By Megan Sherry
Beginning this semester, fall 2024, MLS students are now required to complete ILS-Z622: Resources and Services for People with Disabilities, as a part of their degree.
The actual content of the course is more encompassing than what the title suggests. Z622 was built on the principles of diversity and inclusion, and its goal is to help students develop skills for designing and implementing services for diverse populations. Since the content expands beyond disability services, the course will be renamed after its first academic year.
The addition of this new requirement was proposed by the MLS Curriculum Review Taskforce, who submitted a report to a board of faculty members at the ILS Curriculum Retreat, who in turn voted to approve the addition.
The report revealed a gap in the previous curriculum through the examination of various sources. The American Library Association (ALA) maintains a list of core competencies and principles that are vital to the field, which were updated in 2022 to better reflect a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To attain and sustain ALA accreditation, MLS programs should reflect the values of the ALA. At IU, diversity and inclusion have been a part of the program in several subtle ways, but a more explicit demonstration of the commitment to these ideals would be beneficial to both the program and its students.
Adding this requirement also keeps the MLS at IU competitive with other Library Science programs. Other highly ranked library science programs offer DEI-focused courses, and there is a growing trend of their adoption across many institutions. Furthermore, interviews with alumni and examination of current job descriptions revealed that the current demands in the field call for diversity and inclusion training. Upon examining these factors, the department decided the additional course requirement was necessary to fill this gap.
Once Z622 was added to the curriculum, Dr. Allan Martell was selected to instruct the inaugural section for the Fall 2024 semester. He spent the summer developing the structure of the class with the help of a week-long curriculum design seminar course and a mentor who periodically reviewed his progress.
Dr. Martell structured the course into three modules, which he likened to the construction of a house: Foundation, Framework, and Bricks and Mortar. The Foundation portion of the course introduces the students to the ALA, the history of the push for diversity and inclusion, and modern challenges for the realization of these values. The second section focuses on the development of programs and services, especially through grant-writing. The last module provides context and information on specific populations, such as people with disabilities or racial groups. Dr. Martell noted that this final section of the course has the most potential for expansion since many groups may be discussed in greater depth.
Dr. Martell chose a grant proposal as the final project because it represents the sum of knowledge gained during the course. Not only does it demonstrate an understanding of the course objectives through the development of programming framework, but it also exercises practical skills that will be necessary in real world library positions—all in the context of diversity and inclusion.
Since this class was the first iteration of the new requirement, it will certainly undergo some revisions and updates based on student feedback and evaluation by the instructor. Dr. Martell said that if he taught the course again, he would like to include more information on refugee and indigenous populations.
The course will also evolve as different professors instruct it. In spring 2025, there will be two sections of Z622 offered, one taught by Dr. Yuerong Hu and the other by Dr. Christina Boyles. Each instructor will bring her own experience and unique strengths to the curriculum.