Action Plan for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice

Adopted, April 2023

To more fully live up to its mission, vision, and values, the MIT Libraries established a set of goals in September 2022 to focus on immediate and meaningful action on equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice (EDISJ) in our work and within our organization. 

The actions below, while reflecting the Libraries’ specific needs and intentions, align with MIT’s Strategic Action Plan for Belonging, Achievement, and Composition, an Institute-wide framework for advancing enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both plans signal:

• a commitment to fostering a healthy sense of belonging among all community members;
• work practices and policies that ensure equitable opportunities for all to thrive; and
• a workforce, including leadership, that reflects a commitment to diversity. 

We see these as interim goals, and will continue to dedicate resources for this work and build a long-term strategy and roadmap for continued progress.

Belonging
MIT will cultivate a community in which people:

• feel connected to each other,
• share a sense of purpose, and
• support each individual’s freedom to be themselves and respectfully express their views.

The MIT Libraries will:

• Build a practice and culture of regular EDISJ assessment and accountability, with clear metrics on the impact of our efforts.
• Partner with the MIT Institute Community and Equity Office to focus on vision and strategy alignment.
• Hire a new associate director focused on advancing organizational effectiveness, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Equip the new associate director with resources to advance EDISJ efforts and implement recommended strategies and practices.
• Charge and activate a Libraries-wide Accessibility Working Group. The group should continuously identify and address systemic biases and inequities across the Libraries’ user-facing services.
• Focus on ableism and ableist behaviors and practices in staff EDISJ training materials.
• Center the needs of underrepresented and marginalized communities in Libraries’ service design projects.

Achievement
MIT will make equity central to how opportunities are presented and assessments are conducted for all members of the community while ensuring the highest standards of excellence.

The MIT Libraries will:

• Redesign performance review and promotion processes. These should align with the Libraries’ values, EDISJ strategy, and professional development policy.
• Evaluate human resources processes through an EDISJ lens, and establish a roadmap for process redesign and updates.

Composition
MIT can only fulfill its mission by serving as a magnet for a wide range of talented people. The composition of our community, and of our leadership, should reflect a commitment to diversity. 

The MIT Libraries will:

• Design and implement organization-wide practices for hiring, professional development, and retention. These should increase staff retention and ensure that library staff reflect a global MIT community.