DEI Training Series

Introduction

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Standing Group (DEISG) identifies and coordinates training opportunities with a goal for inclusive and intersectional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. The DEISG proposes different types of training to engage Alliance members wherever they are with their DEI practices. Training opportunities will address different learning styles and topic familiarity while incorporating community elements.

  • Training types: speaker/presentation, panel discussion, workshop, multiple session series
  • Learning styles: active learning, group discussion, think + write, interactive response, Q&A
  • Topics: diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, identity (personal, community, and systems), LGBTQ+, policies and practices

FY24 Opportunities: LGBTQ+ Training Series

Live captioning will be provided at all trainings.

Trans and Gender Diverse Inclusion for Libraries

Trainer: Stephen Krueger

Date: March 5, 2024, 10:00am-12:00pm

Online Training: Presentation Recording (1:37:48) CC BY, Transcript, and Slides CC BY-NC. (The discussion was not recorded.)

Description: The first hour of this session is Trans 101; we’ll go over basic concepts of gender identity and how the nuances of gender vary widely between different contexts and cultures. The presentation will then cover different ways in which trans and gender diverse people express themselves, and various barriers they face. Participants will gain practical guidance on gender inclusive behavior as well as tools to continue learning.

The second hour will go over recommended practices for academic library workers on how to support trans and gender diverse patrons and employees. Trans and gender diverse inclusion is an essential element of all areas of library work; this portion of the session will demonstrate what that looks like in practice through some common examples. Resources will be shared for learning more about trans inclusion in specific aspects of library work. Time is provided for questions about particular topics or examples in both sections.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will gain a greater understanding of trans and gender diverse identities.
  • Participants will identify some of the most common issues of trans and gender diverse inclusion in libraries and library work.
  • Participants will select specific actions in their work, processes, or services to support trans and gender diverse patrons and employees.
  • Participants will learn about resources and approaches for growing their own understanding of trans and gender diverse inclusion as it relates to their work.

Trainer Bio: Stephen G. Krueger is the Affordable Course Content Librarian at the University of Kentucky. Ey holds a B.A. in English from Warren Wilson College and an M.S.L.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is working on an M.A. in Arctic and Northern Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Stephen is the author of Supporting Trans People in Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2019), co-editor (with Keahi Adolpho and Krista McCracken) of Trans and Gender Diverse Voices in Libraries (Library Juice Press, 2023), and co-author of the Trans Advice Column. Ey is also the founder of the Trans and Gender Diverse LIS Network.

LGBTQ+ Stories in Library Collections

Trainer: Carson Williams

Date: April 17, 2024, 11:00am-12:00pm

Description: Creating inclusive library collections incorporates diverse and equitable representation across communities, identities, experiences, and more. This session will focus on LGBTQ+ perspectives for collection development activities. We’ll review how to identify problematic stereotypes and tropes, along with how to avoid perpetuating such depictions. We’ll also discuss how to amplify representation that affirms queer identities and experiences.

During the session, we’ll share practical tips and strategies for promoting LGBTQ+ identities and perspectives in collections: evaluation, selection, acquisitions, removal, diversity audits, and more. We’ll also review recommended tools and resources for supporting this work. The session will close with time for participants’ questions and follow-up conversation.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will gain a greater understanding of LGBTQ+ inclusion in library collections.
  • Participants will identify examples of how problematic depictions of LGBTQ+ identities and perspectives occur in library collections, as well as how to address them.
  • Participants will learn about resources, tools, and approaches to amplify and affirm queer identities and experiences in library collections.

Trainer Bio: Carson Williams is a Collection Development Librarian at Cornell University.

Understanding Your Institution’s Policies as a Pathway for LGBTQ+ Support

Trainers: Reed Garber-Pearson and Maggie Faber

Date: May 22, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm

Online Training: Registration for Alliance Members

Description: How well do you know your institution’s policies in support of – or against – LGBTQ+ library workers and users? Do you know if your organization provides gender affirming care? Does your institution have pronouns associated with patron IDs?

Understanding your institution’s policies and cultures around LGBTQ+ library workers and users is an important step to being able to advocate and support. The first part of this session will provide a worksheet framework to help you examine the policies and cultures at your library. During the second part of the session, presenters will share common barriers to making institutional change and engage participants in strategies to overcome these barriers and take care of themselves when navigating complex systems.

Learning Objectives. At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Use a framework to understand your institution’s culture and policies to be a better ally to LGBTQ+ colleagues and users.
  • Recognize barriers to navigating institutional policy change within complex systems in order to anticipate obstacles to change.
  • Share experiences in order to collectively reflect and strategize about self care, structures of support, and avoiding burnout when advocating for change.

Trainers’ Bios:

Reed Garber-Pearson (they/them) is the Integrated Social Sciences & Online Learning Librarian at the University of Washington. Reed uses participatory, critical and inclusive strategies as part of the instructional design team, creating multimodal learning programs, collaborating on curriculum development, and teaching information literacy classes.

Maggie Faber (she/her) is the Assessment & Data Visualization Librarian at the University of Washington. She leads Libraries efforts to analyze and communicate assessment results and related data by developing interactive dashboards and visualizations. Through this work, she draws on critical assessment principles to invite critical reflection about the use of information in an assessment and evaluation context.

Grabbing Tea: Queer Conversations on Identity and Libraries

Panelists: Drew Balduff, Kel R. Karpinski, María Mejía, Danielle Nista, Sara A. Howard, and Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz

Date: June 18, 2024, 11:00am-12:30pm

Description and registration links will be coming soon!