Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Assessment: Implications and Applications for Library & Information Organizations

Dr. Kawanna M. Bright �Assistant Professor of Library Science �East Carolina University

Agenda

• EDI Assessments: What, Why and How?
• Conducting an EDI Assessment: Building Blocks
• Individual EDI Assessment Projects
• The DEISAA: The Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Self-Assessment Audit
• Creating Your EDI Assessment Plan
• Wrap Up

EDI Assessments

What, Why, How

Audits = Assessment

Diversity audits are a way of examining a diversity strategy, a culture, systems, and procedures against a strategic analysis framework to identify which aspects are working well and which need to be examined in more detail. They are the basis of specific, practical diversity action plans and strategies. They also provide a benchmark to track improvements over time, against which progress can be measured.

Hubbard, 2015, p. 269

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EDI Assessments Are…

• Systemic organizational change processes
• Methods for determining an organization’s current state
• Necessary as a guide for planning and to set a baseline for assessing progress
• Critical SWOT analyses

(Hubbard, 2015, p. 269)

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First Things First

• What do you mean by EDI?
• You can’t properly assess something if the meaning changes or is differently interpreted.
• Do you also mean Social justice? Anti-racism? Anti-bias?

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Sources of Definitions

• ALA and other professional organizations
• https://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity
• District, School, College, University, City…

What Do You Want From the Assessment?

• How are you planning to use the findings?
• Part of your assessment plan should include an after the assessment plan
• To repeat or not to repeat?
• Baselines and benchmarks
• Are you ready for what you might find?

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Conducting an EDI Assessment

Building Blocks

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Essential to Determine…

Who

Which members of the organization will participate in the assessment?

What

What aspects of the organization will be assessed?

How

Which processes will you apply to conduct your assessment?

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When

What is the timeframe you will follow to conduct your assessment?

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Who Will Be Involved?

• Leaders
• Top-down process?
• Bottom-up process?�
• Participants
• Internal only?
• Internal + External?

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What Will You Assess?

• Whole Organization?
• Focus on strategy
• Focus on structure
• Focus on processes�
• Part of the Organization?
• Focus on people
• Focus on rewards
• Focus on external

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Which Approach?

• Internal
• Surveys
• Focus groups
• Content analysis
• Process reviews��Focus on small group projects

• External
• Commercial surveys and assessments
• Consultants
• The DEISAA��Focus on large scale overview

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Timeline

• This is not a short-term process, but you can complete aspects of your assessment over short periods of time.
• Alignment with strategic planning process?
• Alignment with financial/budget timelines?
• Alignment with assessment/review timelines?

Individual EDI Assessment Projects

Assessing Collections

EDI Collection Assessment Approaches

• Demand Driven
• Based on community analysis and market segmentation
• Puts potential buyers (patrons) into groups based on commonalities related to their purchasing (library use) behaviors. (Futterman, 2008)
• Match collection development to community needs

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• Software Supported
• Based on Percentages

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�Percentage Based Analysis

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Step 1: Decide what you are going to assess.��What section?��What topics?

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• Diverse authors
• Global topics
• Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)
• Refugees 
• Immigrants
• Gender identity
• LGBTQ+
• Religion
• Intersectionality
• Family structures

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• Adoption and foster care
• People who have experienced homelessness or unstable living accommodations
• Socio economic diversity
• Disability
• Neurological challenges
• Mental health
• Culture

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Step 2:

Start with a shelf list

Step 3

• Examine each book/material for the diversity aspects you chose.

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• Determine percentages

Step 4

Total counted for the diversity aspect & divide this number by the total number on the shelf list.

• For example: 9 are own voices books

A Reverse EDI Collection Assessment

• Use a recommended list of titles about a traditionally marginalized group 
• Determine how many of these titles are in your collection
• Example sites include:
• We Need Diverse Books: https://diversebooks.org/resources-old/where-to-find-diverse-books/
• Hijabi Librarian’s: https://hijabilibrarians.com/ 

Assessing Policies

• Pull together a group representing various entities
• Identify all policies (both internal and external)
• Determine a process for working through the policies
• Utilize a rubric to assess each policy based on identified criteria
• Make updates/changes as needed
• Include piloting of policies with those impacted by them

Assessing Processes - Usability Testing?

