In this multifaceted online course, you’ll complete work to ensure that your collections, programs, services, and staff culture are diverse, equitable, and inclusive—with personal coaching from experts from libraries and beyond.

Live Interactive Sessions: Tuesdays: September 29, October 6 & 13, from 2-4 PM ET. Plus, self-guided options and additional bonus content offered so you can follow along at your own pace.

Live sessions bridged with online workshops, video lessons, assignments, discussions, and resources designed to help you build your own diversity initiative.

Certificate of Completion Provided
 

Also Available On-Demand! 

Can’t make a live session? All sessions will be available to you “on-demand” following the initial broadcast.

Course Overview

Do you want to ensure that your collections, programs, services, and staff culture are diverse, equitable, and inclusive?

Do you want to become more culturally literate and a more effective advocate for your community and institution?

In this course, you will learn from EDI experts in speaker sessions created specifically for library professionals. You’ll learn about the concrete actions library leaders are taking to make their libraries more equitable today and in the future, and the tools that make it possible. Practical coursework, along with targeted support, will take you from theory to application, helping you to transform your library services to better meet the needs of all your users—and bring in new ones.

You’ll complete assignments to build your own diversity initiative over 3+ weeks in an interactive online classroom environment with personal coaching from an expert in the field. In addition, you’ll have access to our foundational bonus content—a series of webinars from Library Journal and School Library Journal contributors along with rich supporting materials in the form of readings, activities, and videos—to explore at your own pace.
 

When you attend this interactive online course, you’ll come away with: 

• The ability to audit current library collections and programs through a culturally competent lens

• The ability to assess the inclusiveness of current collection development and RA practices, acquisitions, marketing, plus assessing scheduling practices, branch hours, and staff hiring and retention

• The ability to recognize common problematic stereotypes, tropes, and microaggressions in media

• A refresher on key diversity and cultural literacy concepts such as white privilege, unconscious bias, cultural appropriation, and intersectionality

The course features live guest speakers in interactive sessions with Q&A as well as self-guided assignments, readings, and weekly discussion topics to support deeper learning. You’ll work in small groups with facilitators experienced in anti-oppression work to complete assignments and field research that will fuel your diversity initiatives.

Inspiring Live Guest Speakers + Project-Based Learning:

Engage with presenters via live video stream, visual presentations, and chats, and workshop practical solutions in groups, with guidance from an advisor, to map out your own cultural literacy and inclusion initiatives. You’ll leave with well-developed strategies designed to make a lasting impact on your community.
 

Online course features:

• Instructor-led online course features personalized interaction over 3+ weeks

• Real-time guest speakers and conversation via live webcast (with recordings available afterward)

• Self-guided track with video lessons and supporting resources in the online classroom to provide a foundation for your work

• Homework assignments to help you make progress on your goals

• Individualized attention from course facilitators who work with you in a coaching environment to help sort out challenges

• Ongoing group conversation via discussion forums

• Articles, videos, and other resources

• Access all course content for 6 months after the course ends

• Bonus: Register early and get immediate access to archival video recordings from related courses 
   

Who should take this course:

This event is excellent for public librarians, both adult and youth services; academic librarians; and school librarians. The program will be especially relevant to librarians in collection development, collection management, merchandising and displays, programming, outreach, and library marketing. 
 

Session Themes:

• Reviewing the Basics: Foundations of Cultural Competency

• How to Conduct a Diversity Audit

• Recognizing Stereotypes, Tropes, and Appropriation

• Assessing Programming for Equity and Inclusiveness

• Using Local History to Combat Racism

• Dealing with Microaggressions

Can’t make a live session? No worries. All sessions will be available to you “on-demand” following the initial broadcast.