New training resources address civility and bias in the workplace

CHICAGO - Two new training resources addressing civility and bias in the workplace are now available from the ALA Office for Diversity.

Developed by the ALA Office for Diversity and the ALA Committee on Diversity, these training cards feature strategies for increasing civility and combating bias to help foster diversity in the profession. Each card helps define the topic, its effect on the workplace and strategies for addressing the issue. The cards are designed to be used as conversation starters, for one-on-one coaching or in professional development programs.

“The issues of civility and unconscious bias in the workplace come up again and again in conversations with librarians from across the profession,” said Alexandra Rivera, associate librarian at the University of Michigan Library and chair of the Committee on Diversity. “It’s difficult to find training materials that address these issues from a library perspective and that can be easily introduced into different situations. We hope that these cards will help shed light on these important issues and stimulate discussions in libraries.”

Printed training cards are available for free to ALA members. Requests may be sent to diversity@ala.org and should include an ALA personal or organizational membership number, U.S. mailing address and the title and number (up to 20) of cards requested. Content from each training card is also available online at the Office for Diversity’s Web page http://www.ala.org/diversity.

Special thanks to the members of the Committee on Diversity for their efforts in developing these and other resources: Alexandra P. Rivera (chair), Mustafa Abdelwahid, Mario A. Ascencio, Latasha Baker, Deepa Banerjee, Audrey Barbakoff, Tina S. Chan, Roberto C. Delgadillo, Sol A. Gomez, Shelley R. Harrell, Allene F. Hayes, Darcell Little, Dale K. McNeill, Emma Mejia,Holly Okuhara, Sandy Wee and Stacie Mari Williams.

The Office for Diversity serves as a clearinghouse for diversity resources and a focal point for administering and fostering diversity as a value and key action area of the Association. The Office serves the membership through its initiatives and programs, resource development, active consultations and training on diversity issues that impact the profession, the workplace and information service delivery. Current resources address strategic planning for diversity, recruitment, and employment discrimination.