From audit to action: A case study on cultivating and sustaining organizational efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility

Abstract

Although modern library professional organizations name diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) as core values, the library and information science field still struggles with assessing DEIA efforts within its organizations. While workforce and collection diversity efforts are the most common DEIA initiatives in libraries, assessment of a library's collective DEIA efforts and employee knowledge and perceptions of these efforts is severely lacking. How can academic libraries collect and quantify employee sentiment and knowledge about DEIA work across all departments to create a baseline measurement of library efforts? And what are successful strategies to ensure this process is transparent and inclusive? This case study documents one academic library's employee-led process of conducting a library-wide, holistic audit of its DEIA efforts using the mixed methods Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Self- Assessment Audit (DEISAA) instrument. It discusses the communication strategies and decision-making processes the library engaged in to prepare for the administration of the DEISAA to all library employees and the individualized recommendations received based on the assessment results. The process documentation can serve as a blueprint for other libraries or institutions who wish to assess their organization's DEIA efforts with an audit.