ACRL Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Online Learning

ACRL-Choice Webinar Recordings

Lessons in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Managing Change from Where You Are (January 28, 2021): Transforming libraries into diverse, equitable and inclusive institutions is accomplished by driving change from within, through learning and unlearning, and through conversation and collective action. In order to stick, systemic change must be enacted from all levels within an organization’s structure. This webinar will offer guidance for libraries to effectively organize for diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice.

Impacts of COVID-19 on Education and Remote Learning. What comes next? (November 17, 2020): The COVID-19 pandemic has forced nearly 1.5 billion students worldwide to quickly adapt to online learning. While technology has been able to provide students with access to high quality learning, most education systems need to pay close attention to ensure that technology does not amplify existing inequalities in access and quality of education. Different OECD countries are adopting different strategies to reopen schools, but only 22% of them say they are looking to go back to where they came from, indicating that some form of hybrid learning is likely here to stay. Building teaching capacity has become absolutely critical in most OECD countries. As we move into the next stages of the pandemic, what lessons can be learned to help pave the way for more strategic education implementation processes for schools reopening, and beyond?

How to Uncover Diverse Voices for Research and Teaching: Strategies with Primary Source Archives (October 13, 2020): Join Dr. Marcia Chatelain, professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University for a discussion on “rethinking archives” to support research and learning about marginalized peoples and communities using primary source collections. Dr. Chatelain will describe the challenges she confronted researching and writing her books South Side Girls: Growing up in the Great Migration and Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, and how her experiences have shaped the way she teaches students to navigate collections that include different perspectives. Dr. Chatelain will also provide examples of how she uses short assignments to spark student engagement and increase their familiarity and comfort using primary sources. 

Navigating Accessibility to Support All Library Users (May 7, 2020): Many patrons have disabilities that present barriers to accessing research and learning resources. How can libraries navigate web accessibility requirements and ensure their resources accommodate users’ needs – especially at a time when physical libraries are temporarily closing and focusing on remote services?

Equity and Access in the Age of COVID-19: How Academic Libraries Can Build a Better Digital Content Strategy (October 1, 2020): As colleges and universities continue to grapple with the implications of reopening and the need for more effective remote learning, what will the “new normal” look like for academic libraries? How is the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating existing trends, and what new imperatives has it created for librarians? This panel will bring together librarians, institutional leaders, analysts, and technology developers to discuss the changing role of libraries in an unprecedented and uncertain time, against the backdrop of ongoing digital transformation across the higher education landscape. 

Confronting Hard History: Using Primary Sources to Teach Slavery, Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter (September 15, 2020): Join us for this session with Hasan Jeffries, associate professor of history at Ohio State, who will discuss teaching with primary sources to complicate normative narratives of slavery, the civil rights movement and Black Lives Matter protests. This presentation will highlight the importance of looking honestly at the past to understand the persistence of racial inequality in the U.S. today, and to create a more equitable and democratic future.

Decolonizing the Literature Curriculum: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Literary Studies (April 21, 2020): Literature curriculum that is as diverse as the student population itself can have a profound effect on student engagement and success. However, ensuring that literary studies are truly diverse and accessible is not a simple task. In this session, you will hear from academic experts in the classroom and library on how they are addressing the importance of diversity in literary studies in curriculum and collections. Discover how to enrich and better support online research, teaching and learning with a diverse and comprehensive literature collection.

ACRL Presents Webinar Recordings

Selected recordings are included below, and the full listing can be found on the ACRL YouTube page. 

Cultures of Collecting: Sustaining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Collection Development (May 27, 2021): What is the "right way" to decenter racism when building collections in academic libraries? As librarians, how do we hold ourselves accountable for fostering diversity and equity through our collection development plans? What systemic and pervasive barriers within academic libraries must be dismantled before we can effectively perform and sustain this work? Please join the ACRL Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee for this panel discussion to hear experts from academic libraries and special collections repositories provide insights into including diverse perspectives in scholarly collections for teaching, research, and learning. Discussion will include the value of expanding collections with diversity in mind, how to assess collections for diverse content, continuing to include underrepresented voices when funding is restricted, and ensuring diverse voices are preserved when collections are weeded or reappraised. This webinar will include methodologies for assessment, and time for question and response.

ACRL Presents: An Insider's Guide to Preparing for Promotion: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (March 9, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, this interactive discussion is about the promotion process in academic libraries. Our distinguished panelists will discuss all aspects of the promotion process including the value that promotion and tenure bring to librarianship, how to prepare your documentation, and where to find support from within your institutions or professional organizations. If you are new to the profession, or are facing the daunting task of beginning this process, this webinar will be of value to you. Challenges including the mysterious process of determining when you are ready, and dealing with the likelihood of imposter’s syndrome will also be discussed.

Building Structural Equity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications (October 21, 202): International Open Access Week is a time for the scholarly communications community to coordinate their efforts to accelerate the transition to more open, inclusive, and equitable systems of scholarship. Join recipients of ACRL’s scholarly communications research grants—based on research suggested by 2019’s Open and Equitable Scholarly Communications: Creating a More Inclusive Future—for a discussion of their projects; the challenges of enacting change in scholarly communications including the global digital divide and information inequality, decolonization, democratization, and privilege (or the lack thereof); and practical, actionable steps that academic librarians can take to help build a better future.

