NEWS: ASERL selects Elaina Norlin to lead Professional Development programming.

INTRODUCTION
ASERL and its member libraries have long supported just and equitable access to information resources, and strive to build collections, services, and staffs that reflect the diverse nature of the communities we serve.  In May 2018, ASERL members unanimously approved a Values Statement on Diversity and Inclusion.  As part of that statement, ASERL members strive to:

1. Understand and communicate the principles of diversity and inclusion in order to attract, retain, and grow the skills of employees from a variety of populations;
2. Set achievable and measurable goals, and regularly monitor and assess progress towards those goals;
3. Seek constructive input from employees at all levels of our organizations to ensure programming is relevant and useful;
4. Allocate resources to ensure programming is successful and sustainable;
5. Build library collections that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve;
6. Maintain transparency regarding our successes and challenges over time;
7. Acknowledge impact of past and present actions.

ASERL also charged a Deans’ Committee to develop an activity plan that would support members’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programming needs.  In Fall 2018, The Deans’ Committee tasked a Working Group of Diversity Coordinators to conduct an environmental scan of current programming and areas of need; this research informed a set of Recommended Activities and Resources that has since been approved by ASERL’s Board and full membership.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

• NEWS: ASERL and BTAA launch Library Accessibility Partnership. See the announcement.
• ASERL is a Hero Sponsor of the IDEAL ’19 conference, presented by The Ohio State University Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of College & Research Libraries.
• ASERL is a co-sponsor of the Library Diversity Residency Conference, hosted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on August 26-27, 2019 in Greensboro, North Carolina.  See https://librarydiversity.institute/ldrs-conference/ for more information.

ASERL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Deans’ Committee & Coordinators’ Working Group

* = Committee / Working Group co-chair
** = Liaison to ASERL Board of Directors