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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Resources

A collection of resources for the BC community to explore topics on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

What is a Diversity Audit?

A​ ​diversity​ ​audit​ ​is​ ​​an​ ​inventory​ ​of​ ​a​ library's holdings​ ​to​ ​determine​ ​the​ ​amount​ ​of diversity​ ​within​ ​the​ ​collection.​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​way​ ​of​ ​analyzing​ ​collection​ ​data​ ​to​ ​make​ ​sure​ ​that​ ​we include​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​points​ ​of​ ​view,​ ​experiences​ ​and​ ​representations​ ​within​ ​a​ ​collection.​ ​Our goal​ ​is​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​well​ ​balanced​ ​collection​ ​that​ ​can​ ​be​ ​both​ ​a​ ​mirror​ ​(reflect​ ​a​ ​reader’s experience)​ ​and​ ​a​ ​window​ ​(so​ ​readers​ ​can​ ​experience​ ​different​ ​experiences).​ ​

Please read the blogs:​ ​​Windows​ ​and Mirrors:​ ​Why​ ​We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books and the #Ownvoices movements, if you are not already familiar with them. These sources cover the reasons it is important to intentionally, and even aggressively, be working to diversify our collections.

We Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and a grassroots organization of children's book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing ...

Who is your audience?

Prior to initiating​ ​an​ ​audit,​ ​it is​ ​helpful​ ​to​ establish​ the ​goals.​ Use resources all available resources to better your understanding of the demographic communities that comprise your local constituency. ​These publicly accessible tools will assist in creating ​realistic​ ​target goals.​ ​Also,​ ​use​ ​U.S.​ ​and​ ​World​ ​Census​ ​data.

U.S.​ ​Census​ ​Bureau​ ​QuickFacts​ ​selected:​ ​UNITED​ ​STATES
LGBT​ ​America:​ ​By​ ​the​ ​Numbers​ ​|​ ​Washington​ ​Week​ ​-​ ​PBS

According​ ​to​ ​the​ ​U.S​ ​Census​ ​Info​ ​for​ ​2016,​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​population​ ​can​ ​be​ ​broken​ ​down​ ​into​ ​the following​ ​percentages:

White​ ​Americans

76.9%

Black/African​ ​Americans

13.3%

Native​ ​Americans/Alaska​ ​Natives

1.3%

Asian​ ​Americans

5.7%

Native​ ​Hawaiian/Other​ ​Pacific​ ​Islander

0.2%

Hispanic/Latinos

17.8%

Americans​ ​with​ ​Disabilities​ ​(under​ ​65)

8.6%

Americans​ ​Identifying​ ​as​ ​LGBTQ

3.5%​ ​(0.3%​ ​identify​ ​as​ ​transgender)

Things​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​in​ ​mind:​ ​These​ ​are​ ​population​ ​estimates​ ​based​ ​on​ ​how​ ​various​ ​respondents self-report​ ​in​ ​limited​ ​categories​ ​given​ ​to​ ​them;​ ​there​ ​are​ ​estimations​ ​involved;​ ​personal​ ​identity and​ ​labels​ ​aren’t​ ​as​ ​easy​ ​as​ ​simple​ ​statistics​ ​and​ ​data​ ​lead​ ​one​ ​to​ ​believe.​ ​In​ ​addition,​ ​not​ ​all people​ ​within​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​the​ ​same​ ​experiences​ ​or​ ​stories​ ​so​ ​we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​variety​ ​of stories.​ ​And​ ​finally,​ ​diversity​ ​is​ ​intersectional,​ ​people​ ​identify​ ​in​ ​more​ ​than​ ​one​ ​way​ ​–​ ​for example​ ​a​ ​woman​ ​of​ ​color​ ​may​ ​also​ ​identify​ ​as​ ​LGBTQ​ ​–​ ​which​ ​makes​ ​diversity​ ​more​ ​complex than​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​audit​ ​would​ ​lead​ ​one​ ​to​ ​believe.