Diversity Committee Annual Report 2022

submitted by Z. Sylvia Yang

Current Roster

  • Callie Holmes, chair (2020-2024) 
  • Ellen Ogihara (2020-2024)
  • Abbey Thompson (2021-2025) 
  • Zachary L. Tumlin (2019-2023) 
  • Nurhak Tuncer (2019-2023) 
  • Z. Sylvia Yang, ex-officio

List of Previous Goals and Progress Made

  1. Help develop a public facing Statement of Diversity: Aligned with the goal areas of Organizational Excellence: Objective 2: Improve access to information by and about the Association to meet the needs of members and other interested parties; and of Membership: Objective 1:  Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
    • Diversity Statement Approved, August 2022.
    • To be added to the MLA website.
  2. Develop anti-racist goals and actions for MLA: Aligned with the goal areas of Organizational Excellence: Objective 2: Improve access to information by and about the Association to meet the needs of members and other interested parties; and of Membership: Objective 1: Increase outreach efforts to members from underrepresented groups.
    • Further develop a list of goals and actions MLA can take as an organization to further address the lack of diversity and systemic racism within the organization, and decide on a plan of action to recommend.
    • Cultural Competency Training Working Group.
    • Diversity Committee Corner Working Group.
    • MLA-L Mediator Guidelines and Best Practices Working Group.

List of Future Goals

  1. Dissolve Diversity Committee and Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee; to be replaced with Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee in March 2023. Board approval received, 2022. 
    • Goal Area 1: Organize Strategically; Objective 1.2: Organizational understanding of DEIA; Objective 1.5: Evaluate the structure of MLA
    • Goal Area: 2: Develop and Retain Members, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA and advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity
  2. Explore options for proposing and presenting IDEA-related content at MLA Annual as well as regional meetings, with the possibility of expanding to a pre-conference(s) at these meetings.
    • Goal Area 1: Organize Strategically; Objective 1.2: Organizational understanding of DEIA
  3. Provide leadership in conjunction with the Planning and Reports Officer and CMs regarding strategies to increase IDEA for the 2021 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 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA and advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity
    • Provide leadership in conjunction with the Emerging Technologies and Services Committee regarding accessibility standards for the first virtual annual meeting (March 2021).
      • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA and advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity
    • Provide leadership in conjunction with the MLA/TLA 2021 Task Force to create Meeting Etiquette for the first virtual annual meeting (March 2021).
      • Goal Area 2: Develop and Retain Membership, Objective 2.6: Promote MLA and advocate for our profession, our members, our users, our institutions and for diversity
  4. 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 1: Organize Strategically; Objective 1.2: Organizational understanding of DEIA
    • Goal Area 3: Cultivate Inclusivity; Objective 3.1: Offer a regular training program on DEIA and anti-bias