Inclusive Services

Inclusive Services in Wisconsin Public Libraries

The Division of Libraries and Technology interprets Wis. Stat. sec. 43.24(2)(k) “Promotion and facilitation of library service to users with special needs” to encompass inclusive services. Inclusive library services are holistic, spanning library policies, collections, space, and services. Inclusive services reflect equity and accessibility for all members of the community.

Inclusive Services Monthly Workgroup

The Library Services Team of DPI helps facilitate a bimonthly Inclusive Services Workgroup meeting intended to bring together Library System Consultants and Librarians representing different regions of Wisconsin. If you would like to know more about the Inclusive Services Workgroup, please reach out to Public Library Consultant and Games & Learning Consultant, Chris Baker, at chris.baker@dpi.wi.gov.

The workgroup hosts occasional speakers to present on issues relevant to Inclusive Services in Wisconsin libraries. We have some examples of recorded presentations below, which Wisconsin libraries can use as guidance to help answer certain questions and develop new Inclusive Services initiatives for their space.

LIFT Wisconsin & the Legal Tune Up Tool (IS, 10/1/24)

At our Inclusive Services Workgroup meeting on October 1st, 2024, we hosted Erica Nelson (Executive Director) and Alberto Prado (Outreach Coordinator) from LIFT Wisconsin (Legal Interventions for Transforming Wisconsin) as they described the services that LIFT Wisconsin can provide, while also offering an overview of the unique and invaluable "Legal Tune Up" tool available on their website. 'Legal Tune Up seeks to address economic inequities by assisting folks in navigating through vast and overwhelming public databases that house publicly available information that result in barriers to housing, employment, and economic stability.

• Presentation Slides

The Legal Tune Up tool searches and identifies issues related to driver’s license suspensions, evictions, convictions.' For more information about LIFT Wisconsin and the Legal Tune Up Tool, please visit their website at: https://liftwisconsin.org/.

Best Practices: Accessibility, Hiring, & More w/ Think Ability Wisconsin (IS Recorded Presentation, 5/21/2024)

In this Inclusive Services (IS) workgroup meeting (originally hosted on May 21st, 2024), we were joined by Kris Bobke (Think Ability Wisconsin Center Manager) and Rachel Reit (Director of Marketing & Development at the Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin), as they presented about the history and current state of Thinka Ability Wisconsin, as well as best practices related to hiring, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and proper HR practices for neurodivergent and disabled staff.

• Presentation Slides

For more information about Inclusive Services & Library Services Team of the DPI, please visit our webpage at https://dpi.wi.gov/libraries/public-libraries/inclusive-services. For more information about Think Ability Wisconsin, please visit their website at https://www.thinkabilitywi.org/s/.

Best Practices: Workplace Accessibility Accommodations & IEPs w/ Independence First (IS Recorded Presentation, 3/19/2024)

In this Inclusive Services (IS) workgroup meeting (originally hosted on March 19th, 2024), we were joined by Gerald Hay (Director of Independent Living Services with Independence First) and Rebecca Rabatin (Community Access & Legislative Policy Analyst at Independence First), as they presented about best practices related to hiring, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and proper HR practices for neurodivergent and disabled staff.

• Presentation Slides

For more information about Inclusive Services & Library Services Team of the DPI, please visit our webpage at https://dpi.wi.gov/libraries/public-libraries/inclusive-services. For more information about Independence First, please visit their website at https://www.independencefirst.org/.

Assessment and Guide

The Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide was designed by Wisconsin public library and public library system staff for Wisconsin public library directors, staff, and boards with the intent to foster inclusive library environments where everyone is safe, welcomed, and respected. This resource was developed to support libraries in implementing the Inclusive Services Statement. This resource intentionally complements the Wisconsin Public Library Standards.

A separate rubric is available to assist individuals and groups with tracking points, calculating percentages, and making comparisons; e.g., from year to year, from person to person, etc. Download the rubric as an Excel file or make a copy of the Google worksheet. Use the Inclusive Services Assessment Rubric Instructions & Tips for assistance.

In addition to the PDF version of the guide, the Inclusive Services Assessment is available as 13 individual Qualtrics surveys.
Section 1: Who Is Responsible
Governance, Administration, Staffing
Section 2: What the Library Has to Offer
Collections, Programs, Services
Section 3: Where the Interactions Take Place
Facility, Access
Section 4: How the Library Engages with the Community
Marketing, Community Engagement, Funding, Self-Care for Library Workers, Inclusive Culture at the Library

The IDEA Team & IDEA Projects

A 2022 LSTA-funded project, WI Libraries Talk About Race, was developed by a group of library system consultants from across Wisconsin that were collectively titled “The IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in Action) Team”; the 2022 project culminated with the website https://www.wislibidea.com/ -- a site with numerous resources available for any Wisconsin public library staff member interested in devoting more time to learning about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and how to bring that learning to their libraries and communities.

Due to the incredible success and positive reception of the 2022 project, the Team has continued developing projects related to IDEA work for each LSTA funding year, inviting rotating members of both system consultants and working librarians to contribute. The ongoing purpose of the team is to facilitate and organize statewide professional learning on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for Wisconsin library staff members. In 2021/2022, and 2022/2023, the primary focus for the team was race and racial equity; in 2023/2024, the group focused on allyship. We are still developing a title for our 2024-2025 projectwork, but the Team's guiding goals for the current funding year are as follows:

• Promote and uplift deliberate DEI Practices that are adaptable for all Wisconsin libraries

• Develop and sustain a statewide support network for BIPOC library staff

• Identify (through surveys, focus groups, and more) additional topics or needs under the DEI umbrella to re-engage the larger library community

Please contact any IDEA Team member with questions, suggestions, or to request any accommodations:

- Jean Anderson, South Central Library System: jean@scls.info
- Mark Jochem, South Central Library System: mjochem@scls.info
- Sherry Anderson, Northern Waters Library Service/Wisconsin Valley Library Service: sanderson@northernwaters.org
- Tracy Herold, Dane County Library Service: herold@dcls.info
- Elkid Alvarez Maldonado, Racine Public Library: elkid.alvarezmaldonado@racinelibrary.info
- Emily Whitmore, Spring Green Community Library: ewhitmore@springgreenlibrary.org
- Emily Rogers, Brown County Library: emily.rogers@browncountywi.gov
- Cole Zrostlik, La Crosse Public Library: czrostlik@lacrosselibrary.org