This document summarizes a presentation about diversifying academic library collections through collaboration at the University of Kent. It discusses conducting audits of reading lists to evaluate diversity and developing a Diversity Mark framework with student input. Pilots involved collaborating with schools to discuss audit outcomes and create a toolkit of diverse resources. Feedback indicated students were unaware of influencing reading lists and assumed they were predominantly written by white males. The project aims to mainstream diversification by taking a collaborative, grassroots approach while addressing challenges around resources, priorities, and lone advocacy.

1. Presentationfor CILIP ScotlandAugust 2020
SarahField & Emma Mires Richards, LiaisonLibrarians
Diversifying academic library collections: a collaborative approach

2. About Kent
• We have over 19, 000 students and about 3,500 staff.
• Our latest Annual EDI report demonstrate some of our
demographics
• Library services are across physically two sites providing
over 1 million items
• Additional digital collections to our students in the UK as well
as our European Centres
• Library resources for teaching are managed via Talis , our
reading list system.
• The Academic Liaison team within the library works
with schools to developing library collections and support
information literacy

3. Rationale – students want diverse
resources!
“I’d take so much pride in my studies and be so
happy. I’d just be soaked in my studies. And
because everyone on the course is doing it you
can have a proper conversation… let’s talk
about it.”
(Black stage 3 student, focus group Feb 2019)

4. Project Background & Partnership
Diversity Mark pilot 2018 - 2020
• Student Success Network
• Research project
• Developing interventions
• Team of development officers based in schools
• Students
• Kent Union – ‘Diversify my curriculum’ 2017
• Decolonise UKC manifesto – Law students 2018
• Library team
• Prior experience with reading lists for OPERA
accessibility

5. Diversity
Mark Pilot

6. Diversity Mark Project Timeline
2018
Formulating
Decision with key
collaborators on
importance and
method of diversifying
library collections.
2018/19
Pilot
Initial pilots with key
schools to audit
reading lists and
discuss outcomes;
SECL/SSPSSR/SES
Develop toolkit for
supporting
schools/academics
2019
Extending
Promoting project
Funding for 4
additional schools to
pilot.
Research on other
library collections
2020
Embedding
Finalise a
framework and
award criteria
Used as TEF
evidence
Develop reading
list retreats
2020/21
Enhancing
Launch Diversity
mark with first
awardees.
‘Pledge’ from other
schools
Review
procurement for
library collections

7. Diversity Mark Framework

8. Diversity Mark Award
• Submission
• Assessment by student-led panel
• Moodle Award that identifies actions
• Review and monitoring through module
evaluation and our reading list reporting
• Measuring impact at module/programme
level
Launch with first awardees Autumn
2020!

9. Looking at the evidence
Pilot Project with SECL Led by Dr Laura Bailey with student researchers: Miriam Jeyasingh & Wayne Laviniere

10. “I was surprised that my list was as white and
male as it turned out to be, and I did make a
point of mentioning it to students on that
module and on another, final year module
that I teach. Some shrugged their shoulders
and said that sometimes it's only white men
who have written the good books (!); others
responded much more enthusiastically about
the idea of an audit, and it led to a good
discussion about decolonising the university.”
“I was surprised that my list was as white and male
as it turned out to be, and I did make a point of
mentioning it to students on that module and on
another, final year module that I teach. Some
shrugged their shoulders and said that sometimes
it's only white men who have written the good
books (!); others responded much more
enthusiastically about the idea of an audit, and it
led to a good discussion about decolonising the
university.” (Module convenor, Feb 2019)
discussion about decolonising the university.”

11. Engaging with students
“There was a general consensus that students weren’t aware that contributing
or changing the reading list was an option. There was also an assumption that
the reading list was white British male-oriented and that’s just the way it is.
The view was expressed that more representation could encourage more
engagement given they know where the sources were coming from in the first
place.” (Evangeline Agyeman, Social Sciences student)
“I believe without diversity; our perspectives will as a consequence be limited
to a Eurocentric outlook, which does not display the critical thinking that we
are so often encouraged to do at university level” (Collins Konadu-Mensah,
Social Sciences student)
https://talis.wistia.com/medias/o0cvulqa6s (Talis presentation)

12. Diversity Toolkit
Toolkit includes:
• Highlights from existing collections,
alternative formats and open access
resources
• Links to our Liberation History reading lists
• Padlet of niche and independent
publishers, relevant diversity networks
• Ideas from our teaching staff
• Recommend a book to the library

14. Road to mainstreaming
• Collaborative approach = diverse perspectives/student
involvement/lack of consensus
• Grassroots/bottom up approach = freedom & creativity, lonely
voice in some spaces
• Lack of formal project framework = flexible, decision-making,
no deadlines!
• Resourcing = no specific funding, issues with conflicting priorities
& time constraints
• External recognition = highlighted the student voice, leverage in our
organisation
• Network support = self learning/ sharing expertise/critical
reflection

15. Feedback and thoughts
Join the discussion - https://padlet.com/sf434/bimlav1awch

16. References & further information
• Gurminder K. Bhambra, Dalia Gebrial, Kerem Nişancıoğlu (eds) (2019)Decolonising the University. Pluto Press:
London
• Schucan Bird, K. and Pitman, L. (2019). How diverse is your reading list? Exploring issues of representation and
decolonisation in the UK https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-019-00446-9
• Universities UK (2019) Black, Asian and minority ethnic student attainment at UK universities: #ClosingtheGap‘
https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2019/bame-student-attainment-uk-
universities-closing-the-gap.pdf
Other conference presentations:
Talis Insight Europe 2019 https://talis.wistia.com/medias/o0cvulqa6s
CILIP ILIG Decolonisation conference all presentations https://padlet.com/jim_finch8472/cnryftdmavot
Mailing lists:
Sharing good practice in decolonising library collections and services. LIS-DECOLONISE@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Higher Education Race Action Group alerts and communications HERAG@JISCMAIL.AC.UK