, stagnant wages and job insecurity are driving a looming crisis. Exacerb…

By Jenny Silbiger The Americans and the Holocaust (AATH) traveling exhibit arrived to our island home of Oʻahu on January 28, 2022, and left a couple of days ago, on March 9th.  The traveling …

The ABA Journal is read by half of the nation's 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

"As we become more aware of various social injustices in the world, many of us want to be part of the movement toward positive change. But sometimes our best intentions cause unintended harm, and we fumble. We might feel afraid to say the wrong thing and feel guilt for not doing or knowing enough. Sometimes we might engage in performative allyship rather than thoughtful solidarity, leaving those already marginalized further burdened and exhausted. The feelings of fear, insecurity, inadequacy are all too common among a wide spectrum of changemakers, and they put many at a crossroads between feeling stuck and giving up, or staying grounded to keep going. So how can we go beyond performative allyship to creating real change in ourselves and in the world, together? In The Wake Up, Michelle MiJung Kim shares foundational principles often missing in today's mainstream conversations around "diversity and inclusion," inviting readers to deep dive into the challenging and nuanced work of pursuing equity and justice, while exploring various complexities, contradictions, and conflicts inherent in our imperfect world. With a mix of in-the-trenches narrative and accessible unpacking of hot button issues--from inclusive language to representation to "cancel culture"--Michelle offers sustainable frameworks that guide us how to think, approach, and be in the journey as thoughtfully and powerfully as possible."--Amazon.com

"Librarians need to understand the needs and abilities of differently abled patrons, and anyone responsible for hiring and managing librarians must know how to provide an equitable environment. This book serves as an educational resource for both groups"--;"Understanding the needs and abilities of patrons who are differently abled increases librarians' ability to serve them from childhood through adulthood. While some librarians are fortunate to have had coursework to help them understand the needs and abilities of the differently abled, many have had little experience working with this diverse group. In addition, many persons who are differently abled are--or would like to become--librarians. Disabilities and the Library helps readers understand the challenges faced by people who are differently abled, both as patrons and as information professionals. Readers will learn to assess their library's physical facilities, programming, staff, and continuing education to ensure that their libraries are prepared to include people of all abilities. Inclusive programming and collection development suggestions will help librarians to meet the needs of patrons and colleagues with mobility and dexterity problems, learning differences, hearing and vision limitations, sensory and cognitive challenges, autism, and more. Additional information is included about assistive and adaptive technologies and web accessibility. Librarians will value this accessible and important book as they strive for equity and inclusivity"--

BCG recently surveyed 2,230 transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) employees in eight countries and conducted 34 interviews with TGNC employees. They found that TGNC employees want respect in the workplace, which is both reasonable and achievable for organizations committed to DEI. While everyone is responsible for creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive workplace, CEOs, HR departments, and managers stand out in their ability to make a difference. The authors unpack the data and present several strategies for creating inclusive cultures for TGNC employees.

Attacks on DEI have drawn criticism from Black and Hispanic leaders, students and faculty groups.