Liz Grauel e-Portfolio

Outcome 1a: Describe the evolving nature of the core values and ethics within diverse information environments.

These artifacts were written and developed in a Spring 2021 section of LIS-701. They describe the emerging field of trauma-informed librarianship within the diverse information environments of public, academic, and school libraries, articulating social, cultural, economic, and political influences on library and information services and how the core values and ethics of librarianship are evolving in step with the transforming role of libraries in society (Outcome 1a). The paper and poster discuss how libraries are developing appropriate responses to social justice and health needs within their diverse communities and organizations (Outcome 2c).

These poster and paper artifacts demonstrate ways in which core values and ethics of librarianship overlap with and complement those of trauma-informed care: trauma-informed practices seek to remove barriers to information and create safe, culturally competent, empowering environments in which people who have experienced trauma can thrive. The library values of equity, inclusion, and diversity align with this approach. The trauma-informed service advocates for systemic change and is rooted in social justice, transforming libraries into places of trust and equitable access to information. This project demonstrates the development of social justice and person-centeredness as professional identity and, through creation of a poster, provides evidence of the ability to present at professional engagements.

This paper was written for Dominican University’s 2022 SOIS Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Essay Contest. It won first prize in the contest and was published in the December 2022 edition of World Libraries. It understands public libraries as diverse information environments and describes the evolving nature of values and ethics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within them (Outcome 1a), demonstrates knowledge of the functions and impacts of information policies on information flow, access, and core professional values, and discusses how Critical Race Theory as a theoretical lens can be applied to the library and information profession and guide practice in diverse settings (Outcome 1b).

The essay describes the historical situation of public libraries in the US as places of cultural assimilation, and discusses the evolution of diversity, ‘multiculturalism’ while critiquing the alignment of library policy with stated values and ethics of the ALA and PLA. It is particularly concerned with the current state of public library transformation and the service of evolving and emerging societal needs as libraries shift from repositories of information to places for community and justice. The use of Critical Race Theory (CRT) is offered as a theoretical lens for critiquing and evolving library policy and practice. The submission of this essay for review and publication are both evidence of the development of professional identity and philosophy within the library and information professions.

Intro to Archival Principles, Practices, and Services (LIS-775) offers a mini-practicum option as a course assignment. The artifact attached is a slideshow presentation discussing the 40-hour practicum I completed at University of Dayton’s Marian Library in Spring 2023. It demonstrates participation in professional activities through the completion of a practicum and understanding of the important role of archives and aggregations of archival documents in individuals, organizations, institutions, communities, and society at large (Outcome 1c), describes the use of tools (in this case, ArchiveSpace) to organize information (Outcome 3b), and summarizes the application of archival principles to professional practice (Outcome 4a).

The slide deck here is a tangible artifact of a 40-hour archives practicum. It describes the practicum site, collections and materials processed, the work completed and tools used throughout the project, interesting aspects of the experience, and takeaways for professional development and learning. This artifact is presented as evidence of hands-on development of professional skills, philosophy, and identity.