A Quilt of Many Colors: Utilizing Diversity in the Hiring Process to Ensure a Comprehensive Quality Workplace

The Access Services Department at Henderson library followed ALA's new initiative to make diversity, equity and inclusion an essential part of our hiring protocol at the paraprofessional level. This presentation details our recruitment policies and strategies.
Recently, ALA added equity, diversity, and inclusion to the ALA Strategic Plan and one of the 2017 emerging leader projects was (Advancing Diversity in Public Libraries). With this in mind, the Access Services Department at the Henderson Library had the opportunity to fill seven staff positions. Three were shift supervisors and the other four were library staff assistants. This discussion will address how the Access Services Department organically improved our hiring practices. We ensured hiring decisions were made by more than one person, we created thoughtful job postings that would attract candidates to the mission of the Henderson Library, and then we made a point of evaluating candidates on competencies rather than meeting arbitrary requirements. We now have a plan in place to mentor and support our new hires, which includes opportunities for professional and personal growth and weekly meetings to engage in an ongoing conversation with our hires about creating an excellent work environment.