I believe that everyone has the right to a good education, including the right to access information through libraries. I believe that our collections and resources should reflect the diversity of our community, and be accessible to all members of our community. And I believe that it’s imperative to help the next generation become educated and engaged digital citizens, people that will continue to learn about the world around them long after they have left the university.
I particularly embrace the need for information literacy for all students, whether they are 9 years old or 99. When discussing research with undergraduate students, I strive to communicate the guidelines as set by the Association of College and Research Libraries, especially those that relate to research as inquiry, scholarship as conversation, and searching as strategic exploration.
After working from home for a year, I have also become aware of how much is unavailable when away from campus. I believe we need to commit to more open access materials, and more electronic materials, that can be used from any space. This directly relates to the actions ALA Executive Director Tracie A. Hall called for in her opening remarks for the 2020 (Virtual) ALA Conference: More access to the Internet and digital services for all patrons, as well as a more diverse field of accredited librarians and library workers to ensure equitable access to knowledge and resources, which both require the third tenet in her directive – more investment in libraries, both from government funding and private partnerships.
Finally, I believe librarians need to do more to promote equity, diversity and inclusion. During my time at Fondren Library, I have been actively working to promote diversity and inclusion. I worked to expand representation of diverse voices in the juvenile literature collection. I joined the EDIA Committee, which has been working to create goals for better inclusion, diversity and equity across SMU Libraries. And I have been seeking out seminars and workshops to become a better ally and advocate for our diverse community, completing Ally Training through the Women and LGBT Center at SMU, seeking out seminars on diversity, equity and inclusion at various conferences, and registering for a course on universal learning design in spring 2022.