AALL’s Stance on Racism
Last updated: 聽September 12, 2024
AALL stands against racism and we fully support the Black Lives Matter movement. AALL is striving to do better as an Association to bring more awareness to the biases in the legal information profession, and to help others understand the impact of racism.
Racism has no place in our Association, policies, practices, or behaviors. As AALL鈥檚 Ethical Principles state, 鈥淲e value diversity. We strive to diversify our membership by creating environments and services that promote inclusion of historically underrepresented people as colleagues and patrons.鈥 Diversity and inclusion is part of AALL鈥檚 core values.
As part of AALL’s committment to DEI, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is one of the goals in the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.聽 Under this goal, we recognize systemic barriers to DEI and commit to building an association that embraces differences, lifts-up members, and removes barriers to full participation in AALL and the legal information profession.
STRATEGIES:
- Equip members with tools and resources to address and advocate for DEI in their organizations
- Conduct outreach within AALL affiliate organizations to diversify AALL membership
- Create an executive summary from the IDEA Special Committee report and promote to membership
- Work toward recognition of other degrees as a substitute for the Juris Doctor (JD)
In July 2022, the Executive Board approved the creation of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy.
Thank you to those of you who have sent us ideas on what AALL can do better. Please continue sending your ideas to AALL.
Below are updates on AALL鈥檚 recent initiatives in the fight for change as well as helpful resources and articles on anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
AALL鈥檚 Statements & Updates聽
- AALL eBriefing / Vote on the AALL Resolution (May 17, 2021)
- AALL eBriefing / A Message from the AALL President (September 29, 2020)
- AALL eBriefing / Follow-Up Statement on Black Lives Matter & Anti-Racism (June 10, 2020)
- AALL eBriefing / A Message From the AALL President on Black Lives Matter (June 10, 2020)
On Demand Webinars & Programs
- / (July 23, 2024)
- / (July 23, 2024)
- 聽/ (July 22, 2024)
- / (July 22, 2024)
- (July 22, 2024)
- / (July 21, 2024)
- (July 21, 2024)
- (July 21, 2024)
- (July 21, 2024)
- / (March 19, 2024)
- / (February 29, 2024)
- / (September 12, 2023)
- / (July 16, 2023)
- / (July 17, 2023)
- / (July 17 2023)
- / (July 17, 2023)
- / (July 17, 2023)
- / (July 17, 2023)
- / (July 18, 2023)
- / (July 18, 2023)
- / (July 18, 2023)
- / (May 18, 2023)
- (February 2, 2023)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 18, 2022)
- (July 17, 2022)
- (July 17, 2022)
- (Sponsored by LexisNexis; July 17, 2022)
- (July 17, 2022)
- (April 27, 2022)
- (April 23, 2022)
- (March 17, 2022)
- (February 23, 2022)
- (July 22, 2021)
- (July 21, 2021)
- (February 24, 2021)
- (January 22, 2021)
- (November 12, 2020)
Are You Implicitly Biased?
Take the from Project Implicit. Project Implicit is a nonprofit founded by research scientists and housed at Harvard. The organization designed these tests to assess bias concerning race, gender, disabilities, and more.
AALL Resources DIVERSITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE
The Diversity & Inclusion Committee serves to ensure the diversity of AALL membership. They have created and continue to update the Diversity & Inclusion Resource Guide, which includes an extensive array of information for academic, government/court, and firm/corporate law libraries. The Committee also hosts , an online community open to members to foster open discussion of diversity and other issues.
MINORITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The Minority Leadership Development Award was created in 2001 to nurture leaders for the future and to introduce minority law librarians to leadership opportunities within the Association. Access details and application information.
GEORGE A. STRAIT MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP & FELLOWSHIP
The endowed scholarships and fellowships honor the memory of longtime AALL member and distinguished law librarian George A. Strait. The endowment was established by Thomson Reuters in partnership with AALL. Access details and application information.
Caucuses
AALL’s caucuses include: , , , , and . Learn more on AALLNET.
