51st Annual Conference

Cost: $15. Registration required.

Cross-cultural and restorative justice initiatives through campus and community-wide partnerships have been fundamental in establishing an academic library on a small university campus as a leader in cultural enhancement initiatives. Dominican University is classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) that is approximately 65% Hispanic identified. From working with marginalized high school students in the local community to carefully curating a highly educational Afro-Latino exhibit, many of the multicultural efforts in the library have strengthened the partnerships with faculty and administration across campus and with nearby campus communities. These partnerships have been critical for the development and marketing of the library's multicultural and restorative justice efforts. The fundamental purpose of the cultural enhancement initiatives in the library and building campus and community-wide partnerships is to center and reframe voices of those not reflected in the dominant culture. Developments in the library have evolved from focusing on cultural competency to cultural enhancement. The library's collection development efforts, promotional materials, and student materials are only part of the cultural competency efforts made to be impactful to our student body. Our library has extended itself to be a safe space for a diverse community that goes above and beyond providing traditional library services. We are unique in our efforts because we do not tie our initiatives to assumed hardships our marginalized students face. Instead, we focus on their diverse culture, skillsets, and life experiences for them to feel represented in an institution that historically was created without them in mind. The library has become a safe space where students can see themselves and develop a sense of belonging. All European and neutral artworks have been removed from the library space and replaced with exhibits and visual art that are reflective of the student's culture and heritage. Programming in the library has shifted to include more culturally inclusive and restorative justice work, from bringing in cultural icons in the Land Back Movement to partnering students with community organizations that specifically inspire Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) through education and social justice initiatives. This workshop will use examples from the library's JEDI work and use concept map methodologies with participants to develop a restorative justice or culturally inclusive initiative at their institutions. This workshop will provide strategies on how to cultivate multicultural programming, exhibits, and other culturally enhancing work in an academic library. This workshop will also review the tactics used by the library to build the notoriety and confidence in these efforts with senior university administrators. The presenters will outline specific strategies used at their university and collaborate with participants on how to start these partnerships at their institutions“ even if their schools have not established any JEDI initiatives. Lastly, this presentation aims to illustrate the methodologies and reasonings how and why the library cultivated the many diverse programs and exhibits through various partnerships that increased the visibility of underrepresented groups and enhanced cultural competencies across campus. We aim for this workshop to be celebratory and interactive.