| Agenda Part 1: Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 2-4:15 pm ET Session 1 | 2:00-2:15 pm ET What Is a Diverse and Inclusive Collection?
Mahnaz Dar, Reference and Professional Reading Editor at Library Journal and School Library Journal, will explain how the discussion groups and assignments will work and highlight key concepts, including #OwnVoices, privilege, and intersectionality. Speaker: Mahnaz Dar, Reference and Professional Reading Editor, Library Journal/School Library Journal
Session | 2:15-3:00 PM ET
Acknowledging the Elephant in the Library: Making Implicit Biases Explicit
Serving diverse and marginalized populations is rewarding, but complicated, work. Among the barriers to inclusive service is implicit bias. It is important for information professionals to examine and acknowledge their own privileges and biases and recognize their role in creating and sustaining a welcoming environment in the library for every person who seeks access to the library’s materials, services, programs, and spaces. In this session, you'll unpack the concept of implicit bias, as well as the closely related concepts of stereotypes, microaggressions, and cultural competence, and walk away with ideas for how to use this deeper understanding to enhance your critical information practice. Speaker: Nicole A. Cooke, PhD, MEd, MLS, Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and Associate Professor, School of Library and Information Science, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina
Intermission | 3:15-3:30 pm ET
Session 3 | 3:30-4:15 pm ET
Conducting a Diversity Audit
In this session, Karen Jensen will discuss the need for librarians to perform regular audits of their collections and programs in order to better align offerings to community need, identify gaps, and set benchmarks for diversification. Participants will learn how to perform a diversity audit, which salient data points should be included, how to gather the requisite information, how to set goals to address gaps, and how to make diversity and inclusion natural parts of collection management and promotion. Speaker: Karen Jensen, MLS, Creator and Administrator, Teen Librarian Toolbox
Part 2: Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 2-4 pm ET Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 From Stereotype to Authenticity: Representation in Children’s Collections
In this engaging session, you’ll learn how to dive deep into your current collection to spot problematic stereotypes and tropes — both the easy to find and the more insidious ones — and become a more critical reader. Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen, co-creator of the widely popular “Diversity in Children’s Books” infographics and co-editor of “Research on Diversity in Youth Literature,” will discuss both the landscape of children’s literature today as well as how we can assess books of the past — including well-loved classics like Dr. Suess — and address how we can make our libraries more inclusive for all of our patrons.
Speaker: Sarah Park Dahlen, PhD, Associate Professor, Master of Library and Information Science Program, St. Catherine University (MN) Session 2 | 2:45-3:15 pm ET
How Equitable and Inclusive Is Your Library Staff?
A vital component in ensuring your library is equitable and inclusive is to consider staffing and representation. In this session, you’ll learn how to address issues of equity in staffing, handle workplace microaggressions, and empower library staff to be change agents in their communities. You’ll learn how one library’s staff equity initiative was developed and implemented, with practical takeaways you can apply to your own library. Speaker: Ryan Groce, Human Resources Business Partner, the Seattle Public Library (WA) Intermission | 3:15-3:30 pm
Session 3 | 3:30-4:15 PM ET
How Accessible Is Your Library?
Creating a space where all are welcome and engaged is a key component of inclusion in our libraries, and yet accessibility efforts are often overlooked when it comes to equity initiatives. In this enlightening session, you’ll learn how to focus your lens on how well your library is serving patrons with diverse accessibility needs by investigating physical and digital spaces, programming, and more. You’ll walk away with an increased understanding of accessibility issues that libraries face and best practices to use when approaching them.
Speaker: Carrie Banks, Supervising Librarian, Inclusive Services, Brooklyn Public Library (NY) Part 3 - Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 2-4 pm ET Session 1 | 2:00-3:00 pm ET Using Local History To Combat Racism
Librarian Andrea Blackman, Nashville Civil Rights Room, will offer a deep dive into how to use their institutions’ historical collections and resources to help patrons, students, and community members explore, critically analyze, and combat systemic racism. Speakers:
Part1 (2:00-2:30): Andrea Blackman, Division Manager, Special Collections & Director, Civil Rights Room, Nashville Public Library, (TN)
Part 2 (2:30-3:00): Angel Jewel Tucker, Youth Services Manager, Johnson County Library, Overland Park (KS) Intermission | 3:00-3:15 pm ET
Session 2 | 3:15-4:00 pm ET Anti-Oppression, Allyship, and Emotional Labor
Librarians committed to building strong and diverse collections and programs may wonder what else they can do to be positive agents of change in their communities. While there is far more than can be and is being done than we can cover in a single session, we’ll look at what it means to be an “ally,” how librarians can strive for social justice in their spheres of influence, and they can make space for marginalized voices and viewpoints. We will explore the experience of emotional labor and offer ways that diverse coalitions of professionals and advocates can support each other's efforts in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Speaker: Anastasia Collins, Research + Instruction Librarian, Simmons College Beatley Library (MA) | 
