So You Want to Talk About Race During a Pandemic? Constructive Dialogue During Trying Times

As part of its strategic plan to advance an inclusive campus environment, the University at Albany’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion established a network of nine climate committees across three campuses. The University Libraries Climate Committee began meeting shortly prior to the world-wide spread of COVID-19, as well as the murder of George Floyd that sparked international police reform demonstrations. Recognizing an immediate need for constructive reflection on the topic of systemic racism and its impact within librarianship, committee members took action to organize library-wide professional development. To facilitate critical analysis, committee members selected So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo as the 2020 central resource around which to design interdepartmental learning experiences. Building upon themes explored in the chosen 2020 resource, the committee selected A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott as the focus for 2021. Copies of each book were purchased for voluntary participants, who then engaged in virtual book discussions and complementary workshops. Participants were surveyed throughout the experience, capturing descriptions which helped to inform programming decisions and gauge impact. This poster presentation will report successes, challenges, solutions, and possibilities for future professional development that facilitates the establishment of culturally sensitive, critically reflective library organizations.