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TRLN Publishes Guidelines for Language Used in Exhibitions

A team of communication experts, exhibit specialists, and librarians from across TRLN institutions have published guidelines for producing exhibitions that are inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible. “Exhibition Language Guidelines: A Working Document for Academic Library Exhibit Professionals” was developed in response to increased awareness of the role of  academic libraries in dismantling racism. 

 “Building on the momentum of the conscious editing work being conducted by our colleagues in Technical Services and against a backdrop of IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, Access) initiatives in our libraries, we saw a common need for a document to guide us, and the curators we work with, when making decisions about ethical descriptions,”  explained Rachel Reynolds, Special Collections Exhibitions Coordinator, at the Wilson Special Collections Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The document includes guidelines on language related to gender orientation and sexual identity; disability; social class and socioeconomic status; age; race, ethnicity, and nationality; and religion and spirituality. The guide is intended for anyone working on library (or other types of) exhibits who aims to write copy that is inclusive and non-offensive, including library staff and campus and community collaborators.

The staff who lead exhibit programs at TRLN member institutions have had collegial relationships for at least a decade, but their collaboration and communication were intensified during the pandemic, as staff wanted to discuss exhibit work and how programs were adapting to pandemic-related challenges and other societal events. 

“As the staff responsible for exhibit-related outreach, we helped to increase the number of exhibitions focused on communities or individuals who had been underrepresented or overlooked,” noted Linda Jacobson, Keeper, North Carolina Collection Gallery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “We wanted to make sure that the language we use in our exhibits is current, respectful, and without implicit prejudices and stereotypes.”

From the outset, the group knew that a simple “cheat sheet” with suggested edits would not be sufficient, which led them to produce the more comprehensive and contextualized document. They recognized that even members of particular groups do not always agree on how they want to be described, so a simple glossary was not sufficient; and, they were aware that preferred nomenclature changes overtime.

Each member of the exhibits group took on research and writing responsibilities for different sections of the document, meeting twice per month throughout 2021 to discuss their progress. They consulted and expanded on language guides from other professional disciplines, many of which have been appended to the Guidelines. The group hopes that their guide will benefit not only TRLN institutions but smaller organizations that may not have the resources to develop such a resource. The authors welcome feedback and input on the Guidelines, which will be revised as needed.

The authors of the Guidelines presented their work at the 2022 TRLN Annual Meeting. The recording of that presentation is available at https://duke.app.box.com/v/2022TRLNannual/folder/167459261557

Contact info@trln.org for more information or to contribute suggestions. 

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Funding available to support IDEA projects

TRLN announces the first round of funding to support member libraries’ work in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). The Executive Committee has allocated $50,000 per year for two years to fund IDEA projects and activities. We are eager to see the ideas that emerge. The application deadline for the Spring 2022 funding cycle is March 25. Details are available on the TRLN IDEA Funding page. Contact info@trln.org with questions or to discuss a potential proposal.

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Three prominent library consortia comment on proposed rule of CASE Act

ASERL, GWLA, and TRLN issue news release on comments on CASE Act.

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TRLN to Offer Library Carpentry Workshops

Later this fall, TRLN will be offering Library Carpentry workshops to approximately 25 people who work in TRLN member libraries. This opportunity is being funded by the Network of the National Library of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Regional Office (NNLM/SEA), which invited applications in July from libraries and consortia interested in hosting a workshop. Nandita Mani, UNC-Chapel Hill Associate University Librarian for Health Sciences and Director of the Health Sciences Library, and Megan von Isenburg, Associate Dean for Library Services & Archives at the Duke School of Medicine, suggested that TRLN apply.

The workshops, which will be offered via Zoom, include Introduction to Working with Data, the Unix Shell, OpenRefine, and Introduction to Git. The workshop series will last four days (one day per topic) and will be led by experienced Library Carpentry instructors and supported by 2-3 helpers, staff of TRLN libraries who are familiar with the content.

The TRLN Advisory Council is helping to identify participants and helpers. The exact dates of the workshop are being determined in collaboration with Library Carpentry.