Lessons in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Managing Change from Where You Are

Sponsored by ProQuest
Recorded on 01/28/2021

Posted in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA)

Summary:

Transforming libraries into diverse, equitable and inclusive institutions is accomplished by driving change from within, through learning and unlearning, and through conversation and collective action. In order to stick, systemic change must be enacted from all levels within an organization’s structure. This webinar will offer guidance for libraries to effectively organize for diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice.

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Speakers:

Roosevelt Weeks
Director
Austin Public Library

Roosevelt Weeks (he/him/his) is the Director of the Austin Public Library where he leads a dynamic team and library system. His responsibility includes 20 branch locations, the History Center and a new Central Library. Roosevelt joined the Austin Public Library team in September of 2017. Prior to joining the Austin Public Library, he was the Deputy Director and Chief of Staff at the Houston Public Library. Roosevelt is passionate about improving technology, literacy and education, both inside and outside of the library. He also works directly with community leaders to agree upon shared values, vision, and measures of success. This furthers the combined goal of ensuring a future workforce capable of the complex critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing competitive environment. In addition, he is a member and serves on several committees within the American Library Association (ALA), Public Library Association (PLA), Texas Library Association (TLA), and Urban Library Council (ULC).  He also is a member and participates within National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).


Katie Dover-Taylor (Contributor)
Interim Head of Information Services
William P. Faust Library

Katie Dover-Taylor (she/her/hers) is currently the Interim Head of Information Services at the William P. Faust Library in Westland, Michigan. She identifies as a white, queer, ciswoman from Detroit and a public librarian committed to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace, in libraries, and beyond. Katie approaches this work through both scholarship and organizing. As a member of the Public Library Association (PLA) Task Force on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Social Justice, Katie regularly develops and leads trainings for public library workers and contributes to Public Libraries magazine. In 2017, Katie co-authored the chapter “Disrupting Whiteness: Three Perspectives on White Anti-Racist Librarianship” for Topographies of Whiteness: Mapping Whiteness in Library and Information Science. In 2018, she was elected Union Chair. In July 2020, she co-authored PLA’s Call to Action for Public Library Workers to Address Racism.