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.

CURRENT INITIATIVES

• NEWS: ASERL and BTAA launch Library Accessibility Partnership. See the announcement.
• ASERL has hosted several DEI related webinars this year.  The complete listing is available on our ASERL archives page.  Our most popular webinars include Why Do Most Diversity Trainings Fail,  Updating LibGuides Using an Anti Racist Framework and DEI Committees: The Good, The Bad and the The Ugly
• ASERL has created 2 ASERL DEI Taskforces.  The first taskforce will focus on recruitment trends and success stories both nationally and internationally.  The second taskforce will focus on retention strategies and healthy workplace models both nationally and internationally. The taskforce will be distributing the results through a combination of webinars, papers, regional trainings and presentations.

ASERL DEI TASKFORCES