Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee Annual Report 2021

submitted by Zoua Sylvia Yang

Current Roster

  • Z. Sylvia Yang, chair (2024) 
  • Clara Burns (2024) 
  • Lisa Hooper (2024) 
  • Chuck Peters (March, 2022) 
  • Angela Pratesi (2024) 
  • Will Scharfenberger (2024)
  • Serena Vaquilar (2024)

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  • Provide leadership in conjunction with the Planning and Reports Officer and CMs regarding strategies to increase equity, accessibility, and inclusion for the 2021 meeting and submit recommendations to the board when appropriate
    • Provided leadership in conjunction with the MLA/TLA 2021 Task Force to create Meeting Etiquette for the first virtual annual meeting (March 2021) (Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts)
  • Explore options for creating a IDEA Toolkit that can be used by those teaching MLA sponsored courses or library instruction; in collaboration with the Diversity Committee, Instruction Subcommittee, and Education Committee (Goal Area: Education, Objective 1: Increase enrollment in MLA-sponsored training and professional development programs; Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts, Goal Area: Organizational Excellence, Objective 1: Develop and sustain the necessary resources to ensure the vitality of the Association, its programs and services)
    • Identified members for a working group in conjunction with the Diversity Committee regarding MLA’s Diversity Statement (Lisa Hooper, Will Scharfenberger); to be convened by Callie Holmes. In progress.
    • Identified members for a working group in conjunction with the Diversity Committee regarding IDEA Committee Proposal (Clara Burns, Angela Pratesi); to be convened by Sylvia Yang. Proposal to be submitted to membership by Feb 1, 2022, followed by a town hall for at the annual MLA meeting for discussion/comments, and final proposal submitted to the Board in May 2022. In progress.

List of Future Goals

  • Explore options for proposing and presenting equity and inclusion-related content at MLA Annual as well as regional meetings, with the possibility of expanding to a pre-conference(s) at these meetings, including the presentations “Diversifying Music Collections: Methods, Strategies, Assessments” (co-sponsored with Diversity Committee, Resource Sharing & Collection Development Committee) and “Guiding Aspiring Allies: The Self-Advocate/Ally Relationship and Learning from Those with Lived Experience” (co-sponsored with Diversity Committee). (Goal Area: Education, Objective 1: Increase enrollment in MLA-sponsored training and professional development programs)
  • Provide leadership in conjunction with various MLA committees regarding strategies to increase equity, accessibility, and inclusion for the meeting and submit recommendations to the board when appropriate
    • Provide leadership in conjunction with the Planning Committee regarding an Accessibility and Dependent Care Voucher (Goal Area: Membership, Objective 1: Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups; Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts)
    • Provide leadership in conjunction with the Emerging Technologies and Services Committee regarding accessibility standards for the first hybrid annual meeting (March 2021) (Goal Area: Membership, Objective 1: Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups; Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts; Goal Area: Technology)
    • Provide leadership in conjunction with the New Members Forum regarding accessibility standards for the First Time Attendees Reception. (Goal Area: Membership, Objective 1: Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups; Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts)
  • Explore options for creating a material that can be used by those teaching MLA sponsored courses or library instruction; in collaboration with the Diversity Committee, Instruction Subcommittee, and Education Committee (Goal Area: Education, Objective 1: Increase enrollment in MLA-sponsored training and professional development programs; Goal Area: Advocacy, Enable and encourage members’ individual advocacy efforts, Goal Area: Organizational Excellence, Objective 1: Develop and sustain the necessary resources to ensure the vitality of the Association, its programs and services)