SPECIAL INTEREST SECTIONS
AALL’s special interest sections include: Black Law Librarians SIS. Learn more on AALLNET.
aall spectrum & law library journal
AALL features members’ insights on diversity, equity, and inclusion in AALL Spectrum and Law Library Journal. A selection of relevant articles is available below. For information on the submission process, please visit the AALL Spectrum and Law Library Journal webpages on AALLNET. AALL Spectrum and Law Library Journal materials featured below are marked with a caret (^).
KNOWITAALL
KnowItAALL is a daily newsletter that frequently includes articles and resources covering civil rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is a member benefit. Materials in this guide that have been featured in KnowItAALL are marked with an asterisk (*).
AALL New Voices
AALL is seeking member perspectives on any aspect of law librarianship, including anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Submissions should be between 100-600 words. Learn more about this project.
COMMUNITY NEWS
If you have any diversity and inclusion news to share (or activities to highlight) please submit an article proposal to AALL Spectrum for the Community section of the magazine.
SHARE YOUR STORIES
AALL is looking for positive stories of how members are helping their communities during the Black Lives Matter movement. If you have a story to share or have received聽any feel-good responses or feedback, please email聽Heather Haemker, AALL director of marketing & communications,听and tell us about it. Your story may appear in a future Weekly eNewsletter.
Research Guides , Texas A &M University School of Law, Dee J. Kelly Law Library.聽This guide will help users learn more about antiracism and how to become antiracism allies and accomplices.聽It also includes support and self-care resources for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Updates are ongoing.*
, University of California Berkeley Law Library. Members Kate Peck and Dean Rowan and 3 Randall Winston created a timeline showing inequality in the Constitution, statutes, court cases, and regulations. Timeline was created in February 2021.*
, Howard University School of Law Library. Curated resources for learning more about civil rights for Blacks, women, LGBTQIA+, the disabled, and immigrants and refugees. Updates are ongoing.*
, North Carolina Central University School of Law Library. Includes civil rights resources, secondary resources, online sources, and the McKissick Collection. Updates are ongoing.*
Diversity & Inclusion Resource Guide, AALL Diversity & Inclusion Committee. This guide presents information for law libraries who are developing or researching policy, programs, or initiatives relating to diversity and inclusion. Although many key resources are included below, the guide is not an exhaustive list. Updates are ongoing.*
, University of Minnesota Law Library. Includes information sources on criminal justice; police tactics and use of force; community relations and activism; police oversight, reform, and defunding; and federal and state legislation. Updates are ongoing.*
, University of Hawai鈥檌 at Manoa Law Library. Includes a reading list, discussion resources, and list of relevant legal and social justice organizations. Updates are ongoing.*
, Montague Law Library, Penn State University. Features instructional resources and toolkits, films, podcasts, and government materials. Updates are ongoing.*
, Duke Law Library. Materials for understanding how the government, cultural institutions, private enterprise, and technology contribute to systems of oppression, tools for allyship and educators, and subject headings. Updates are ongoing.*
, Ross-Blakley Law Library, Arizona State University. Law librarians have compiled national as well as local organizations dedicated to the pursuit of racial justice. These organizations advocate for change either for particular demographic groups or for justice more generally. Updates are ongoing.*
., Drake University Law Library. Information tools for understanding dialogues on race, police and legal reform, social protest, mass incarceration, anti-racism, and historical perspectives; also includes resources for parents. Updates are ongoing.*
, Ross-Blakley Law Library, Arizona State University. Includes national and local information, resources for protestors, recommended databases and journals, and federal reports. Updates are ongoing.*
^Article is from AALL Spectrum or Law Library Journal
*Material was featured in KnowItAALL
LEGAL INFORMATION PROFESSION Diversity in the Legal Information Profession
A New Look at Diversity, AALL Spectrum. Author Nichelle J. Perry looks at how AALL caucuses and committees find common ground at AALL’s Diversity Symposium. Article is from Sept/Oct 2009.^
AALL Diversity Redelineated, Law Library Journal. Author Ronald Wheeler discusses various ways to experience different types of diversity in law librarianship. Article is from Winter 2014.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Rena Seidler discusses how law libraries have a duty to know how to use screen readers and other tools that provide access to legal information for those with disabilities. Article is from July/August 2022.^
Addressing the 鈥淓merging Majority鈥: Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Law Librarianship in the Twenty-First Century, Law Library Journal. Author Alyssa Thurston evaluates the implications that a progressively diverse population poses for law librarianship, reasons for low levels of diversity among law librarians, as well as past and suggested efforts within the profession to increase diversity. Article is from Summer 2012.^
AALL Spectrum. Can you discuss specific initiatives/steps you are taking to create a more diverse and inclusive Library team, and is this part of a broader organizational initiative?Advice from Elaine Egan & Ronald E. Wheeler.
