You Belong Here!
You have several options to contact your DEIA Specialists:
Matthew Cavalier
407-835-7469
cavalier.matthew@ocls.info
Ruben Cortes
407-835-7338
cortes.ruben@ocls.info
DEIA Email Address
deia@ocls.info
Anonymous Contact
CLICK HERE
Check the archives for past Tips of the Week.
March 24-March 30, 2024 - Diversity Month is being celebrated in April. Click here to find out the fun ways OCLS will be celebrating and sharing our diversity.
March 17-March 23, 2024 - As you prepare your programming in the coming months, try to keep your audience in mind. How can we ensure our programs are accessible to all of our patrons, including those who may have learning and comprehension delays? Try to make your PowerPoints and Canva presentations accessible with large sans serif fonts like Arial, Comic Sans, Verdana, Century Gothic, Calibri, and Tahoma. The minimum should be 12pt, with 16-20pt being preferred for the visually impaired. Remember, the presentation gives some information; YOU are the most fun and informative part of your program.
March 10-March 16, 2024 - This week and next the Staff Retreats for the strategic planning initiative will be happening and your voice is more important than ever. DEIA is all about amplifying the voices of those that may not normally be heard, this is your chance to be heard. We hope you've signed up for a session. If not, you can sign up here!
March 03-March 09, 2024 - As we move into March and Women's History Month, it is a great time to learn more about the impact women have had on our society and culture. Check out the Women's History Month page on the DEIA LibGuide.
What is EQUITY and how is it different than equality?
Check the archives for past Monthly Messages.
March 1st kicks off the start of Women's History Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the contributions and achievements of women throughout the world. The theme for 2024 is "Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion." Our Women's History Month libguide page is a great starting point to learn about significant key figures, like Zora Neale Hurston, an author and anthropologist with strong connections to Eatonville.
Other DEIA-related celebrations happening in March include:
Libguide
In the DEIA LibGuide our newest resource pages are now live. This month we're adding to our Cultural Best Practices section with two new focuses:
We also added a DEIA News in the World page where we'll highlight DEIA wins and achievements happening in the world.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
OCLS officially has 4 Employee Resource Groups:
Our newest groups (Latino/Latinx/Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+) met for the first time this month. These groups are a great way to connect with other staff across the system. It's not too late to join any of our ERGs, check out our ERG libguide to learn more about getting involved.
Speakers Series
Our DEIA Speaker Series kicked off this month with a staff presentation from Lauren Mathur, Branch Librarian at Alafaya, on incorporating diverse books into storytimes. A recording of the session is now available in SumTotal and on our libguide.
Planning a "Snack Around the World" Series
Thursday, April 11th at 2 PM at OPL
Our next session welcomes Kelly Head from Alafaya and Shasta Quinn from West Oaks. Join them to learn about their successful series that introduces kids to snacks from around the world. This will be an in-person event and snacks will be provided.
Film Club
Our current InclusiFlicks movie selection is Hidden Figures. Register by Thursday, March 14th to receive a movie treat, and then join us on March 19th at 2 PM for a DEIA-focused discussion about the movie. More information can be found here.
Book Club
The I.D.E.A. Book club is excited to announce Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga as our next book club selection. The book discussion will take place in April but now it's the time to request your copy. The book is available in the following versions: physical, Overdrive, Freading, and Hoopla.
DiverseSpeak: Uniting our Narratives
Our listening session series kicked off this month with two sessions on Imposter Syndrome. This was an opportunity for staff to get together in an open discussion about overcoming self-doubt. Did you miss out on this session? Stay tuned for future opportunities as we'll be facilitating this session quarterly.
Next up in our series is a session on cultural diversity in the workplace. The conversation centered around navigating cultural differences in the workplace and ways to foster intercultural understanding.
Virtual Session- Wednesday, April 17, 2024- 2pm
In-Person Session-Thursday, April 18, 2024- 2pm
DEIA Highlights
On Sunday, February 18th OCLS hosted the African American Read-in, an annual event that celebrates Black History Month through literature. Local luminaries shared poetry, stories, and songs that celebrate African American literature. A total of 178 attendees joined in the celebration.
Performers included:
LOTE4Kids is a new digital collection of picture books (ebooks and audiobooks) that is now available to our customers. The resource is designed to help children learn new languages and promotes learning through storytelling. While the resources is targeted at children, adults might also find it as a useful tool to reinforce new language skills.
Some of the benefits of LOTE4 kids include:
Check the archives for past "What DEIA Means to Me" posts.
DEIA should be a priority to OCLS because our community represents a vibrant melting pot of identities and experiences that make our community a great place to live in. DEIA should be a focus because it recognizes that the library’s place in the community is to serve everyone. This includes our Portuguese-speaking community out by Windermere to the migrant workers out in Zellwood just to name a few. Focusing on DEIA is making an effort to create an environment in which everyone feels a strong sense of belonging which is by no means a small task but one that is worthwhile.
As someone that is a Mexican American immigrant, I grew up with a lack of representation in media and books unique to my experience. As a result, imposter syndrome has been a real thing and at times has contributed to me hiding parts of myself. This is something that will very likely resonate with anyone that has ever felt like an outcast. As humans, we all want to feel accepted, and focusing on DEIA allows us to ensure that everyone feels seen. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve had some supportive mentors that have pushed me to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and have seen my potential oftentimes before I saw it myself. Fast forward to today, I’m now in a place where I can comfortably present myself as my authentic self and can now use my voice to advocate for others.
Focusing on DEIA allows us to ensure that as we move forward others don’t experience those negative experiences that are a result of an environment that is not inclusive. As you reflect on what DEIA means to you, I challenge you with the following:
Read or watch something that highlights someone that doesn’t look like you
Make an effort to talk to someone that doesn’t share a commonality with you
You’ll be surprised to find out that a lot of people have much more in common than we like to think about.
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes that captures why DEIA is so important:
“The world would be such a better place if we took the time to understand each other.”
-Ruben