StaffGuide: Committees

The University of Arkansas Libraries Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was re-enacted in August 2020. The Libraries workforce agreed on a Libraries Values Statement in December 2020. The purpose of the committee is to provide leadership and resources that enable our commitment to our responsibility for creating, supporting, and maintaining an inclusive workplace that belongs to all of us. We can strengthen our culture and organization by approaching each other and our work with intentional goodwill, honesty, empathy, and trust as we encourage others to hold themselves and each other accountable to do the same.

The libraries' DEI committee supports, promotes, and advocates the University of Arkansas' five DEI core pillars; contributes to creating a welcoming and inclusive community; and acknowledges that creating a belonging culture is everyone's responsibility. We strive to achieve these goals by providing access to resources, diversifying our collections, and seeking a greater authorship representation of the resources we steward.

The Libraries' Shared Values illustrate our collective commitment to work together and provide our best efforts to the communities we serve and each other.  The shared values support and honor the University of Arkansas Libraries DEI Values Statement.

Shared values:

• Be truthful: Be candid.
• Keep the private information of others confidential: There may be instances where personal information may need to be shared in the work setting.
• Challenge ideas, not people: Interrupt bad actions but keep kindness in mind with your fellow workers.
• Consider alternative thoughts, ideas, opinions, and behaviors based on lived experiences: We acknowledge that people come from different backgrounds and have multiple identities and cultural frameworks.
• Take responsibility for your own learning: If you don't understand something, be accountable.
• Foster an environment of equal access to resources and knowledge: Ensure equitable access to library services via prompt and deliberate communication. Be mindful that we all have varying interaction styles and workloads.  Be thoughtful and respectful.
• Give people enough lead time to understand complex content: Make requests in a considerate manner so that others can fully understand the task and respond appropriately.  Don't assume that anyone has time to drop everything and help you immediately.

The DEI committee contributes to:

• Leading and developing the University Libraries' initiatives to promote awareness and action focused on underrepresented communities within the constituencies we serve on campus.
• Promoting a diverse workforce.
• Identifying and removing barriers to a more equitable and inclusive organizational culture.
• Critically examining Library policies, practices, programming, and services; thus, making recommendations where applicable.
• Encouraging, developing, and supporting inclusion and diversity initiatives and programs within University of Arkansas Libraries, with a particular emphasis on developing anti-racism initiatives and programming.
• Advocating for increasing the profile of people of underrepresented and marginalized groups in library collections, services, and spaces.
• Providing opportunities for University of Arkansas Libraries employees to engage on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion with the intention of creating a foundation for the growth and appreciation of diverse ideas, cultures, experiences, backgrounds, and identities.
• Aligning inclusion and diversity initiatives in University of Arkansas Libraries with the university's overall plans for inclusion and diversity and respond to university plans and mandates, as necessary.

The UA Libraries' DEI committee is strongly supported by the Libraries' administration.  Membership is open to all non-administrative library faculty, staff and students. Members may volunteer, and recommendations by all library personnel are accepted on an ongoing basis. Faculty and staff serve a two or three-year term; students serve one or two semesters term depending on availability. All students ranks are welcome to collaborate. Membership is approved by the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion who also serves as the DEI committee chair.

Recently, the committee has added DEI liaisons. Liaisons serve as needed based on current and local DEI needs. For 2022, the three liaisons participate in the areas of accessibility, Arkansas Indigenous peoples, and student engagement.

Current members

• Martha Anderson – Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Head of Digital Services; committee chair, August 2020 to present
• Kim Larsen - Undergraduate Engagement Librarian, September 2022 to present
• Kelsey Lovewell – Director of Public Relations; November 2021 to present
• Tucker Moretta - Education and Health Professions Graduate Assistant, August 2022 to Present
• Necia Parker-Gibson – Agriculture Librarian, August 2020 to present
• Robin Roggio - Interlibrary Loan Coordinator, September 2022 to present

Send email to this group:

map012@uark.edu; kiml@uark.edu; jtmorett@uark.edu; neciap@uark.edu; klovewel@uark.edu

Administrative Liaison: Jason Battles, Dean of UA Libraries

Accessibility – Virginia Siegel, Arkansas Folk Arts Coordinator; November 2021 to present; and Kim Larsen, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian, November 2022 to present

Indigenous Peoples of Arkansas – Katharine Chandler, Special Collections and Serials Cataloger, September 2022 to present

Student Commitment – Kim Larsen, Undergraduate Engagement Librarian, September 2022 to present

Liaisons contact information:

• Katharine Chandler, kc093@uark.edu
• Virginia Siegel, vdsiegel@uark.edu
• Kim Larsen, kiml@uark.edu

Cedar Middleton, Institutional Repository Coordinator, August 2020 to August 2022

Kelli Nixon - Development Coordinator, January 2022 to July 2022

Lindsey K. Williams – Binding and Preservation Specialist, March 2021 to March 2022

Tyrah Jackson – Undergraduate student, May 2021 to January 2022

Deena Owens – Administrative Specialist III, Special Collections; August 2020 to September 2021

Marianne Williams – Undergraduate Engagement Librarian, August 2020 to February 2021

Kelli Nixon – Development Coordinator, August 2020 to December 2020

Melanie Griffin - Director of Special Collections Services, March 2021 to July 2022.

The DEI committee will:

• Deliver regular updates to library faculty and staff on inclusion and diversity initiatives in University of Arkansas Libraries and the university, including updates on key data elements related to diversity and inclusion and training opportunities.
• The Chair will meet with the Dean at least quarterly to identify goals and report on activities, identify obstacles and areas of concern, and enlist the direct involvement of the Dean as necessary for Committee initiatives.
• Create an annual summary report on inclusion and diversity within University of Arkansas Libraries to deliver to Libraries administration. The Chair and/or other members of the Committee will present an overview at an annual University of Arkansas Libraries All Staff meeting.

Minutes

Other Documents

Archived Materials