, AALL Spectrum. Author Ana Rosa Ramirez Toft-Nielsen discusses why becoming a leader is key to transformational change and creating a new norm . Article is from May/June 2022. ^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors聽Victoria De La Torre and Marcelo Rodriguez discuss how AALL鈥檚 Latino Caucus promotes diversity and inclusion and creates educational, networking, and visibility opportunities for Latino members and others. Article is from May/June 2020.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Nicole P. Dyszlewski, Zanada Joyner & Joshua Laporte tackle issues of diversity, equality, and implicit bias. Article is from September/October 2019.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Itunu Sofidiya shares lessons learned from recent Supreme Court decisions, and how programs like Georgetown’s RISE Program can still foster diversity within the law library and legal profession. Article is from January/February 2024.^
AALL Spectrum. Authors Shamika D. Dalton, Annalee Hickman & Trina Holloway discuss the AALL George A. Strait Minority Scholarship & Fellows Program is supporting future minority law librarians. Article is from July/August 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Keiko Okuhara, Julie Hardest, Joe Cera & Jake Kubrin discuss the use of linked data-compliant alternative vocabulary to promote inclusivity in metadata and adapt diversity, equity, and inclusion into online library catalogs. Article is from November/December 2023.^
Diversity Dialogues . . . Let’s Talk About Race, Law Library Journal. Author Ronald E. Wheeler examines numerical and anecdotal data indicating that efforts to promote racial and ethnic diversity within AALL and the profession are beginning to show positive results. Article is from spring 2014.^
Diversity Dialogues: Incorporating Race into Your Legal Research Class, Law Library Journal. Author Shamika Dalton examines ways to incorporate a discussion of race into legal research courses, and suggests a number of hypotheticals to use in creating 鈥渢eachable moments.鈥 Article is from Fall 2017.^
Diversity & Inclusion Resource Guide, AALL Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Information for law libraries who are developing or researching policy, programs, and/or initiatives concerning diversity and inclusion. Updates are ongoing.
Embracing a Rich Diversity, AALL Spectrum. Author Shamika Dalton provides insights on promoting diversity within organizations and law librarianship. Article is from February 2015.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Trezlen Drake shares reflections on law librarianship, ideas for advancing the profession, and tips for a better work-life balance. Article is from July/August 2023.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Mari Cheney, Annalee Hickman Pierson, Geraldine Kalim, and Julia Pluta discuss implementing universal design principles to make law library spaces, services, and instruction more accessible for everyone. Article is from the March/April 2024.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Michele A. Lucero and Beau Steenken discuss law libraries鈥 struggle to achieve diversity goals. Article is from February 2013.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Kathy Ly discusses finding a new career path in law librarianship. Article is from September/October 2023.^
, David Whelan: Explorations With Information and Technology. Author David Whelan shares ideas for creating a more diverse candidate pool. Article is from October 31, 2019.*
AALL Spectrum. Author Jessica Ugstad talks about how law libraries are stepping up in the fight against social injustice. Article is from July/August 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Amber Kennedy Madole discusses promoting the importance of including tribal law and government in The Bluebook. Article is from January/February 2023.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Susan Azyndar discusses the Census Bureau’s data equity tools. Article is from September/October 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum.聽 Member Errol Adams shares his perseverance in the face of racial injustice. Article is from Sept/Oct 2020. ^
Practicing Reference… Race and the Reference Librarian, Law Library Journal. Author Mary Whisner examines how race arises in the day-to-day work of law librarians, and discusses how law librarians can foster cultural competence and create more welcoming environments in diverse institutions. Article is from 2014.^
AALL Spectrum. Member Christina McKennerney discusses how the PLLIP Diversity Summit examined barriers to diversity and how law librarians and legal information professionals can become more inclusive. Article is from July/August 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Anne Burnett and Silvia Somodi share tips and best practices for law libraries working with international students. Article is from January/February 2024.^