Cognitive Walkthrough

• Identify tasks associated with system use
• Write clear instructions applying those tasks
• Ask evaluators (participants) to comment as they perform the tasks
• Analyze tasks and comments based on how successfully the task performed

Heuristic Observation

• Identify a set of principles to be used as a standard
• Identify “experts” to carry out the evaluation
• Identify problems or issues related to the set standard
• De-briefing experts regarding their experience and discuss a set of possible solutions

Both conclude with a report outlining suggestions for improvement of the system

Assessing Programming

• Surveys (Attendees)
• Debriefs (Staff)
• Focus Groups (Attendees)
• Observation (of and by Staff and Attendees)

The DEISAA

The Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Self-Assessment Audit

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Breaking it Down

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Strategy

• Strategic Plan
• Mission Statement
• Vision Statement
• Values
• Internal Policies
• DEI Plans
• Diversity definitions
• Diversity statements

Structure

• Decision-making
• Assessment
• Dedication/commitment
• Communication (internal)
• Acknowledgement
• Collaborative efforts
• Financial resources

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Processes

• Data collection
• Decision-making
• Training/learning opportunities
• Programming/services
• Collection development
• Feedback

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Rewards

• Salary/compensation/bonuses
• Professional development
• Tenure/promotion/evaluations
• Professional contributions

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People

• Demographic representation
• Climate
• Employee assessment/evaluation
• Engagement opportunities
• Education/training
• Valuing of DEI work

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Environment (External)

• Partnerships
• Community analysis
• Community climate assessment
• Programming
• Services

• Collections
• Communication/ outreach
• Service to field

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Accessibility (Users & Employees)

• Accommodations
• Technology
• Access
• Confidentiality
• Support

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What Are You Actually Measuring?

• Effort
• Ability
• Focus
• Progress
• Improvement

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• Non-Existent: The activity/item is not in place or not currently being considered by the Library.
• Novice: The library is considering this activity/item, but nothing concrete is in place yet.
• Intermediate: The library has implemented (or started) the activity/item recently. For ongoing/long term activities, there may not be data available yet for assessment of the activity. For one-time/short-term activities, there have been no efforts to determine impact of implementation.
• Advanced: The Library has been actively engaged in this activity/item for a short period of time. For ongoing/long term activities, data is available to begin assessment of the impact of the activity/item. For one-time/short-term activities, there have been efforts to determine impact of implementation.

• Expert: The Library has been fully engaged in this activity/item for an extended period of time. For ongoing/long term activities, data is available and has been used to assess the impact of the activity/item. For one-time/short-term activities/items, Impact of implementation has been determined; Updates or changes may have been made in response to assessment.
• N/A: The activity/item does not apply to the library. *Please enter NA in the comments box.
• Don't Know: Respondents do not have any information about this activity or item and are unable to select a rating. *Please enter DK in the comments box.

Creating your EDI Assessment Plan

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Wrap Up

Sharing – Questions - Discussion

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Thank You!

Where to Find Me:

Email: drkawannab@gmail.com or brightka19@ecu.edu

Twitter: @kawannab�LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drkawannab

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Sources

ACRL. (n.d.). Anti-racism defined. http://www.aclrc.com/antiracism-defined

Bolger, M. (2020, May 24). What’s the difference between diversity, inclusion, and equity? General Assembly. https://generalassemb.ly/blog/diversity-inclusion-equity-differences-in-meaning/

Center for Economic and Social Justice. (n.d.). Defining economic justice and social justice. https://www.cesj.org/learn/definitions/defining-economic-justice-and-social-justice/

Futterman, M. (2010, May 21). Finding the underserved. Library Journal. https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/advocacy/finding-the-underserved

Hubbard, E. E. (2015). Diversity audits. In J. M. Bennett (Ed.), The sage encyclopedia of intercultural competence (pp. 269-271). ProQuest Ebook Central. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

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General Resources

Bloomerang. (n.d.). Diversity, inclusion, and equity policy template. https://bloomerang.co/resources/templates/diversity-inclusion-and-equity-policy-template/

Bright, K. (2023, February 21). EDI assessment plan worksheet [Handout]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1x7bAHR9odEMnXhpF_sjiAUZcCHUF4Bph/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=117109027753683173502&rtpof=true&sd=true

