[LIBRARYDIR] Professional development series on anti-racism practices in libraries

[Watkins, Candice]

Hello LLC! I'm sending the below message on the behalf of Aryana Bates and Lynn Kanne who have been developing an exciting EDI opportunity. Please read the below message. A HUGE thank you to both Aryana and Lynn for doing this work and providing the opportunity for LLC. I look forward to working more on this as a group!


Library Leaders,

Something good is happening.  The Washington State Library (WSL) has agreed to fund a professional development series on anti-racism practices in libraries.  This program is targeted to the Washington State community college libraries and is meant to be offered as an opportunity to a new cohort of libraries each year over several years.  The idea is that each participating library commits to learning and growing together with the support from this program. The training will be contracted with Sofia Leung<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sofiayleung.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cdb613bb126fd46e0bd7408d97a13f54c%7C02d8ff38d7114e31a9156cb5cff788df%7C0%7C0%7C637675048412972132%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=h6I5v4Z%2FRvKUIGYAAuVUx9E4KtPxELtZ8HAHelwjzhE%3D&reserved=0> and will begin as a pilot project for/with the Seattle Colleges, Fall 2021 through Spring 2022.



Background:  Originally, North Seattle and Seattle Central college library deans reached out to WSL to explore funding options for a comprehensive, iterative training in anti-racism practices for our entire staff and faculty.  The ask grew into a discussion about scaling up to an initiative that could potentially benefit the entire system.  After confirming a significant level of interest with LLC, we entered an agreement with WSL to run the pilot with the promise of cultivating the professional development into a system wide opportunity.



Expansion:  The intention is that the initiative will expand into a second (2022-2023), a third (2023-2024), and possibly later waves of participation by libraries throughout the system.  This is completely voluntary, but the dream is that we reach a critical mass of participation within our system, library by library.  Potentially, this could evolve into a longer-term initiative that involves cycling back through the colleges so that early adopters get a refresher.  The learning is iterative, after all.


LLC Workgroup: At our Fall meeting, we will form a sub-task force of the EDI Workgroup charged with pulling this initiative through.  Initial objectives will be to outline a process for how to identify second wave participating libraries.  Lynn Kanne and I have committed to serving as co-leads for this task force and would love company.


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