May 9, 2017 Meeting of Diversity Committee

Minute Taker:  Laila Hussein Moustafa for JJ

1. Approve April meeting minutes
2. Report on Committee Fair on April 13, 1-3 pm
3. Updates and Announcements
   1. Central Illinois Library Workers
   2. External Review Report and Recommendations on Diversity and Inclusion from Chancellor.  See https://chancellor.illinois.edu/blog/view/7101/492526
      Cindy attending a summit on May 11 to talk about the report
   3. Upcoming Webinars:
      Cultural Humility: May 25, 12-1pm in 428 Main
      ALCTS Exchange sessions, May 9, 11, 16, and 18.  Several sessions on social justice and libraries.  See https://alcts2017.learningtimesevents.org/program/ for full schedule
      Digital Literacy and Fake News: June 1, 2-5 pm in 106 Library
      See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/library-2017-digital-literacy-fake-news-registration-33684268554
4. Spring and Summer events
   1. Diversity Committee Brown Bag Series:
      Update from JJ on April 26 event
      May 17, Qiang
   2. Potluck
   3. Cultural Communication Sessions with ISSS
5. Upcoming Summer Meetings
   1. June 13—No Meeting. Instead consider attending Crucial Conversations workshop with Shirley Stelbrink from 9-12.
   2. July 11—Planning meeting for Fall.  Do we want to have a longer meeting/retreat?

Parking Lot/Future Agenda Items:

• ·            Greg Knott report back from Big 10 HR meeting
• Online Form for Climate/Diversity/Inclusion ideas from Library Staff
• Revise diversity statement

Cindy, Qiang, Zoe, Angie, Heather, and JJ via phone
Absent: Ben, Harriett, Ellen, someone from HR

Minute Taker: Laila Hussein Moustafa

1. Approve April meeting minutes. Minutes approved as written. Cindy will send to Heather for posting.
2. Report on Committee Fair on April 13, 11-1 pm organized by Staff Development and Training Committee
   1. Heather, Laila, and Cindy were present at the Diversity Committee’s table. Twelve committees were represented, and between 12 -15 visited the fair.
   2. Some of the fair’s shoppers left feedback including:
      •    They wanted the name and contact information of the Chair or co-Chair of a committee  so that library staff can contact them if they have any questions.
      •    The information sheet created for that event needs to make it clear who can join the committee, e.g. staff and APs.
   3. The Diversity Committee recommends holding the committee fair again next year before the call goes out to join committees.
3. Updates and Announcements
   1. Central Illinois Library Workers: This group has not met since late March; however, they will have a meeting soon.
   2. The External Review Report and Recommendations on Diversity and Inclusion from the Chancellor’s office is available at https://chancellor.illinois.edu/blog/view/7101/492526.
   3. Cindy will attend the diversity summit on May 11 and will report back to the committee after the meeting.
   4. The Senate Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Committee which JJ is on met with the Chancellor  on April 12. The Chancellor wants to create a university level structure for diversity, and he seems supportive of the idea in the External Review to “appoint a cabinet level Vice-Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion…p. 12). The chancellor wants everything related to diversity to be under one umbrella to limit overlap efforts and to overcome issues such as “underfunding and under-staffing.” Some of the responsibilities under the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Access will be done elsewhere.
4. Upcoming Webinars
   1. ALCTS Exchange sessions, May 13 and 15 include several sessions on Social Justice and libraries.  See https://alcts2017.learningtimesevents.org/program/ for full schedule. You can login and create an account to attend the discussion or watch in room 106.
   2. “Cultural Humility” will be May 25, 12-1pm in 428 Main. It is free and offered through the Office for Diversity, Literacy & Outreach Services of the American Library Association.
   3. Digital Literacy and Fake News webinar: June 1st, from 2 pm – 5 pm, in Room 106 at the Main Library.  Lisa Hinchliffe is one of the speakers. Cindy will send an announcement to the Champaign County Library workers group. This event is sponsored by Library 2.0-the future of libraries in the digital age. See www.library20.com for recordings of sessions.
5. Spring and Summer Events
   1. Diversity Committee Brown Bag Series:
      1. JJ had a Brown Bag on April 26 and the discussion was great. It highlighted the fact that the library needs to organize and do more about disability and accessibility.  JJ is thinking about having office hours for the library’s employees so they can have a place to go to talk about things related to disabilities.
      2. On May 17, Qiang will talk about “Four Generations in the Work Place.” Zoe will send a reminder to LibNews with a short description of the content.
      3. The committee suggested that others from the Library get involved and help if they suggest ideas for future brown bag discussions.
      4. Another suggestion is to keep the Brown Bags on the same day every month.
   2. Potluck: we will try to have it late July/early August. Zoe will talk to Greg to find out  if he can help and she will confirm the date of the potluck..
   3. Cultural Communication workshop with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services or ISSS: Zoe talked with Amira about the workshop duration and it needs to be less than 3 hours and to be around mid-June or mid-July 2017.
6. Upcoming Summer Meetings
   1. June 13—No Meeting. The Diversity Committee’s members instead should consider attending “Crucial Conversations” workshop with Shirley Stelbrink from 9-12.
   2. Copies of the book Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson and others have been purchased.  Members of SDTC are doing a pilot reading group this summer to see how long one needs to read the book.. We will consider having a reading group around this book in the fall.
   3. July 11, 9-11 am: This will be a planning meeting. JJ informed the committee that the chancellor wants to have the committee create a strategic plan to present their plan for the future and include what is the committee’s priority for next years.
   4. Cindy will send an email to the committee about the meeting on July 11.
7. Parking Lot/Future Agenda Items:
   1. Greg Knott report back from Big 10 HR meeting
   2. Committee Strategic Plan
   3. Revision of Diversity Statement
   4. Online Form for Diversity/Inclusion Ideas and Concerns
      We again discussed the idea for an online form for Library staff to give input about diversity/inclusion issues or to register concerns. Cindy met with JoAnn Jacoby who suggested that the ClimateQUAL Implementation Team investigate this. JoAnn also suggested that there may already be enough things in place for Library staff to send comments or report concerns; they may just need to be more visible via the Library website. We also discussed the fact that the Library currently does not have a place or a person to go to when an employee has a concern. The library needs someone who knows about the library and the culture of the library so he or she can advise those who need consultation. Cindy Kelly filled this roll, and then after she retired, Beth Woodard has been doing some of this. The committee will bring this issue back to the conversation in July.