Taking AIM: Integrating Organization Development into the Creation of a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Audit

Introduction Assessing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in US academic libraries is currently a non-standardized process. Often, efforts to assess DEI have focused on counting the number of librarians or staff of color working in the library, an artificial and limited measure that narrowly equates DEI with staffing. In 2012, the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) published a list of “Diversity Standards” that expanded the idea of what DEI entailed in libraries, while also increasing the complexity of measuring DEI.1 ACRL’s “Standards” suggested that, in addition to the diversity of the workforce, DEI competency in libraries also included areas such as delivery of services, organizational dynamics, the development of collections, professional development, and research.2 In a similar vein, the American Library Association (ALA) included DEI as one of eight “Key Action Areas” for the Association.3 While workforce diversity remained prominent within the goals and strategies of this strategic area, there was also recognition of the importance of DEI within LIS education, professional development, and research endeavors.4