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Rooted in Purpose: OD Strategies for Values-Driven Libraries

Maisha Duncan Carey

Deputy University Librarian and Director of Organizational Learning, University of Delaware

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Overview

A bit about me
A legacy of values
Our current context
What is OD?
OD strategies for library workers
Dialogue

Thank you to Amy Coughenour and the Alliance Connections Planning Committee for this opportunity

Deputy University Librarian and Director of Organizational Learning - made up - like all good titles. HR, Org Development, PD, our Rank and Promotion System.

I’ve been working in libraries for 17 years and I’ve spent the last 8 of them at UD. I’ve got this picture here of my daughter Claire who is 4 going on 14 and my partner Roderick who is a professor at UD.

We just spent the last 6 days in Georgia for family reunion - Statesboro followed by a short trip to Savannah - ample opportunity to think about legacy and values.

Just 1 generation from slavery - his ancestors were building schools in rural Georgia; my family was seeking education not far away in SC; others in my family left and took their fortunes to Liberia.

Not sure how much we would have in common - but I couldn’t help but think about the values that drove them. A strong sense that they deserved a better life.

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A Legacy of Values

Values guide the the mission and operations of our organizations and fostering a sense of purpose.

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A Legacy of Values- Driven Work

Library Bill of Rights - 1939
Spectrum Scholarship Program - 1997 | ARL Kaleidoscope Program - 2000
Joint Conference of Librarians of Color - 2006
Ettarh “Vocational Awe” - 2018

On this slide are examples of how library workers have espoused the values of our field - such as the Library Bill of Rights - or built entry points for people from traditionally marginalized backgrounds - programs like the spectrum scholarship.
I include - Fobazi Ettarh’s 2018 essay on Vocational Awe because at least from my vantage, it represented an important moment in the kinds of conversations we were having about our professional values. Ettarh’s essay, along with data and research on librarians of color leaving the field spurred active dialogue about how the espoused values of our field played out in our institutions. Are Libaries are inherently good? What if the people who run them are flawed? What does it mean if we strive but miss the mark?
I share this overview to ground this conversation in the fact that libraries are constantly wrestling with and evolving the values that guide our work. We are not here to hold up some values over others but to keep this legacy alive.

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Concerted efforts toward banning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives pose significant challenges for libraries.

Institutional responses have varied.

Our Current Context

Political in nature ; 2 sides - in favor of DEIA vs. those who see DEIA as discriminatory.
Action at every level of government - from school boards to judicial rulings and executive orders that seek to ban learning about race, racism, gender, and other topics about history and society that have been deemed undesirable (saying that word feels orwellian)
I don’t think I need to explain much about world changing events of 2020 - the pandemic, murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, BLM, and groundswell of activism in the streets and in our orgs. But I think it’s important to note that the current backlash that we are experiencing against BLM, or LGBTQIA rights, was in the making long before 2020.
Anti DEI legislation has been signed into law in 18 states (including Idaho)
And according to the Project 2025 tracker - the current federal administration is 75% of the way towards the Heritage Foundation’s goals related to dismantling DEIA
For many of us from underrepresented or marginalized groups it feels that our very identities are being banned. And for others, it feels like the ability to do values-driven work and the roads that have been paved towards equality are being ripped away.

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How do we respond?

What does it mean to:

Resist?
Comply?
Stay the course?
Adapt?

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Organizational Development (OD)

“…the interdisciplinary field of scholars and practitioners who work collaboratively with organizations and communities to develop their system-wide capacity for effectiveness and vitality. It is grounded in the organization and social sciences.”

