Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Action: Planning, Leadership, and Programming. Christine Bombaro, ed. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions, 2020. 208p. Paper.
Christine Bombaro’s edited volume, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Action: Planning, Leadership, and Programming, is thoughtful, useful, and timely. Bombaro, associate director at the Dickinson College library, introduces this compilation by framing as a moral problem the gap between academic librarianship’s stated goals around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and its actual record. She argues that we must move beyond “merely trying our best” to actually “getting it right” (xii). Bombaro’s introduction and the first chapter serve to ground the book with historical and theoretical context around DEI in academic libraries and argue persuasively that we must move past dialogue to taking action. The chapters that follow offer case studies by academic library practitioners who describe actions taken in their institutions. Each chapter follows a similar structure, with literature reviews, case details, discussion, and careful footnoting. This book covers topics that include organizational goals and plans around DEI, developing cultural competencies for library staff, barriers to workforce diversity, and the development of models for how libraries can better serve the diverse communities with whom we work.