ACRL Diversity Alliance: How to Join

Foundational Level

Building an inclusive organizational culture supportive of Black, Indigenous and People of color (BIPOC) retention in academic libraries and the profession. 

All members of the ACRL Diversity Alliance must complete this level.

Cost: $250 if only joining at the Foundational Level.

Members will consult and implement the ACRL Residency Interest Group (RIG) Pre-Residency Checklist to advance their development of an inclusive culture, with emphasis on the following:

• Implementing an organizational climate evaluation.
• Developing and implementing a/an:
  • Plan to address issues identified in the climate evaluation
  • Strategic Plan with clear vision for diversity & inclusion, made publicly visible
  • Assessment to gauge progress toward an inclusive culture
  • Develop a method of sharing assessment results
• Identifying a committee/Individual tasked to assist with professional development mentorship, and leadership development (focused on increased inclusiveness?)
• Implementing a program of DEI training that includes:
  • Cultural competency
  • Preparing staff to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds
  • Understanding microaggressions
  • Training for managers/supervisors on working with BIPOC, how to address microaggressions, and managing conflict effectively
  • Issues around race and ethnicity, gender, transgender, ageism, disability, etc.
• Developing and establishing a plan/procedure for addressing employees/patrons making racial or other microaggressions
• Communicating implicitly and explicitly the institution’s intentions and expectations for how DEI training will be put into practice
• Additionally, members will be expected to:
  • Implement inclusive hiring practices
  • Establish onboarding procedures and ongoing training for staff that includes knowledge of cultural competency, working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, microaggressions, and DEI expectations

Pre-Career Bridge Level

Creating pre-career work experiences for BIPOC Graduate Students.

Cost: $500 for one or both Bridge Levels

Members at this level will be expected to (1) meet and sustain the Foundational Level requirements and (2) create early career paid working opportunities for BIPOC. Members have the option of two pathways to host and coach early career BIPOC library and archives professionals. These options are meant to enable as many libraries as possible in light of their local capacity, financial reality, and institutional environment. 

Hosting a Paid Student Practicum Program 

1. Active commitment to developing a culture of inclusivity, equity, and accessibility. This includes implementing inclusive hiring practices
2. Establish and sustain a semester-long paid MLS/MLIS practicum program for at least one individual. 
3. Identify individual(s) tasked to assist with professional development, mentorship, and leadership development
4. Commit to designing experiences to expand the practicum participant’s self-defined interests and skills, including: mentorships, learning opportunities to broaden knowledge of the libraries, and inclusion in departmental meetings in order to create a “sense of belonging”. These should allow practicum participants to engage librarians and or professional staff in the library. It is beneficial that a cohort of practicum participants be formed locally or across multiple institutions
5. Provide access to training required of the practicum project(s)
6. Provide pay for the practicum participant commensurate with the hourly salaries of equivalent library and archives professionals with library and archives degrees in progress
7. Agree to serve as a collegial resource (advisor and guide) to active member institutions of the Diversity Alliance

Early Career Bridge Level

Creating early career work experiences for BIPOC Recent Graduates (Diversity Residencies).

Cost: $500 for one or both Bridge Levels

Preparing for and Hosting a Diversity Residency

1. Establish a residency program for at least one individual that lasts a minimum of two years (three years preferred).
2. Identify individual(s) tasked to coordinate the program, liaise with Library Leader (signatory), and actively engage with the resident(s) to provide coaching, career development support, identifying professional development opportunities, and mentorship.
3. Commit to designing and assessing experiences to expand the resident’s self-defined interests and skills, including: mentorships, learning opportunities to broaden knowledge of the libraries, special projects or rotations across the library, and inclusion in departmental meetings in order to create a “sense of belonging”. These should allow residents to engage librarians and or professional staff in the library. It is beneficial that a cohort of diversity residents be formed locally or across multiple institutions
   1. Where policies allows, engagement in the shared governance or union proceedings is encouraged in order to provide a fuller experience of professional work
4. Agree to serve as a resource, i.e., advisors and guides, to those institutions participating in the ACRL Diversity Alliance
5. Provide training and funding needed to complete assignments and special projects
6. Provide professional development funding equal or greater to librarians or archivists
7. Provide a salary for the resident commensurate with the salaries of equivalent entry-level librarians or archivists 
8. Ensure active assessment of the program’s design, processes, and impacts
9. Ensure position ads articulate clearly the type of residency experiences and workload split across departments and functions

BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, and people of color

Organizational Climate: Organizational climate is the perception of employees towards the formal policies of their employer and informal practices of their leadership; how employees within an organization experience the organization’s culture

Organizational Culture: The collection of values, expectations, and practices that guide and inform the actions of all team members.

Inclusion: An environment in which all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully; are valued for their distinctive skills, experiences, and perspectives; have equal access to resources and opportunities; and can contribute fully to the organization’s success. (ALA ODLOS Glossary of Terms)

How to Join the ACRL Diversity Alliance?

1. An annual commitment to the principles of the program as noted above, signed by the library director/dean. Any institutions whose library dean/director signs a letter committing to these principles are eligible for participation/membership in the ACRL Diversity Alliance.
2. A fee to support the program.
   1. $250 Foundational Level -or-
   2. $500 Bridge Levels

Download the letter of commitment here. 

Email signed letter of commitment to ACRL Program Manager for Strategic Initiatives Allison Payne at apayne@ala.org. Invoice will be sent upon receipt of the signed letter. 

ACRL Diversity Alliance badges will be delivered to participating institutions upon receipt of the letter of commitment and payment of annual fees.

Membership Fee

The fee for the Diversity Alliance is set by the ACRL Board of Directors as recommended by the Diversity Alliance Task Force. The fee is $500, paid annually by calendar year, and partially offsets administrative costs for the program. The ACRL Diversity Alliance Program requires annual commitments by individual institutions and consortial pricing is not available.

Benefits to Institutions

• Participation in an effort to improve the pipeline of diverse individuals who will compete for academic and research library jobs.
• Access to other Alliance institution's and coordinator's insights, job postings, and residency rotation schedules.
• Receive annually a digital badge to be placed on the institution’s website, recognizing its commitment to the Alliance’s principles.
• Attract a more diverse candidate pool, by including language in job postings that the institution is part of the Alliance.
• ACRL provides an annual complimentary ACRL professional development webinar for residents.
• Members receive a complimentary upgrade on ALA JobLIST residency ads.

"As a residency program coordinator, I’m pleased to support the mission and goals of the ACRL Diversity Alliance. The collaborative nature of the Alliance serves as an important model for the librarian profession as it works to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion."

- Leo Agnew, Director, HR and Diversity Programs, University of Iowa Libraries