Reopening Campus During the Pandemic: Treading Water in the Deep End (October 6, 2020): Our patrons think it’s “business as usual” during these unusual times, but as COVID-19 consistently creates more questions, administrators and students look for answers in the usual place - the library. Libraries are often seen as a beacon of knowledge on campus, but what happens when there is no information to provide? This is where we found ourselves, in the deep end, with little notice and certainly no precedent for how to stay afloat. Join the dean and access services librarian from the University of Nebraska at Omaha to hear what their university and library did to prepare for reopening, and what they’re doing now to keep students safe and cared for on campus.

Advocating for Library Workers During Uncertain Times (May 13, 2020): The recent public health situation has created much uncertainty for higher education funding. Libraries are finding themselves in complex fiscal situations, with layoffs, furloughs, and budget reductions being announced. View the recording that includes practical strategies for engaging campus administrators in conversations that emphasize the importance of supporting library employees and the critical work they are doing for their students and organizations. 

Quickly Implementing Accessibility Tools  (April 13, 2020): Everyone is working and learning online right now. We need to ensure what we create and share is accessible to everyone. This presentation and Q&A will discuss the legal and ethical standards for making courses and learning objects accessible. We will also share some free tools for the generation of new material and retrofitting previously created content.

Open for Students and Educators: Open Educational Resources Level the Playing Field (October 22, 2019): Open educational resources (OER) are not usually a hard sell for students. But what about educators? How do they benefit from having access to resources that are licensed openly? And how can we, as librarians, guide faculty in adopting and adapting OER?

Open for Students and Educators: Open Educational Resources: Recording of the the October 22, 2019, ACRL Presents: Open for Students and Educators: Open Educational Resources Level the Playing Field, with speaker Sara Rachel Benson, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Open and Equitable Scholarly Communications: Recording of the July 15, 2019, ACRL Presents: Open and Equitable Scholarly Communications with speakers Nathan Hall, Rebecca Kennison, Nancy Maron and Yasmeen Shorish.

Open Data Repositories-Creating Equitable and Sustainable Data Access: Recording of the October 25, 2018, ACRL Presents: Open Data Repositories-Creating Equitable and Sustainable Data Access

ACRL/ODLOS: Addressing cultural humility and implicit bias in information literacy sessions: Recording of the January 23, 2018, ACRL/ODLOS: Addressing cultural humility and implicit bias in information literacy sessions.

ACRL Online Forums Recordings

ACRL Diversity Alliance: Kindly Hire Me: The Process and Impact of Inclusive Hiring (February 28, 2022): This presentation will explore perspectives on inclusive hiring practices from both sides of the table. Grand Valley State University Libraries developed inclusive recruitment and high-empathy hiring practices, which they implemented in 2018. The Dean and a past diversity resident team up to dissect the hiring process from both of their perspectives. Annie Bélanger, Dean of University Libraries at Grand Valley State University, discusses the work behind critically examining the existing hiring process, designing an inclusive recruitment plan, and implementing a new structure in order to ensure empathy to applicants going through the process. Preethi Gorecki, Communications Librarian at MacEwan University, then discusses the impact of inclusive hiring on perceptions of the work environment, satisfaction with the search, and overall experience of the hiring process. Download accompanying slide deck.

ALA/ARL Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework Update (February 16, 2022): Christina Fuller-Gregory, assistant director of libraries, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and Mark A. Puente, Associate Dean for Organizational Development, Diversity, and Inclusion, Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies, lead this information session on the draft ALA/ARL Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity. Download accompanying slide deck.

ACRL STS: Equitable Hiring Practices and Retention of Diverse Library Employees (February 3, 2021): A recording of the presentation, hosted by the ACRL STS Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force.

ACRL ULS PDC: Incorporating Feminist Practice into Library Research (July 26, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL University Libraries Section Professional Development Committee, with speakers, Kelsey Cheshire, Hillary Miller, and Pattie Sobczak. Librarianship has made strides in incorporating feminism into library services, but have you considered how librarians can embrace their personal beliefs as feminists within our scholarly pursuits? In this session, we will start by sharing ways we incorporate feminist theory in our own work (including reference and instruction, collections, and scholarly communication) and invite you to share your own examples. We will then introduce a number of concepts from feminist ethics and theory that inform feminist research practice and showcase how these can be applied in any combination to produce research that is feminist. Finally, we will explore ways that feminism can be incorporated into research at many decision points, including approaches to research methods, citation, and the production and presentation of scholarship. We will conclude the session with a guided discussion regarding next steps for incorporating feminism into your own research practices.

ACRL CJCLS: OER : What’s next? Equity diversity (July 22, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS), with speakers Ann Fiddler and Dr. Rebecca Karoff.

ACRL Digital Scholarship Section PDC: Documenting Diversity in Appalachia (July 22, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL Digital Scholarship Section Professional (DSS) Development Committee. 

ACRL RBMS IOC/DC: Integrating Critical Race Theory and Teaching with Primary Sources (May 14, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS), RBMS Instruction and Outreach Committee (IOC), and RBMS Diversity Committee (DC), with speakers Kellee Warren, Rachel E. Winston and Jimmy Zavala.

ACRL IS Inclusive Pedagogy Committee: Bringing Race to the Forefront (May 13, 2021): Hosted by the ACRL Instruction Section (IS) Inclusive Pedagogy Committee. In this conversation between Jesus Espinoza and Symphony Bruce, the speakers will talk through their experiences using Critical Race Theory and Antiracism to inform their instruction and engage students and teaching faculty. They will discuss the successes and challenges of their work, in addition to the process of navigating the uncertainty of applying critical race theories and antiracist pedagogies while still learning about them. Specifically, they will talk about their individual experiences creating lesson plans and workshops, especially in online learning spaces.