Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The faculty and staff of the Eastern Michigan University Library value diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work and in our communities. We are committed to creating an environment that values and supports the differences in our communities, providing equitable access to services and information, and including all perspectives in decision-making.

We believe that anti-racist action is necessary to confront and combat the long history of white supremacy in the national culture, and the ways in which this has also been reflected on our own campus.

Stating these beliefs and values is an initial step. Expressing them in our work requires a commitment to continuing to learn by engaging in potentially difficult dialogues. We will identify and follow through on specific actions we can take to create a library for our communities and for ourselves that is inclusive and equitable.  As part of this ongoing learning process, we will likely make mistakes but commit to learning from them and from feedback from our community.

Initial Goals:

• Establish a library committee to develop specific action steps and guide efforts toward creating and meeting goals based on feedback and reflection.
• Examine our hiring practices and professional development programs to develop a process and plan for hiring and retaining faculty, staff and student assistants whose identities reflect the diversity of the campus community.
• Engage in learning more about library users’ experiences in the library related to diversity, inclusion, and equity.
• Critically examine current library practices and collections for alignment with these values.
• Establish a process to regularly review, document, and communicate progress on library diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and goals.

Adopted April 23, 2021