University Libraries Action Plan for Inclusive Excellence

Boatwright Memorial Library and Parsons Music Library affirm the University of Richmond's Commitment to Inclusive Excellence and institutional values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We commit to the following action items so that we may realize the University's vision within the libraries:

• Ensuring that the university-wide commitment to inclusive excellence is interwoven in all facets of the University Libraries including, but not limited to: information literacy instruction; hiring and retention; curricular and pedagogical innovation; the development and implementation of library policies; the planning, execution, coordination, and assessment of library initiatives; library systems and metadata; print, digital, and special collections development; and allocation of the library budget.
• Collaborating with the campus and community to develop and implement effective strategies to ensure that the University Libraries, physically and virtually, are accessible to and welcoming of all students, faculty, and staff.
• Cultivating an equitable work environment for library employees, both staff and students.
• Regularly soliciting and incorporating feedback from students, faculty, staff, and the community about the libraries' inclusivity: its successes, failures, and opportunities.

We embrace our collective responsibility to contribute to the University of Richmond's broader diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. While we have made some progress toward becoming a more diverse and welcoming library, we recognize that creating and sustaining a genuinely inclusive, intercultural community in which all members can thrive requires our continued commitment and attention. Much work remains to align our actions with our aspirations. This tension is not new but is instead woven into our history and the history of academic libraries -- histories we must acknowledge, reckon with, learn from, and move beyond.

As we embark upon the long-term work to refine and reimagine the processes, structures, and cultures within the libraries to uphold the University's diversity, equity, and inclusion values, we commit ourselves to become a positive force on our campus for equity and justice.