LRTS Special Issue on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access

The editors of Library Resources & Technical Services (LRTS) are pleased to announce the publication of a special October issue on inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.

Over the past several years, librarians have increasingly grappled with issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA). IDEA, also variably referred to as DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging), or other permutations, is a means of addressing social justice in libraries that permeates all aspects of library work and reaffirms core vocational principles of librarianship surrounding equity of access. This manifests in many ways within library work, both seen and unseen. As is often the case, the impacts may not be immediately evident within technical services work, but there are numerous avenues for technical services workers to foreground principles of IDEA and adapt a mindset for advocacy. This is frequently seen in reparative technical services work, wherein previously marginalized voices and perspectives are rightfully heard, and collection work that aspires to highlight a diverse array of subjects and creators that represent the populations we serve.

Given the increased awareness of meeting these needs, it was unsurprising and wholly appropriate that an issue on IDEA work in library collections and technical services would come together without issuing a call for proposals. It is clear that supporting IDEA is a key priority at many of our institutions. We are pleased that our colleagues are invested in this work and willing to share it with the profession. Each of the pieces in this issue grapples with elements of IDEA, contributing thoughtful discussion and new practices to our shared work.