Connecting across Campus by Amplifying Anti-Racism Resources
Presented by
- Leta Hendricks (The Ohio State University)
- Gene R. Springs (The Ohio State University)
Description
In summer 2020, The Ohio State University Libraries was asked to partner in collaboration with The Ohio State University Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) to provide expanded access to anti-racism book content in support of continuing education, reading groups, and professional development across the university. The Libraries’ African American and African Studies Librarian worked with ODI’s Director for Strategic Diversity Planning, Training, and Assessment to identify anti-racism book titles of interest that were recommended for purchase or expanded access to the Collections Strategist. Topical research guides were created to supplement the reading lists, and new collections practices were developed and implemented to support campus-wide anti-racism educational opportunities. This poster will detail not only the process of collaboration with another unit within the university, but outline challenges faced with budget management, publishing and vendor practices with anti-racism resources, and COVID-19 implications. We will address critical approaches to anti-racism within library collaborations to university campus communities including outreach, teaching, and collections as part of the evolving Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) movement.
About
Leta Hendricks (she/her) is an assistant professor and the African American and African Studies Librarian, the Comparative Studies Librarian, and the Interim Anthropology Librarian at The Ohio State University. She serves as Affiliated Faculty in African American and African Studies and Affiliated Faculty in French and Francophone Studies. She provides general and specialized research services; library and meta-literacy instruction and; develops and manages subject collections. Leta’s research interests include French Rap music, the use of gaming in education, and music analysis. She holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois, an M.A. in Afro-American Studies from Atlanta University and a B.A. in Afro-American Studies from Western Illinois University.
Gene R. Springs (he/him) is collections strategist and associate professor at The Ohio State University Libraries. In this role, Gene leads the dynamic collections program area across University Libraries, including all collection development and collection management activities. Gene's research interests include evolving models in collections building and transforming scholarly publishing.
