The New Port Richey Public Library has created a diversity policy plan to promote equal opportunity and a diverse workforce, collection, and programming. The plan's goals are to advocate for managing diversity through training and policies, recruit a diverse staff, reflect the diverse community served, ensure accountability through data collection, and form partnerships to support diversity efforts. Objectives and actions are outlined under each goal around topics like outreach, hiring, materials, and programming in multiple languages and formats.

1. New Port Richey Public Library Promoting Diversity & Equal Opportunity Diversity Policy Plan

2. Diversity Statement Diversity is more than nationality, gender, race, physical ability and age. It’s also language, religion, heritage, talents, skills, beliefs, sexual orientation, education and life experiences. Diversity is your library’s greatest asset. NPR Library is committed to both equal opportunity in employment as well as a diverse representation of materials and programming.

3. Diversity Statement The library needs to attract and retain a skilled, competent and diverse workforce with opportunities for advancement, training and challenges for all. Your library is dedicated to an inclusive, supportive, and open environment in which all people are respected as individuals and valued for their contributions.

4. The Plan This plan is a living document; as your library continues its journey to build a culture of diversity, modification will be necessary.

5. Advocacy Goal 1: Advocacy Create a workforce that is cognizant of the library’s role and the importance of promoting and managing diversity.

6. Advocacy Objectives: 1. Provide a framework for managing diversity. Actions: Opportunities to learn about the Diversity Plan Diversity Network Provide managers with tools.

7. Advocacy Objectives: 2. Create policies and procedures that ensure all employees opportunities to accomplish the library’s mission as well as their own. Actions: System of accountability and accomplishment for department heads Distribute diversity initiative updates to staff through a diversity newsletter

8. Recruit Goal 2: Recruit Develop the library’s potential workforce for the 21st century; attract and retain the best and the brightest diverse employees in all areas. Objectives: 1. Develop outreach programs that will attract high caliber diverse employees, provide exposure and stimulate interest in the library’s mission. 2. Increase workforce diversity in all areas of the library.

9. Recruit Actions: Plan activities with colleges and industry to promote the library’s image and to attract quality staff. Identify community organizations that work specifically with diverse populations, i.e. physically impaired, language challenged, etc. and network with these agencies.

10. Recruit Actions: Develop a program which introduces the library profession as a career to high school and college students. Market through career awareness and orientation programs. Create a directory of appropriate media and web sites to promote recruitment. Document the development of a plan that aggressively recruits a qualified and diverse applicant pool. Evaluate the a scholarship benefit for professional development.

11. Reflect Goal 3: Reflect Reflect the people we serve and the larger global community, providing a wide range of opportunities for people with diverse needs and interests. Objectives: 1. Diverse programming 2. Diverse collection

12. Actions: Multilingual training, story hours and literacy/English as a Second Language classes Materials in alternate formats and languages Programming to cultivate and sustain a diverse community

13. Accountability Measures and Accountability Meaurement increases credibility and benchmarks growth. Measurement may be done by a comparative process that includes baseline data.

14. Accountability Collect baseline data regarding the number of EEO complaints and grievances filed in the fiscal year: aim to reduce to 0. Collect baseline data regarding the number of employees who participated in diversity training: aim to increase participation by 100%. Develop a turnover report and establish tools such as exit interviews: aim to show a decrease in turnover. Collect baseline data regarding the number of materials and programs supporting diversity that are produced each year. Also monitor circulation statistics and program attendance with an aim to increase awareness and use.

15. Partnerships Managing diversity requires change; it also requires staff at all levels to partner in this effort. Specific efforts will be established with Human Resources, professional, community and educational organizations. "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.”- Maya Angelou