- Smendzuik-O’Brien, J., & Gilpin-Jackson, Y., 2021

OD is a field of scholars and practitioners who work collaboratively with organizations and communities to develop their system-wide capacity for effectiveness and vitality. It is grounded in the organization and social sciences.”
Born in the mid 20th century out of applied psychology, industrial management - inherently Interdisciplinary
Engaging in processes of Inquiry and diagnosis to then use that knowledge to effect change in an organization. largely done through consultant model.
In many of our orgs this usually looks like change management, process improvement, prof. Development and skills building, or efforts related to org climate or culture.
At UD - internal OD practitioners - me and Jessica Dai - ODL Librarian - engage with staff and leadership on projects as if we are consultants
According to the OD network there have been 3 waves of OD scholarship:
Diagnostic - formal investigation conducted followed by formal action. Unfreeze; change; refreeze - Kurt Lewin 1940s
Action Learning - engaging in reflective practices to identify the gap between the current reality and the desired state - Systems Thinking - Peter Senge, 1990s
Dialogic OD - orgs are socially constructed systems that and inextricably linked to the broader social systems that they are created in. Emerged to solve more complex problems. Appreciative Inquiry - David Cooperider and Suresh Srivastva - late 1980s
Approaches from throughout still used regularly; individuals may specialize or have common approaches.

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Key Principles of OD

Humanistic
Systems oriented
Continuous improvement
Inquiry based and collaborative
Research and evidence informed

1. The organization is its people

2. Culture beats strategy

3. Consider your context

4. Think Big(ger)

Elements fundamental to how I approach my work:

The organization IS its people - all about the people. Humanistic values of democracy, participation, informed consent - but also creating conditions for individuals to thrive. What is the point otherwise?
Culture eats strategy for breakfast - Peter Drucker / Detta Jones: the best strategy will do nothing if it is out of alignment with the culture. Example - saying NO and ending services.

Continuous learning and improvement - intentionality
Great use of consultants or external tools - Diagnostic work to understand hidden elements of culture - climatequal; Gallup Q12
Changing culture is slow, difficult work. But if needed, it is essential for any strategic plan to work.

Consider your context - Each institution has its own context and external pressures - small private institutions vs. state unis; In our context it is even more important that you understand the context you are working in and adapt accordingly.

At UD - Campus Culture and Engagement initiative - Community dialogues are planned for fall 2025 to re-examine how we operationalize our values of diversity and inclusion and to identify strategies for reframing and deepening our work. Through this phased effort, we will co-create a new framework to be implemented in spring 2026.
What work can you do within your org? What may need to be approached differently - like through Orbis Cascade Alliance; ALA
Collaboration and community are essential components of OD and are useful now to ensure we don’t just hunker down to weather the current climate but instead we continue to push, evolve our thinking, and approach problems with the broad focus they deserve - no org is an island...

Think Big and then think bigger - OD professionals seek to understand how the humans, technical systems, and broader macro-environment all come together to create what is at play in a system. I seek to “Open the aperture” of my view and see the big picture.

Little things - asking questions I think I know the answer to. Trying not to judge what I don’t understand.
Big things - acknowledge where systemic injustice is at work and find ways to correct for it.
Everyone is a source of evidence. Their story is part of the story.

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OD Strategies for Library Workers

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1) Focus on “Why”

Engage in inquiry

Reflect and connect your “why” to the organization’s mission

Many of you are likely familiar with the work of Simon Sinek. In his book “Start with Why” he argues that the most effective leaders spend more time thinking about the why than the what and how of the work they do.

As an OD strategy, the focus on why is about 2 main things - understanding the root causes of a problem or the purpose of an initiative and communicating that understanding to others. This work may happen at the team level or at the individual
Example: 5 whys exercise - root cause analysis.
Ensure the “why” is values aligned - the rest should follow

Over the past year and a half, UD has spent a great deal of time talking about what we do and how we do it. In the Library, we have attempted to lead with why - but we constantly get stimied; burned out - because we are doing it under pressure.

Start now - inquiry when the issue is not in the hot seat. Pre-work for future tensions.

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2) Distribute

the Work

Collaboration + Connection + Shared Responsibility

In principle, OD change efforts aim to create an organization wide shift - every level - individual, team, whole org is developed and improved
This work cannot be done in a vacuum, behind closed doors. Collaboration across groups and with staff and leaders at all levels of the organization is necessary. This collaboration is where we learn what needs to be done, test potential solutions, and ultimately where whatever is decided will be operationalized. Engagement through leads to investment and buy-in that is almost impossible to get otherwise.
Similarly, values-based work - be it related to diversifying programs and collections or ensuring equitable access to resources - should also be as distributed across the organization as possible.

