Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

CARL has prioritized advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research libraries as an important area for capacity building within its member institutions over the coming years.

CARL hired its first Visiting Program Officer for EDI and formed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group (EDIWG) in the summer of 2019 to shape CARL’s EDI-related initiatives and communications and support the planning and delivery of activities in the following areas:

  • Recruitment: How can CARL support expanding the pool of individuals from diverse backgrounds entering the profession?
  • Retention: How can CARL libraries create welcoming environments to support ongoing retention of staff from diverse backgrounds?
  • Staff Learning: Can CARL facilitate educational opportunities to better prepare staff to support a diverse workforce and a diverse student population?
  • Services and Spaces: What are successful practices for creating welcoming and inclusive services and spaces in research libraries?

To date EDIWG initiatives include:

In March 2021, CARL partnered with the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) – an external organization specializing in promoting diversity and inclusion in Canada – to conduct a diversity and inclusion study of, and for, its members. More information on CARL’s Diversity and Inclusion Study