AALL Spectrum. Author Mandy Le reviews key tech tools and how to improve them to further diversity, inclusion, and greater access to justice. Article is from July/August 2021.^
Technology, Diversity, and Adaptation, AALL Spectrum. Members/Presenters Anne Robbins, Ryan Overdorf, Gayle Lynn-Nelson, Maribel Nash, and Joyce A. McCray Pearson discuss the 2010 Diversity Symposium. Article is from Sept/Oct 2010.^
AALL Spectrum. Member George Taoultsides discusses why the Rooney Rule can help counteract the effects of implicit bias and attract more minorities to law librarianship. Article is from July/August 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Members Kelly M. Long and Christine H. Park share insights from both the host’s and the fellow’s perspectives. Article is from January/February 2024.^
, AALL Spectrum. Member Shira Megerman and other members of the Jewish Law Librarians Caucus share their experiences of being “othered” and offer insights for creating more inclusive workplaces for everyone. Article is from November/December 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Itunu Sofidiya shares life lessons from recent Supreme Court decisions, and how programs like Georgetowns’s RISE Program can still foster diversity within the law library and legal profession. Article is from January/February 2024.^
, AALL Spectrum. Member Zanada Joyner and author Raquel Gabriel discuss equity and inclusion in remote instruction. Article is from January/February 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum. Member Margaret (Meg) Butler shares reflections on ways to support each other and build a community of hope. Article is from March/April 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum. Members Rachel Evans, Deanna Fix, Joseph D. Lawson, Sara Monalea McMahon & Aimee Pittman take a deep dive into AALL’s First-Gen Causus. Article is from March/April 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Members Phebe E. Huderson-Poydras and Ronald E. Wheeler share how law librarians can share the Black Lives Matter movement. Article is from Sept/Oct 2020.^
Voices Across the Spectrum / Combating Systemic Racism, AALL Spectrum. Author Andre Davison聽 shares how compassion, empathy, and reaching out to others are key to addressing discriminatory implicit bias. Article is from Nov/Dec 2020. ^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Jenny Silbiger discusses how empathy and macro- and micro-level actions can nurture DEIA in our personal and professional lives. Article if from January/February 2023.^
AALL Spectrum. Author Anne Robbins takes a closer look at the requesting process and how accommodations can help create more inclusive workplace environments. Work is from July/August 2021.^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Alexis Branham & Lauren Wortman offer tips and advice for building a more inclusive and productive workplace by embracing neurodiverse individuals. Article is from November/December 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Casandra Laskowski discussess overcoming your unquestioned assumptions by listening聽 to others, rather than centering on yourself. Article is from May/June 2021. ^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Abby Dos Santos & Christina McKennerney discuss the second annual Diversity Summit, and how it delved into intersectionality and its importance to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. Article is from the September/October 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Jaime Valenzuela how to use your library as a platform for positive change by creating exhibits and sharing stories that highlight diverse voices and themes. Article is from July/August 2022.^
, AALL Spectrum. Author Mandy Lee聽 shares tips and advice on how to stop anti-Asian Pacific Islander violence. Article is from September/October 2021^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Cynthia W. Bassett & Kara Phillips discuss how librarians can use their knowledge of books and reading to help communities change. Article is from Jan/Feb 2021. ^
, AALL Spectrum. Authors Ronald Wheeler and Clanitra Stewart Nejdl take a closer look at the committee’s process for creating AALL’s new Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy. Article is from March/April 2023.^
ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES
, Inside Higher Ed. Article summaries a study that finds the concept of faculty fit in hiring is vague and potentially detrimental to diversity efforts.聽 Free study is from .聽 Article is from July 14, 2020; study is from September 2019.*
, Inside Higher Ed. Detailed guidance on developing, updating, and sharing a diversity plan with impact. Article is from November 20, 2019.*
, National Association for Law Placement (NALP). Includes NALP’s annual Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms, representation data on lawyers with disabilities, LGBTQ lawyers and law school graduates, minorities, and women. Updates are ongoing.