The ideas of what to do lie with each of you - not just with the managers.
Approaches may need to be Differentiated across disciplines/ areas of work
Shared ownership/ responsibility - no 1 person the target

As universities have determined how to respond to legislative challenges to DEI work, many jobs have had to be named, redefined, or outright cut. This was not an issue for us in the Library because we were very intentional about not assigning this work to any one job. Instead, staff have engaged in this work as part of our IDEAS committee, as part of special projects and initiatives, or as part of their regular work. Every member of the leadership team is expected to support their staff in engaging with our values and every new employee is invited during their new employee orientation meeting to evoke our values in action statement in the course of their work.

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3) Take Facilitation Seriously

Engage using liberating structures

Aim for deeper collaboration

As we talked about earlier - the tension between competing values is essential to our work. So diverse voices and perspectives must be engaged.

As the I in DEAIA, Inclusion has long been articulated as ensuring everyone has a seat at the table. But also, Voice heard at the table. Ideas taken seriously at the table. This takes intentionality

Train staff to serve as facilitators. Empower them to do this work - in the face of power dynamics.
Set ground rules or expectations for engagement and consequences if those rules are not followed

Do not go looking for colleagues to cancel or keep out of these conversations. Call in, not call out.

Consider using the methodology of Liberating structures - “including and unleashing everyone”

33 techniques for inclusive engagement - (link in references)
Example - Wicked Questions - participants are asked to draft paradoxes that expose the tension between intended strategies and on the ground realities which are then shared everyone for discussion and dialogue. The purpose of this is to invite a conversation about the messy part of planning. An example - Avoiding micromanaging while also providing enough help and feedback for my staff to succeed.

Another place a consultant or outsider may be useful - Central HR dept? Another campus unit? A peer from Orbis Cascade Alliance?

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4) “Say the Quiet Part Out Loud”

Tarida Anantachai,

NC State University Libraries

Be explicit in naming what you are trying to accomplish and who it is for...

EVERYONE.

From my friend and colleague Tarida Anantachai at NC State - we have spent a lot of time (along with Jennifer Garrett and Mark Puente at Purdue) thinking about and theorizing around how to operate in this new context.
Say the quiet part out loud = be explicit about what it is you are working for/towards
Related to that “why” - but it’s also about saying it out loud, in writing, with clarity. Challenge anyone to say they disagree with that why and force them to explain themselves.
Current challenges are all about equality - intentional misinterpretation of equity - But equity was always a tool for equal access. Say that.
While this is not explicitly a tool of OD, I think it is a valuable approach for us all to consider. It is also related to the idea that in OD you always play the long game - aiming for long term, sustainable results. Reframing some of our work now - either because it has been mandated by an external force or not - is a chance to clarify and strengthen it and to maybe even aim bigger.

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Conclusions

For further reflection:

What does it mean to resist? To what?
How can we comply, with defiance?
Let us redefine the the course
Adapt our questions to find new answers

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Questions and Dialogue

Maisha Duncan Carey

maisha@udel.edu

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik

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References and Resources

American Library Association. (n.d.). Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations

Cedar Rapids Public Library. (n.d.). Freedom to read. Retrieved July 22, 2025, from https://www.crlibrary.org/freedomtoread

Lipmanowicz, H., & McCandless, K. (n.d.). Liberating Structures: Including and unleashing everyone. https://www.liberatingstructures.com/

Organizational Development Network. (2023) What is Organizational Development? https://www.odnetwork.org/page/what-is-od#readmore

Parsch, J. H., & Baughman, M. S. (2010). Towards Healthy Organizations: The Use of Organization Development in Academic Libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(1), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2009.11.002

Project 2025 Tracker. (n.d.). Project 2025 Tracker. https://www.project2025.observer/