Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Listening to Our Students

Resources for Staff

  • Libraries Assembly Mentorship Program is designed to provide an opportunity for Duke library staff to receive guidance and support from within our own campus community. All staff from Duke's libraries (including Perkins, Bostock, Rubenstein, Lilly, Music, the Marine Lab, Business, Divinity, Law, Medicine, and the Library Service Center) are encouraged to participate, regardless of job family or designation. Learn more. 
  • Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) at Duke are voluntary, employee-led groups whos aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizations they serve. As part of Duke's mission to attract at retain a diverse and talented workforce, the university is committed to helping connect people who have similar backgrounds and experiences to provide a more supportive and inclusive experience in the workplace. ERGs can help expand the opportunities to establish these important connections. 

Diversity in Recruitment

The Task Force for Diversity in Recruitment (DRTF) was charged in August 2017 to review current Duke University Libraries (DUL) search processes and to make recommendations that would help better embody the DUL principle Diversity Strengthens Us through successful recruitment of a diverse workforce. The following report includes recommendations for the DUL’s Executive Group, Library Human Resources, and DUL staff serving on search committees. The DRTF was informed by current literature on recruitment of underrepresented groups, documentation of DUL recruitment processes, conversations with key members of the Duke community, interviews with a sample of recent search committee members, and open meetings with DUL staff. Read the full report. 

Duke University Libraries Statement on Inclusive Description

Some of the historical language and metadata originally used to describe Duke's library holdings can seem quite dated today, and even racist or harmful. As we move forward, we're looking at some of our old metadata and thinking of ways to improve it. To that end, in November 2020, the Duke University Libraries Resource Description Department adopted a statement on inclusive description. Read our statement on inclusive description.

Duke University Libraries Statement on Potentially Harmful Language in Library Descriptions 

Acquiring contemporary and historical resources and describing them are not neutral activities. Our library's collecting and cataloging history reflects Duke University's origins as a predominantly white institution, and past practices and choices by library practitioners may have classified or codified racist and harmful language about marginalized and underrepresented communities. We strive to place any outdated or offensive terminology in context. We recognize that we may not always make the right decision, and welcome feedback from all sources so we can listen, learn, and adjust our practices. Read the full statement. 

Rubenstein Library Guiding Principles for Description

The Rubenstein Library Technical Services department processes and catalogs a wide range of special collection formats (printed books, serials, ephemera, zines, archival papers, institutional records, film, video, born digital files, objects, and more) and creates description that is shared across a variety of platforms, such as the library catalog, finding aid database, and Duke’s institutional repository. In July 2020, the department adopted a formal set of guiding principles of with a goal of creating more inclusive metadata. Read the guiding principles.

Rubenstein Library Instruction Code of Ethics

Collections in the Rubenstein Library document a wide range of history, including some of the ugliest parts. In January 2019, Rubenstein Library staff adopted a code of ethics for instruction that helps us frame these materials up-front and clearly, in a way that recognizes the academic knowledge and lived experiences students bring to our classrooms. Read our instruction code of ethics.

Visual Diversity Committee

This cross-departmental committee was formed to address recommendations from DUL's 2020 Anti-Racism Roadmap and the DUL study, "Understanding the Experiences and Needs of Black Students at Duke." The two goals that prompted the formation of the committee are to: "visually celebrate and affirm racial diversity" and "increase portraits, artwork, photographs, or other visual representations of people of color to balance the number of portraits of white people in library spaces, including Lilly Library." Visit the VDC website to learn more. 

Web Accessibility 

The Duke University Libraries are committed to providing outstanding service based on respect and empathy for the diverse backgrounds and needs in our community. One of the biggest and most important barriers for us to tackle is the accessibility of our web content. Please visit DUL's Website Accessibility Policy and the Bitstreams blog for more information about DUL's commitment to web accessibility.