Kollenberg, S. (2019, February 26). Inclusion audit: Processes, structures & policies. Crescendo: The Inclusion Platform for Global Companies. https://crescendowork.com/guide-start-diversity-inclusion-strategy/2019/2/26/diversity-inclusion-audit-processes-structures-policies#policies

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General Resources

Lee, M., & Torres-Velez, N. (2021, February 24). Mimi’s teatalk on diversity: Diversity action plan [PowerPoint]. NJ State Library. https://www.njstatelib.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/presentation_pt_3_ppt_website.pdf

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Resources: Focus Groups

Community Tool Box. (n.d.). Section 6. Conducting focus groups. In Chapter 3. Assessing community needs and resources. University of Kansas. https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-and-resources/conduct-focus-groups/main

Krueger, R. A. (2002, October). Designing and conducting focus group interviews. https://www.eiu.edu/ihec/Krueger-FocusGroupInterviews.pdf

SHRM. (n.d.). How to conduct an employee focus group. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/how-to-guides/pages/conduct-employee-focus-group.aspx

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Resources: EDI Collection Assessment

Brillant, B., Guessferd, M. R., Snieg, A. L., Jones, J. J., Keeler, T., & Stephenson, P. L. (2022). Assessing diversity in hospital library collections. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 41(4), 424-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2022.2131185

Ciszek, M. P., & Young, C. L. (2010). Diversity collection assessment in large academic libraries. Collection Building, 29(4), 154-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604951011088899

Jorgenson, S., & Burress, R. (2020). Analyzing the diversity of a high school library collection. Knowledge Quest, 48(5), 48-53.

Kristick, L. (2020). Diversity literary awards: A tool for assessing an academic library's collection. Collection Management, 45(2), 151-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2019.1675209

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Resources: EDI Collection Assessment (Cont.)

Proctor, J. (2020). Representation in the collection: Assessing coverage of LGBTQ content in an academic library collection. Collection Management, 45(3), 223-234. https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2019.1708835

Williams, V. K., & Deyoe, N. (2014). Diverse population, diverse collection? Youth collections in the United States. Technical Services Quarterly, 31(2), 97-121. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317131.2014.875373

Voels, S., & Washington, R. (2022). Auditing diversity in library collections. Libraries Unlimited.

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Resources: Climate Assessments

ClimateQUAL. (n.d.). What is ClimateQUAL®? Association of Research Libraries. https://www.climatequal.org/home

National Institutes of Health, Office of Management (n.d.). Climate assessment. https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/OD/OQM/ca/Pages/Climate_Assessment.aspx

Wall, V., & Obear, K. (2008, October 17). Multicultural Organizational Development (MCOD): Exploring best practices to create socially just, inclusive campus communities. AAC&U Conference - Diversity, Learning, and Inclusive Excellence: Accelerating and Assessing Progress. https://megancjung.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/multicultural-organizational-development-model.pdf

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Resources: EDI Plan Examples

The City of Edmonton. (n.d.). Diversity & inclusion: Framework & implementation plan. https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/documents/PDF/Final_Diversity__Inclusion_Framework__Implementation_Plan.pdf

Iowa State University, University Library. (n.d.). Diversity, equity, and inclusion. https://www.lib.iastate.edu/about-library/library-diversity

Oak Park Public Library. (2021, March 23). Anti-racism strategic plan. https://www.oppl.org/about/policies/anti-racism-strategic-plan/

San Francisco Public Library. (2020, December). SFPL racial equity action plan. https://sfpl.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/SFPL-Racial-Equity-Plan-V1_123120.pdf

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Resources: EDI Plan Examples

University of Michigan Library. (2020, October). U-M Library diversity, equity, inclusion & accessibility: 5 year strategic plan; Academic years 2017-2021; Iteration: AY 2021, year 5. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DS_DEDtDV5L-FAVlwsOnmI4-Dh8hCyhzmLKyoE1oCHE/edit

William & Mary Libraries. (2017, June 27). Diversity plan | 2017-2020. https://libraries.wm.edu/sites/default/files/files/PUBLIC%20DIVERSITY%20PLAN%281%29.pdf

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