Framework for Change: Creating a Diversity Strategic Plan within an Academic Library

Abstract

President for Strategic Diversity Leadership charged each college and the University Libraries with creating and implementing a diversity strategic plan to align with the ClemsonForward institutional strategic plan and assessment system. Clemson University Libraries answered this charge by creating a Libraries Diversity Plan Working Group (LDPWG), which applied a provided institutional framework to conduct an inventory of current diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and obtain input, feedback, and support from all the Libraries' faculty and staff as well as the organization and institution administration to create an ambitious diversity strategic plan. The LDPWG worked for sixteen months to create an updated organization mission statement, a sustainable diversity statement, and an accountable roadmap, furthering Clemson University Libraries' DEI initiatives and impact regarding six strategic priority areas: climate and infrastructure, recruitment and retention, education and training, research and scholarship, leadership support and development, and strategic partnerships.

Stop, Collaborate, and List ‘Em: Creating Local Metadata to Promote User Discovery of Minoritized Identities in a STEM Collection

“…Other academic libraries are revising collection development policies or strategic plan(s) of library services by stating that DEIB initiatives will be the driving factors of the library mission. University libraries are also auditing their library policies and reporting out about: how the policies privilege already privileged groups, how the policies contribute to systemic forms of oppression, and how to reform policies to mitigate or reverse harm (Baildon et al, 2017;Redd et al, 2020). In 2021, the Furman University Libraries (FUL) conducted a similar revision of the FUL strategic plan that centered DEIB in its library services, its people, and its collections.…”

Assessment Model for Programmatic Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Initiatives

“…• "Recruitment and Retention: Universities must employ active and aggressive recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and student body. Redd, et al, 2020) Experts recommend that institutions develop an independent DEIB strategic plan and avoid the incorporation of DEIB in the general organizational strategic plan (Maxell & Lanier, 2022;Miranda, et al, 2021;Redd, et al, 2020). Research shows that the most important characteristics of an effective DEIB strategic plan include the following:…”

Expanding the Narrative of Intercultural Competence

“…There is scant literature on the use of the IDI assessment with library professionals. Clemson University recently published about their plan to administer the IDI to its staff as a part of diversity-related professional development (Redd et al, 2020).…”