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ACRL Diversity Alliance: Home

Resources for ACRL Diversity Alliance residency coordinators.

About

Purpose

The ACRL Diversity Alliance program unites academic libraries committed to increasing the hiring pipeline of qualified and talented individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. By working together and thinking more broadly, ACRL Diversity Alliance institutions will help diversify and thereby enrich the profession.

The commitment of each library leader to create one or more residency positions will expand the opportunities available to individuals from professionally underrepresented groups to gain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to thrive in an academic context. Library leaders participating in the ACRL Diversity Alliance are committed to opening doors, sharing their networks, and preparing residents for success in scholarship, professional service, and leadership. Residents and library leaders will each have access to a network so that they can share ideas, resources, and best practices.

ACRL Diversity Alliance Principles

Libraries wishing to participate in the Diversity Alliance program to increase the pipeline of professionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups make the following commitments:

  1. Establish a residency program for at least one individual that lasts a minimum of two years (three years preferred).
  2. Commit to designing experiences at the local level to expand the residents’ interests and skills, e.g., mentorships, rotation through other library units, etc.
  3. Agree to serve as a resource, i.e., advisors and guides, to those institutions participating in the ACRL Diversity Alliance.
  4. Provide at a minimum the same level of professional development support provided other library faculty/staff/employees.
  5. Provide a salary for the resident commensurate with the salaries of equivalent entry-level library professionals.

Commitments to the ACRL Diversity Alliance are renewed annually to ensure these principles continue to be a priority.

Founding Members

The Founding Members of the Diversity Alliance are American University, University of Iowa, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia University.

Diversity Alliance Task Force

Charge

Oversees the ACRL Diversity Alliance and completes the following tasks:

  1. Develop best practices checklists for leaders and organizational readiness for top organizational leaders (Deans, Directors) who commit to join, support and create residency positions through the DA. This checklist can be agreed upon as leaders join the DA annually.
  2. Explore program assessment to identify the goals of these residencies and if member institutions are meeting them?
  3. Develop leadership pledge; along with the signed letter of commitment, each leader must sign leadership pledge.
  4. Develop member resources, including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and organizational culture checklist; Coordinators, training for human resource professionals and department heads; Institutions who create residencies should identify travel support for residents; Clearinghouse for information, schedules and best practices for Mentors/Coordinators; Link institutional efforts through Skill type and other virtual platforms.
  5. Submit a report to the ACRL Board on the impact of residencies on the professional, and include stories of post-residency positions and surveys.
  6. Explore if/how institutions unable to create residencies can be members of the DA through contributing to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in other ways and, if possible, articulate the criteria that would allow them to become members of the DA.

Roster

Dr. José A. Aguiñaga(Co-Chair, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Ms. Annie Belanger(Co-Chair, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Tracy Bicknell-Holmes(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Deborah Yun Caldwell(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Lori Cawthorne(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Mr. Jesus I. Espinoza(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Kenya S. Flash(Member, July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2021)

Mr. Federico Martinez-Garcia, JR.(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Ms. Denisse Solis(Member, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Anastasia Chiu(ACRL Residency Interest Group Representative, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

Twanna K. Hodge(ACRL Diversity Committee Representative, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022)

April D. Cunningham(Board Liaison, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021)

Ms. Kara Malenfant(Staff Liaison, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021)

Ms. Allison Payne(Staff Liaison, July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021)