DEI Plan for Oregon College of Oriental Medicine(YouTube video): For this project, our team worked with the head librarian at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon to help get them started with a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative. The team took a three-pronged approach. Our team first identified trainings already available online for staff and students to utilize. Second, we created LibGuides to support specific DEI initiatives and topics identified by the librarian as high-need areas—LGBTQ+, Homelessness, and Microaggressions. Third, our team also created library programming guides for panel discussions about these topics and reached out to community resources/partnerships in Portland to see who would be willing to be on a panel.

Rebecca Baugniet: As a proud public library worker since 1998, the values of intellectual freedom and equal access to information guide my work. I have always been drawn to social justice work and am grateful for the opportunities that SJSU’s School of Information has provided throughout my MLIS program. In 2019, I completed a four-month summer internship with San Francisco Public Library’s Jail and Reentry Services, answering reference questions by mail for incarcerated patrons. More recently, it has been a real privilege to work with Britt, Kat, Nikki, Olivia and Paola on this Community Leadership project. I commit to continuing the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice, decolonization and anti-racism as I move forward in my library career.

Britt Bloom is a Senior Library Associate at the Pikes Peak Library District in Colorado Springs, where she works for the Young Adult Services Department. She expects to graduate with her MLIS in December of 2021.

Olivia Mules: Hi! I’m Olivia. Before starting at SJSU, I was a special education teacher in mathematics and science. My career goals include working in an academic library and providing reference services with a focus on information literacy skills. When I’m not doing schoolwork, I enjoy cooking, music, hikes with my family, and drinking an inordinate amount of iced coffee.

Katherine Roberts called Kat (she/they), is a multiracial library specialist with 10+ years working in school, academic, and public libraries. During her time as SJSU student, she has discovered a passion for social justice and the desire to promote multiracial services in libraries. After completing her MLIS, her goal is to continue educating herself in DEI, cultural competence, and other elements of social justice, with the ultimate goal of educating other library professionals and providing equitable services for patrons from all racial, socio-economic, and other identities and backgrounds.

Paola Andrea Vilaxa Araya: My name is Paola Vilaxa, I live in Denver, Colorado and I work as the Core Service Coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion at the Jefferson County Public Library. This is my second year at the MLIS program and I hope to graduate sometime in 2023.

I first studied journalism in Chile, where I am originally from. Before working in libraries, I was a Spanish instructor for ten years. I identify as an immigrant woman of color, a Latina, and a working mom. My intersectionality fuels my passion for working with underrepresented communities, especially immigrants and people of color.

When I am not trying to change our systems to create more inclusive libraries, I like to enjoy the outdoors and spend time with friends and family, travel, cooking and all things joyful.

Nikki Villalobos: I’ve been working in libraries for over 10 years, having started as a Page in the Pasadena Public Library system. Currently, I’m part of the Ontario City Library, working as a Library Assistant in the Ovitt Family Community Library in Ontario, California as part of the Adult Services. My favorite parts of working in the library are serving our homebound community, cultivating our Large Print collection, doing readers’ advisory, and making an excessive number of spreadsheets to track stats. I’ll be wrapping up my MLIS in Fall 2021.