Developing libraries for all: a toolkit for equity and inclusion
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This document discusses developing a toolkit for public libraries to better serve all members of the community. It details the author's experience winning an award to travel to the US and ask other library professionals questions about their policies, procedures, outreach activities, and how they serve those experiencing homelessness. The goal is to move from treating all users the same to investing in understanding diverse needs and incorporating them into planning and services to ensure equity.
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Developing libraries for all: a toolkit for equity and inclusion
- 1. Libraries are for everyone Developing the public libraries toolkit
- 2. The idea My own experience Questioning policy and procedure Opportunities to do things better
- 3. The opportunity Kath Knowles Young Leaders Award Mentorship Travel to US
- 4. The questions What do other library professionals do? What policy, procedures and training do other libraries have? What outreach activities do other libraries do?
- 5. More questions What is the library experience for those who are homeless? What do people who are experiencing homelessness want or need from the library? What is their experience when they are in the library?
- 6. The definition Equity Move from ‘we treat everyone the same- all people are welcome, we don’t ask them to leave’ to ‘like other groups of library users, we are investing in understanding and recognising needs and working on ways to incorporate these needs into our planning and service delivery’
Editor's Notes
- Intro self Intro the project outcome- the toolkit Intro the project itself- the research, the findings and the ideas
- Working at Waverley- inconsistent approach among staff: Responding to customer expectations and complaints Responding to people experiencing homelessness- sometimes it was the staff who were making the complaint, urging a ban Policy and procedure- we didn’t really have anything specific in library policies Opportunity- I was aware that there had been industry conversations for sometime, I saw the needs of those experiencing homelessness as something that libraries would always need to address, so why not figure it out
- KKYLA - NSWPLA $5000 grant I used this to conduct some research around the state, and to travel to the US to attend the ALA Annual conference in Chicago. I met up with reps from social responsibility round table, and the Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty Task Force There were a lot of library workers in the states addressing homelessness- PhDs, ALA reps and staff from libraries big and small This was in 2011-12 when there was a very evident impact of the GFC on American society
- Attitudes and actions in NSW A range of attitudes and actions- some saying there is nothing wrong, some saying they see an issue, but don’t know what to do, and others testing things out There was a lack of policy and procedures being used by libraries, or of statewide policies being specifically applied to a library context In the US there was a lot of activity- membership requirements, outreach - going to shelters and providing classes, equipment, books; hiring people who were formerly homeless to advise and assist library staff when working with others experiencing homelessness
- I also completed some initial research of the experience of those who are homeless to consider in relation to the practices of our libraries Julie Winkelstein’s work on young people- information needs about public assistance, employment and education, transport, housing, health. There are also human needs such as advocacy and inclusion I also heard stories from some of the youth from this research talking about their social needs and how the library provides a safe place to meet friends They also talked about their experience of noticing different standards applied to different customers- regarding sleeping in the library, as well as how a mistrust of institutions can begin
- About how we as library professionals understand this concept- an attempt to move our understanding as a profession from ‘we treat everyone the same- people are welcome, we don’t ask them to leave’ to ‘like other groups of library users, we are investing in understanding and recognising needs and working on ways to incorporate these needs into our planning and service delivery’ ALA Policy 61 Library services for the poor Objectives around removal of barriers- such as fees and overdues, proof of address, promotion of accessible resources that are practical and respectful, promotion of training to sensitise staff to issues affecting poor people Advocacy- promoting training ops for staff to access funding and grants, consideration of the needs and specific issues facing the poor in all library decision making including budgeting Librarians as proactive members of the community
- This research and understanding was turned into the Libraries are for everyone toolkit The toolkit is for pro active library staff to pick up to look at how their own library is run Encourages review of procedures, ideas for programs and training