PLA Board of Directors
Midwinter Meeting 2018
2018.40
TO: PLA Board of Directors
RE: PLA Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
DATE: December 27, 2017
ACTION REQUESTED/INFORMATION/REPORT:
Report
REPORT PROVIDED BY:
Scott Allen, Deputy Director
DRAFT OF MOTION:
N/A
The PLA Board of Directors formed the Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in January 2017. The charge of the Task Force is “to develop a strategic and coordinated approach for PLA related to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion” and “to explore methods and consider resources to be developed that will allow PLA to take a multifaceted approach.” Seventeen members were appointed for roughly two-year terms to end June 30, 2019. The Task Force membership is listed at the end of this report.
The Task Force met at the 2017 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference and has held monthly online meetings. They set up communications channels using Google Groups and ALA Connect. They established multiple subcommittees:
· PLA 2018 Preconference: This group successfully proposed and is planning a full-day preconference at the PLA 2018 Conference in Philadelphia, PA.
· Communications: This group created two e-newsletters which were sent to all PLA members and added content to the regular PLA E-news.
· ALA Annual Conference Strategy Session: This group planned a strategy session with Mia Henry, Executive Director of Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, on June 22, 2017.
The group’s co-chairs, Richard Kong and Amita Lonial, facilitated a session at the PLA Board’s Fall 2017 meeting. The Task Force is currently drafting goals to be incorporated into the PLA 2018-2020 Strategic Plan. On December 5, 2017, two members along with the director of the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS) presented a webinar, “Understanding Power, Identity, and Oppression in the Public Library,” which had about 400 people register. Feedback from the 109 participants completing the evaluation was positive. Most recently, the Task Force has discussed the potential to do additional educational programs at public libraries and state/regional events. They are also planning to propose a session for the 2018 Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC), September 26-30, 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and may also be an event sponsor. They have discussed and/or initiated collaboration with other relevant groups, such as the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, the Joint Council of Librarians of Color, and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.
Additionally, PLA staff has reported internally on activities of the Task Force to ALA leadership and to the ODLOS, when requested. Most recently, PLA submitted a report in January 2018 which indicated PLA’s activities (via the Task Force and conference programming) are addressing nine of recommendations resulting from ALA’s task force.
Task Force on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Members
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PLA Board of Directors
Midwinter Meeting 2018
2018.40
Richard Kong, Co-Chair, Skokie Public Library
Amita Lonial, Co-Chair, San Diego Public Library
Jessica Anne Bratt, Grand Rapids Public Library
Katie Dover-Taylor, Detroit Public Library
Jane Eastwood, St. Paul Public Library
Rachel E. Fewell, Denver Public Library
Christina Fuller-Gregory, Spartanburg County Public Libraries
Toby Greenwalt, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Andrew F. Harbison, Seattle Public Library
Jason P. Kucsma, Toledo Lucas County Public Library
Cynthia Marie Landrum, Evansville Public Library
Sarah Lawton, Madison Public Library
Sheba Marcus-Bey, East Cleveland Public Library
Manya Danielle Shorr, Fort Worth Public Library
Amy Lynn Sonnie, South Novato Library at Marin County
Lois Langer Thompson, Hennepin County Public Library
Roosevelt Weeks, Austin Public Library
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PLA Board of Directors
Midwinter Meeting 2018
2018.XX
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