In 1989 the ad hoc Diversity Task Force became more formalized and a permanent Library Diversity Committee was formed with a rotating membership of representatives from all library job classifications. This newly formed committee worked to:
• Advise library administration on issues relating to diversity
• Be a resource for library staff on issues of diversity
• Serve as a model group for understanding and cooperation across racial and cultural lines
• Implement activities promoting diversity within the library

Some of the early activities the Library Diversity Committee established were:
• Library Amity Program
• Discussion groups coordinated by committee members as a spin-off of staff workshops on racism and diversity issues
• A film series and discussions on diversity topics
• Promoted mentoring of new employees

Other work by the Library Diversity Committee through the years has included:
• Encouraging multicultural exhibits within the library
• Sponsoring speakers on diversity topics
• Participation in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium
• Participation in themed semester events
• Sponsoring a book group on topics of diversity
• Encouraging workshops related to diversity within the library system

In 1994 the Library Diversity Committee was considered such a cutting-edge organization it was included as a chapter in the book Cultural diversity in libraries edited Donald E. Riggs and Patricia A. Tarin. Proceeds from the sale of this book were donated to the Library Diversity Committee’s activities.

The Library Diversity Committee has participated in the American Library Association Diversity Fair, held at the annual ALA conference. The committee created posters and displays on the University Library’s diversity program for a number of years in the 1990s through the present.

Back to Top

New Definition of Diversity

Library Diversity Committee members helped to write a new definition of diversity for the library in 1996. The goal of this new definition was to encourage the idea that all individuals are diverse in some ways and library staff should respect and welcome everyone, not just specific groups. This definition acknowledged that equality requires effort, resources and commitment.

Diversity is defined as all the characteristics that can be used to describe humans. We are all diverse in many ways. It is the unique intersections of these characteristics that define each individual’s diversity. A few examples of these characteristics include:

Back to Top

Library Diversity Celebration

The Library Diversity Committee became active in celebrating our differences by establishing an annual Library Diversity Celebration each spring. This celebration included the establishment of the annual Library Diversity Award, given to a library staff member who promotes and embodies the ideas of the Library Diversity Program. Recipients for this award throughout the years are listed below.

Annual Library Diversity Award Winners

Ex-Officio Members

Back to Top

Diversity Quilt

At the 2001 Library Diversity Celebration the committee initiated a project that exemplified the goals of the Library Diversity Committee. All library staff were encouraged to sign and decorate a quilt square which was to represent him or herself. These individual pieces were sewn together and quilted by Library Diversity Committee members to create a quilt representing the rainbow of diverse individuals making up the University Library. This quilt was displayed throughout the following year at all library locations within the University Library. For pictures of the Library Diversity Quilt click on the links below:

Entire Quilt
Quilt Samples

Back to Top

Diversity Committee and the Future

The Library Diversity Committee seeks to continue the efforts of past members of this committee by:
1. Providing leadership to the staff and the library’s community of users on issues of diversity
2. Serving as a model working across racial and cultural lines
3. Participating actively in planning and participating in events related to diversity
4. Encouraging open, frank discussions on issues of diversity related to peoples’ work and lives

Fresh new interpretations of what the Library Diversity Committee is and what its purpose should be have changed through the years as new members have come and gone. The one constant, however is that the members of this committee are dedicated to communication, education, and understanding between all people working within the University Library and beyond.

Back to Top