. American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Diversity. The DEI Scorecard for Library and Information Organizations is an evaluative tool that focuses on accountability and transparency in determining organizational effectiveness in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion of people of color. The Scorecard also covers areas that impact these factors (e.g., training, budgeting, and data practices). This resource was created in April 2021 and shared by ALA in July 2021.
, World Economic Forum. Understanding how employees who belong to two or more underrepresented categories experience oppression and lack of opportunity in the workplace. Article is from July 22, 2020.*
, NPR. Guidance and recommended books, podcasts, and organizations for enhancing your understanding. Article is from June 16, 2020.*
, MIT Sloan Management Review. Advice on creating psychologically safe spaces for employees to discuss systemic issues in productive ways that lead to substantive change. Article is from June 16, 2020.*
, The Association of American Law Schools. Resources for listening, leading, audit reporting, and iterating. Updates are ongoing.*
, Boston University. New study by Boston University Law School looks at the effectiveness of salary history bans in eliminating wage gaps. . Article is from July 8, 2020; study is from June 2020.
, Harvard Business Review. Article is from July 1, 2020.*
, Hack Library School. Article is from June 8, 2020.*
, Greater Good Magazine. Understanding and addressing the unintended consequences of diversity initiatives. Article is from January 21, 2020.*
^Article is from AALL Spectrum or Law Library Journal
*Material was featured in KnowItAALL
RESOURCES FOR PERSONAL AWARENESS, GROWTH & ACTION , Dr. Nicole A. Cooke, University of South Carolina College of Information and Communications. Compiled resources for understanding implicit biases, effective anti-racist actions, and more. Updates are ongoing.*
, Fast Company. Article is from June 18, 2020.*
, California Judicial Center Library. Includes book recommendations for all ages, research journals, online resources, podcasts, blogs, scripted films, and documentaries. Published in July 2020.
, HALLmarks: Houston Association of Law Libraries. Member Andre Davison shares insights and resources for effective allyship. Article is from February 25, 2021.*
, MoreUs: University of Virginia School of Law. Author Ben Doherty, who is White, shares his thoughts on working against the system of White supremacy. Article is from June 7, 2020.*
, The Muse. Article is from June 25, 2020.*
, In Seclusion With Greg Lambert. With the murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest to protest police brutality and systemic racism, Casandra Laskowski (chair of AALL鈥檚 Diversity and Inclusion Committee) says that people need the space to step back, access their personal situation, and to have time to think, speak, and hopefully heal. Podcast episode is from June 12, 2020.*
, Mindful. Foundational awareness practice designed to help bring about three key insights: clarity of intention; understanding of personal power, presence, and impact. Article is from June 17, 2020.*
, Women at Work Podcast: Harvard Business Review. We hear from four Black women about work experiences over the last several months and their concerns and hopes for the future. Then, we talk with an expert in diversity, inclusion, and belonging about the progress companies are (or aren鈥檛) making and the type of support we can give women of color. Episode is from November 30, 2020.*
, Chief Learning Officer. Recommendations for ensuring your workforce maintains trust in the underlying fairness of your organization鈥檚 promotion decisions. Article is from November 24, 2020.*
, Project Implicit. Project Implicit is a nonprofit founded by
research scientists and housed at Harvard. The organization designed these tests
to assess bias concerning race, gender, disabilities, and more. Updates are ongoing., TED Radio Hour. What makes a true apology? What does it mean to make amends for past mistakes? Guests include historian and preservationist Brent Leggs, law professor Martha Minow, librarian Dawn Wacek, and playwright V (formerly Eve Ensler). Episode is from July 10, 2020.*
, The Library at Washington & Lee School of Law. Member Andrew Christensen provides suggestions on a range of topics. Article is from August 7, 2020.*
, Association for Psychological Science. The most recent research on the implicit biases and the social processes that maintain them, structural and institutional racism, and the social, psychological, and physical consequences of various forms of racism. Includes possible paths of action to reduce and eliminate racism. Updates are ongoing.*
,听Technical.ly. Article is from June 10, 2020.*
, The Association for Computers and the Humanities. Information on racially-charged technical terminology embedded in technology tools and guidance for using different language. Updates are ongoing.*
^Article is from AALL Spectrum or Law Library Journal
*Material was featured in KnowItAALL