Previous EDI Discussions |
Previous Series Topics and Notes
The EDI Discussion Series began in the summer of 2023. This page archives the resources discussed as well as the notes taken by facilitators during each session.
2025
March 2025
Our sixth and seventh EDI discussions consisted of a two-part EDI training workshop, led by Kayla Jones, an independent EDI consultant formerly affiliated with the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition. The first session focused on understanding and encouraging DEI and the second looked at effective strategies for framing DEI initiatives to resistant audiences.
2024
August 2024
For our fifth discussion we partnered with NDLA's Professional Development to host a NDLA Water Cooler Chat on Inclusive Workplace Strategies. Water Cooler Chats are informal sessions to spark conversation, share ideas, and network with fellow ND librarians. We asked participants to share ways they were making their workplace a more inclusive and equitable space, whether that’s through policies and procedures, individual professional development, hiring practices, or other strategies.
To prepare for this discussion we recommended viewing the following resources:
Discussion NotesEquity, Diversity, Inclusion & Antiracism Toolkit by the Oregon Library Association
How to Ensure You Embed EDI When Advertising a Job Role by Sheffield Hallam University
April 2024
Our fourth topic was “Got 99 Problems and Ethics is One: Bias and Inclusion in the World of AI”. Issues of algorithmic bias and the amplification of social harms through automation have been known for some time. Given these problems, what does an ethical approach to AI in libraries look like?
To prepare for this discussion we recommended viewing the following resources:
Discussion Notes“These Women Tried to Warn Us About AI” (2023) by Lorena O’Neil in Rolling Stone
“Coded Bias” (2021), documentary directed by Shalini Kantayya for PBS (currently available on Netflix)
January 2024
Our third topic was “Truth, Justice, and Healing: Discussing the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive”. Digital Archives Assistant, Fallon Carey of the Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition led us through a guided tour of National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive, discussing the types of primary source materials collected from the National Archives at Seattle as well as the challenges and successes of building the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive.
This session recording is available for NDLA members. Log in to view the recording.
For more on this topic please check out the NABS Recommended Reading list!
2023
October 2023
Our second topic was “Let’s Talk About It! LGBTQ2S+ Inclusion in the Library”. This discussion followed up themes brought up in the EDI and LGBTQ2S+ Committees joint NDLA presentation: Call to Action from the LGBTQ2S+ and EDI Committee. We discussed how we can work to support LGBTQ+ patrons and promote inclusivity in the library in the context of last year's hostile legislative session.
June 2023
Our first topic was “Building Diverse Collections for Diverse Communities”. We discussed how to provide robust readers’ advisory services that value equity, diversity and inclusion principles.
To prepare for the discussion we recommended viewing the following resources:
- Becky Spratford’s #OwnVoices for All Readers: Incorporating EDI Values into Readers’ Advisory Service. This hour long workshop provides the information you need to diversify your suggestions, identify resources, and include more staff input in order to confidently promote and place more #OwnVoices titles into patrons’ hands.
- Becky Spratford’s blog RA for All where she offers title recommendations and further information on crafting inclusive and anti-racist library collections.