Libraries' Diversity Committee
1999-2000 Strategic Plan and Objectives
Mission Statement:
The Libraries' Diversity Committee exists to implement the campus' Diversity Initiative in the libraries and on campus. It is essential to recognize, respect, and promote each individual's uniqueness within the larger and more important context of our shared experience as human beings. The committee is dedicated to staff and patron education to increase diversity awareness and effect positive change in the library environment.
I. Libraries' Diversity Committee
Goal: To make sure that each member of the Libraries' Diversity Committee is an active participant and is clear about their role and importance on the Diversity Committee.
- Objective 1: Participation should be included in each member's PRD by June 2000, demonstrating that their work for the Diversity Committee is regarded as equally valuable as the original job for which they were hired. The Committee will also attempt to help supervisors to understand the importance of Diversity Committee work.
- Objective 2: By June 2000 the make-up of the Diversity Committee will reflect (with the exception of ITD because of its current extreme staffing problems) the LEC approved Diversity committee Membership Plan. The committee will include the Diversity coordinator as chair and two representatives each from PSD and TSD, one representative each from Administrative Services, Collection Management/Special Collections and, possibly, ITD. The manager of Staff Development & Training, the Coordinator for Library Services for Persons with Disabilities, and the Diversity Student will be an ex-officio member. Members will be appointed by their individual Directors and will communicate to their respective departments any "diversity news."
II. Diversity Training
Goal: To increase awareness and education about diversity (as is stated in the Mission Statement above) and to effect positive change in the Library environment both in dealing with coworkers and patrons.
- Objective 1: By June 2000 a diversity audit/questionnaire designed to help indicate the direction for diversity training within the libraries will have been completed, shared with staff and analyzed.
- Objective 2: By December 2000, managers and directors will receive diversity training.
- Objective 3: By December 2000, six (6) library staff will be trained to perform diversity training. (One staff member was trained in February 1999.)
III. Diversity Plan (Formerly the DAIP)
Goal 1: To communicate to the Provost and the entire campus the Libraries' successes and future plans and our commitment to a continuing role in implementing both the campus and the Libraries' Diversity Initiative.
- Objective: By November 1999, the Diversity Committee will have worked with the Office of Planning & Administration to complete a draft of the 1999-2000 Diversity Plans with input from the Library staff and Library Executive Council. This will be done according to the new directives of President Mote.
Goal 2: To communicate to the Library Staff the Diversity Plans.
- Objective 1: By mid-October the Diversity Committee will host a library -wide meeting to share the Diversity Plans Draft with all staff for their input. (Scheduled for October 19, 1999)
- Objective 2: By January 15, 2000 the completed Diversity Plans for the year 1998-1999 will be on the Libraries' home page and in the Mckeldin Reserve Room.
- Objective 3: A sub-committee to accomplish this goal will be established within the Diversity Committee by November 1999.
IV. Diversity Town Meeting
Goal: To engage in an open dialogue on race and ethnicity, and other diversity issues.
- Objective 1: The Diversity Committee will sponsor and host at least two Town meetings by June 2000. (The first Town Meeting was held in August 1999.)
- Objective 2: Within two weeks of each Town Meeting, information on the Town Meetings and continuation of the dialogue created in the Town Meeting will be furthered by various means, including articles in Library Matters and electronic mail via the Library Staff reflector. (This has already been done for the August meeting, both on Library Staff e-mail and Library Matters.)
V. Diversity Database
Goal 1: To have Library staff contribute both their time and expertise in writing, evaluating and selecting our own and other libraries' guides and websites to link to the campus-wide Diversity Database.
- Objective 1: By December 1999 there will be at least one (1) new member on the Libraries' subcommittee on the Database.
- Objective 2: The subcommittee will continue to work with the campus-wide Diversity Database committee during the coming year until August 2000 when the project is slated to be completed.
- Objective 3: By March 1999 the new Gay/Lesbian guide will be linked to the Diversity Database, with other guides being linked as soon after completion as possible.
Goal 2: To continue to build awareness within the University community of our collections of book, journals and videos on all aspects of diversity.
- Objective: By December 2000 advertise collections in Outlook and other appropriate forums.
VI. Diversity Website
Goal: To enable Library Staff and other interested persons, both on and off campus, to learn how the Libraries are involved in diversity and in so doing become a role-model by showing The Libraries' commitment to the importance of diversity.
- Objective 1: The Committee will recruit (1) more knowledgeable person to join the Diversity WebPage Sub-committee by October 1999.
- Objective 2: The Diversity Committee's WebPage Sub-committee will make a draft of the Libraries Diversity Website by January 2000. (During the summer of 1999 a proposal was sent to the Webmaster.)
- Objective 3: The Libraries' Diversity Plans will be made available on this web-site by January 15, 2000.
- Objective 4: The committee will announce in a timely manner upcoming diversity events (that pertain to diversity.) on this web-site: events to take place within the Libraries (e.g. the monthly Brown Bag Video sessions), the Campus (e.g. Diversity Initiative Proposals and campus-wide diversity forums), and the community at large (e.g. the P.O.V. film series on television.)
VII. Diversity Brown Bags
Goal: To offer Brown Bag Video sessions to inform and educate staff about the various facets of diversity.
- Objective 1: The Committee will continue to offer this monthly informal training forum on diversity where videos are shown during lunchtime gathering of Library staff. (Ongoing since June 1998) Plans will be made for showings through June 2000.
- Objective 2: The Brown Bag Video sessions will include a facilitated discussion (Ongoing since June 1998.) Plans will be made for facilitated events through June 2000.
VIII. Collaboration with other Library Committees
Goal: To work with other Library committees, teams and departments to promote positive change in the Libraries.
- Objective1: By March 2000 the Committee will explore other library organization for possible collaborative efforts relating to diversity. (The chairperson of the Diversity Committee is already actively communicating with the chairpersons of the Work Culture Team and the pending LSO.)
- Objective 2: By June 2000, the Committee will formulate plans for at least one (1) collaborative diversity event in the Libraries. (The DivCom was, along with the Libraries and friends of UM Libraries, co-sponsor of a reception for Spectrum Scholars and National Leadership Fellows in October 1999.)
IX. Disability Issues
Goal: To insure that by June 2000 the Libraries are in compliance with ADA in as many ways as is realistically possible.
- Objective 1: The Committee will contact and encourage all Library Staff to notify appropriate Library staff whenever they notice an accessibility problem e.g. signage, restroom facilities, physical access to items or programs.
- Objective 2: The Committee will work with the Coordinator of Library Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Web Board to insure that the Libraries' web site is accessible by June 2000.
- Objective 3: A sub-committee to accomplish this goal will be established within the Diversity Committee by November 1999.
X. Campus-Wide Collaboration on Diversity Event
Goal: To collaborate with other campus offices and organizations, such as Friends of the Libraries and The Office of Human Relations on issues related to diversity.
- Objective: By Spring 2000 the Committee will plan and hold in collaboration with other campus units one event which will be open to the entire campus community. This event will highlight the Libraries' role in diversity and will emphasize diversity on campus in general.
completed 10/8/99
revised 2/21/2000
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© 1999 University of Maryland Libraries
Last Revised: February 21, 2000
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