Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Guide

This guide represents the steps we're taking to include folks of all races, genders, sexualities, disabilities (apparent and non-apparent), neurodiversities, ages, cultures and nationalities. Much, but not all, of this work is being done by two groups within the library: the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee and the Events & Programming Committee (EPCOM).

We recognize that equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging are core to the mission of the Caltech Library.

• Equity goes beyond equality and means fair and impartial access to our collections and services for the entire Caltech community.
• Diversity means all of the various ways the members of our community are unique; it includes but is not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and national origin.
• Inclusion means embracing all members of our community as part of a greater whole.
• Belonging means full acceptance of the members of our community and celebrating them for the richness their experiences bring to our collective work.

These values are the primary guiding principle in our work, and they are both individual responsibilities and institutional imperatives.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a key part of the Caltech Library's Strategic Plan for 2021-2023, specifically two goals and six outcomes:

Goal 1: Promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging for all members of the Caltech community in all of our collections and services.

• Outcome: In harmony with Caltech’s core values, we actively and consistently work toward equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Outcome: Our services and resources satisfy the accessibility needs of the Caltech community.

Goal 2: Provide our staff with opportunities for professional development, growth, inclusion, and belonging.

• Outcome: The Caltech Library is an inclusive environment that promotes belonging among staff.
• Outcome: Library staff are recognized for their contributions to the Library and the Caltech community.
• Outcome: We have identified potential pathways for growth for all staff positions.
• Outcome: Staff are encouraged to continue to grow professionally. They regularly take advantage of training and development opportunities.

Most of the collaborators responsible for this guide in its original form are cisgender white women who benefit from the white supremacist systems and types of oppression outlined in this guide. There are limits and hidden biases at work that stem from our privileges and perspectives. We have attempted to bring together relevant resources on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility issues for the Caltech community, and we welcome feedback and suggestions for the guide, particularly from the perspectives and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and non-Black People of Color (BIPOC) from the Caltech community.

This statement was adapted with permission from the Denver University Libraries' Guide on Anti-racist Resources.