Abstract
Academic libraries are increasingly seeking to incorporate Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives at their institutions. While many librarians recognize these as important values, the process of implementing them into daily workflows proves to be more challenging. In this chapter, the authors provide recommendations intended for those at all levels within an academic library to initiate and enact JEDI initiatives within library collections and acquisitions. These steps include creating an action plan, communicating with fellow constituents, and considering different vendor selection criteria in acquisitions. The authors also address how to navigate challenges that may arise while conducting this work such as budget constraints, staffing shortages, and the limited diversity within the library and publishing fields.
TopIntroduction
Working toward justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) initiatives contributes to the creation of spaces that are welcoming for all people in the community. While this work has been documented and put into action in academic libraries for many years, the push for participation accelerated in May 2020 as over 150 libraries and library organizations throughout the United States released statements regarding the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests against systemic racism (G. Price, 2020). The events that immediately followed the murder of George Floyd served to motivate professional librarians, a group that is largely White (Rosa & Henke, 2017; see also Figueroa & Shawgo, 2021; A.C. Price, 2021), across the United States to increase their commitments to JEDI. Librarians pledged support for marginalized communities by creating and carrying out plans within their libraries to address inequities, exclusivity, and a lack of diversity. For many, it led to open conversations that highlighted how complicity with existing systems conflicts with the perceived ideals of libraries—namely, that they are inclusive and welcoming to all. The moment was also a turning point for many in terms of seeking action and meaningfully addressing systemic bias built into library systems, processes, and values. In expressing support for the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community and as part of a larger movement of racial reckoning, academic libraries and their associated institutions quickly issued statements and earnest pledges of solidarity and commitment to change (G. Price, 2020).
Libraries have achieved important JEDI work through deliberate decisions about their offerings and services for patrons; training for employees; resources acquired; and recruitment, hiring, and retention practices. This chapter shares guidelines for small and medium-sized academic libraries on how to develop and implement JEDI efforts specifically in collections and acquisitions. Drawing from their own experiences, the authors consider collection-building initiatives that decenter Whiteness and actively work toward equity, inclusion, and accessibility through a diversity of voices, subjects, publishers, and vendors. The chapter begins by addressing how to get started and build momentum for creating change by establishing JEDI collections initiatives. Next, the authors offer recommendations on work that can be accomplished with limited institutional guidance that aims to have lasting impact; this includes creating a collections action plan, involving colleagues in collection building, and acquiring resources from diverse vendors. The authors have found that the creation of an action plan is crucial as it sets forth specific actions librarians can take regarding JEDI collection development efforts. As plans can only succeed with the needed action and support behind them, this chapter calls for the widespread inclusion of stakeholders and colleagues from across the library and institution to broaden involvement in JEDI collection-building efforts. Joint participation increases the odds of carrying out a successful JEDI initiative and maintains the momentum needed to achieve goals. The chapter also provides thoughts on putting the plan into practice with respect to the opportunities, challenges, and decisions related to the acquisition process. While the budget for academic collections should primarily focus on supporting the evolving research, teaching, and learning needs of the community, Lori M. Jahnke et al. (2022) echoed Ellen Finnie and Michael A. Arthur (2016) stating that “collection decisions should also reflect community values and priorities of openness, diversity, and inclusion” (p. 179). Finally, the authors examine major factors that hinder these goals, namely that the overwhelmingly White library profession in the United States is lacking diversity and that libraries may face limitations in collecting diverse materials as a result of external market forces within the publishing industry. These limitations are connected to larger systemic issues that society is facing, and libraries are not immune. By raising awareness of these challenges, this chapter discusses ways of broadening collection-building efforts in order to overcome wherever possible the problems of limited input and options.
Key Terms in this Chapter
JEDI: The acronym Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Variations without the J include DEI and EDI. Another variation of this acronym incorporates Accessibility and is expressed as IDEA and DEIA.
Technical Services: The department in the library responsible for acquiring, collecting, licensing, cataloging, maintaining, and ensuring access to all general library materials in various formats.
Bibliodiversity: The amount and variety of materials being published. Publishers, especially those that are small, independent, and academic help contribute to this concept in more deliberately and consciously choosing what content to publish. Small publishers and others in the field of scholarly communication see the threat to diversity within the book publishing field by those larger publishers that are capable of publishing a far greater number of books. These large publishers are gaining a concentrated share of the market with more mergers and are concerned more about the profitability of the books being published; thus, they are less likely to publish a book that is not expected to generate a high volume of sales. Small publishers recognize the need beyond bestsellers and the struggle for diversity in the corpus of books produced and made available to readers.
Acquisitions: The process of procuring or purchasing materials.
Subject Bibliographer: A full-time librarian responsible for developing the library’s collections in a particular subject or subjects within an academic department or departments or across academic divisions. This role is much less common in current academic libraries and the work is usually now carried out by library liaisons.
Accessibility: The material’s availability in a format that allows users with disabilities to view, read and engage. This consideration should form a part of collections and acquisition strategies.
Liaison: Also referred to as a library liaison, this is a librarian who is responsible for one or more academic departments or divisions and is the point of contact for faculty and students in that area. This librarian is frequently charged with collection development, reference, instruction, research support, and outreach to all faculty and students in that area. The liaison may or may not have a degree in the associated subject area.
Selector: Sometimes used synonymously with the term liaison, this is a librarian who has responsibilities for identifying materials for the library to acquire and may also have instruction, reference, or other liaison responsibilities