Diversity Committee

The Library Diversity Committee provides leadership and guidance to the Library by encouraging awareness about and discussions of diversity. Specifically, the Committee will focus on diversity issues with regard to Library climate, staff training and development, services to patrons, and campus outreach.

Working with Library Administration, the Human Resources Office, and the Staff Development and Training Committee, the Library Diversity Committee will establish and prioritize goals regarding the provision of diversity services and training. The Committee will also plan and promote diversity activities within the Library. Finally, the Committee will support, if and when appropriate, the work of the Library’s Affirmative action Officer and Equal Employment Opportunity Committee.

The Committee is appointed by the University Librarian, with the advice of the Executive Committee. The Gender and Multicultural Services Librarian, the Inclusive Illinois Representative(s), and a representative from Library Human Resources will serve as ex-officio members. In addition, the Committee will include one member from the International and Area Studies Library. The Committee will also include at least six additional members at-large. Members at-large are full- or part-time Library employees from both academic and support staffs, serve two-year staggered terms, and may be appointed to one successive term. The chair is appointed annually by the University Librarian.  Additional members may be appointed to represent special concerns.

• Cindy Ingold, Co-Chair(Aug 2017 - Aug 2022)
  Gender and Women's Studies and Multicultural Services Librarian
• Atoma Batoma, Co-Chair(Aug 2021 - Aug 2023)
  African Studies Librarian
• Yali Feng(Aug 2020 - Aug 2022)
  Behavioral Sciences Research and Data Services Librarian
• Mikael Fox(ex officio - BTIL Project)
  Graduate Assistant
• George Gottschalk(Aug 2020 - Aug 2022)
  Director of Acquisitions
• Qiang Jin(Aug 2021 - Aug 2023)
  Senior Coordinator Cataloger
• Tracy Popp(Aug 2021 - Aug 2023)
  Digital Preservation Coordinator
• Victor Jones, Jr., Non-Voting Member(ex officio - DEIA)
  Director of DEIA
• Susan Breakenridge, Non-Voting Member(ex officio - Human Resources)
  Assistant Dean for Business & Human Resources

Message from Library Dean Wilkin

The University of Illinois library is committed to diversity.  The greater the complexity of a task or problem, the better the outcome if varied perspectives are brought to creating the resolution. If everyone thinks in the same way, our innovation and creativity are limited.  In all aspects of our work, in order to solve problems and innovate, we need different points of view, different mental models, different training, different understanding, different approaches.  We need difference. Research supports the notion that teams with diverse experiences perform better than those with homogeneous experiences.  The complexity of our challenges demands that we strive for diversity in our organization.

• Syamil Yakin(ex officio - BTIL Project, Sep 2020 - Dec 2021)
  Project Volunteer
• Leon Wilson(Aug 2020 - Feb 2022)
  IT Specialist
• Hanna LaFond-Hyman(ex officio - Human Resources, Aug 2020 - Aug 2021)
• Megan Ozeran(Aug 2019 - Aug 2021)
• Jessica Ballard, Co-Chair(Aug 2019 - Aug 2021)
• Sarah Christensen(Aug 2019 - Aug 2021)
• Ruthann Miller(Aug 2019 - Aug 2021)
• Jameatris Rimkus(Aug 2019 - Aug 2021)
• Spencer D. C. Keralis, Chair(Aug 2019 - Mar 2022) Served Two Consecutive Terms
  Digital Humanities Librarian
• Krystle Simmons(Aug 2018 - Aug 2020)
• Kim Hutcherson(ex officio - Human Resources, Aug 2018 - Aug 2020)
• Hoa Luong(Aug 2018 - Aug 2020)
• Alisha Taylor(Aug 2018 - Aug 2020)
• Zoe P Revell(ex officio - Human Resources, Aug 2016 - Aug 2019)

Spring 2022 Meeting Schedule:

February 1, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

March 1, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

April 5, 1:00-2:00 p.m.

May 3, 3:00-4:00 p.m.

All meetings will be conducted remotely.

• Show All
• 2021-2022
• 2020-2021
• 2019-2020
• 2018-2019
• 2017-2018
• 2016-2017
• 2015-2016
• 2014-2015