83 SPEC Kit 356: Diversity and Inclusion
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON LIBRARIES
Open Letter to the UO Community
https://library.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/open_letter_diversity_equity_response_2016_2.pdf
1
OPEN LETTER TO THE UO COMMUNITY
FROM THE UNDERSIGNED LIBRARY STAFF, FACULTY, AND ADMINISTRATORS
November 15, 2016
In this time of increasing polarization of worldviews and escalating acts of aggression against members of
marginalized groups, we the undersigned staff, faculty, and administrators in the UO Libraries wish to express our
solidarity with students, faculty, and staff who advocate for the protection of human rights. We stand with those
who oppose bigotry, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, and sexual predation and assault. We
affirm that social injustices and oppression of people are wrong, and are a danger to the open, respectful
environments we need to carry out our university and library missions.
Libraries empower all members of our community to explore their cultures and identities, to create and access
knowledge, and to connect with the full range of human experience. The values of equality and intellectual
freedom, and a belief in the intrinsic worth of individuals are foundational to this work. We express these values
by embracing diversity and inclusion in all of its forms including, but not limited to, differences in race, ethnicity,
sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, and economic status. We oppose any attempts,
political or otherwise, to use these human characteristics to demean, devalue, or harm members of our
community.
The search for truth and knowledge requires access to the perspectives of not only those in the dominant culture,
but also the voices of people with less power in our society, people whose viewpoints are often suppressed or
omitted from the narrative. It demands critical thinking, reflection, and respectful community dialogue. It calls for
the use of courageous intellectual exploration, analysis, and evidence to advance knowledge, ideally in an
environment free of discrimination and intimidation.
For this reason, in our roles as library and educational professionals, we pledge to honor diversity and inclusion,
to support all students, faculty, and staff—including those who are feeling vulnerable and who struggle against
prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and violence—and to offer library services, content, and collections that
will enable our communities’ inquiries about political, racial, and other social injustices occurring in our world.
Yours respectfully,
Keri Aronson
Jaye Barlous
Cheryl Bemiss
Pat Best
Andrew Bonamici
Kay Brooks
Sara Brownmiller
Tatiana Bryant
Barbara Butler
Jonathan Cain
Damon Campbell
Christine Carmichael
Hana Chan
Helen Chu
Eric Clark
Laura Damiani
Sara DeWaay
Erin Doerner
Bronwyn Dorhofer
Jeremy Echols
Tim Erickson
Pat Fellows
Rebecca Fisher
Catherine Flynn-Purvis
David Fowler
Nina Fox
Sam Galli
Mary Galvin
Amanda Garcia
Mary Grenci
Lydia Harlan
Shelley Harshe
Carolina Hernandez
Ryan Hildebrand
Mary Ann Hyatt
Barbara Jenkins
Betsy Kelly
David Ketchum
Holli Kubly
Amy Lake
David Landazuri
Lesli Larson
Rosella Layton
Audrey Lee
Katy Lenn
Rachel Lilley
Adriene Lim
Linda Long
Karen Matson
Kevin McDowell
Kumiko McDowell
Terry McQuilkin
Danielle Mericle
Susan Merrell
Ann Miller
Victoria Mitchell
Marilyn Mohr
Patrick Moore
Karen Munro
Lara Nesselroad
Elizabeth Peterson
Brock Pitzer
Marilyn Reaves
Kelly Reynolds
Miriam Rigby
Lori Robare
Ann Shaffer
Heidi Scheidl
Sarah Seymore
Julia Simic
Nancy Slight-Gibney
Harriett Smith
Jan Smith
Raina Smith
Jeffrey Staiger
Tyler Stewart
Kathy Stroud
Bruce Tabb
John Taylor
Ed Teague
Tiffany Thornton
Samuel Villalobos
Dean Walton
Xiaotong Wang
Mark Watson
Brenda Willis
David Woken
Annie Zeidman-Karpinski
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON LIBRARIES
Open Letter to the UO Community
https://library.uoregon.edu/sites/default/files/open_letter_diversity_equity_response_2016_2.pdf
1
OPEN LETTER TO THE UO COMMUNITY
FROM THE UNDERSIGNED LIBRARY STAFF, FACULTY, AND ADMINISTRATORS
November 15, 2016
In this time of increasing polarization of worldviews and escalating acts of aggression against members of
marginalized groups, we the undersigned staff, faculty, and administrators in the UO Libraries wish to express our
solidarity with students, faculty, and staff who advocate for the protection of human rights. We stand with those
who oppose bigotry, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, ableism, and sexual predation and assault. We
affirm that social injustices and oppression of people are wrong, and are a danger to the open, respectful
environments we need to carry out our university and library missions.
Libraries empower all members of our community to explore their cultures and identities, to create and access
knowledge, and to connect with the full range of human experience. The values of equality and intellectual
freedom, and a belief in the intrinsic worth of individuals are foundational to this work. We express these values
by embracing diversity and inclusion in all of its forms including, but not limited to, differences in race, ethnicity,
sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion, and economic status. We oppose any attempts,
political or otherwise, to use these human characteristics to demean, devalue, or harm members of our
community.
The search for truth and knowledge requires access to the perspectives of not only those in the dominant culture,
but also the voices of people with less power in our society, people whose viewpoints are often suppressed or
omitted from the narrative. It demands critical thinking, reflection, and respectful community dialogue. It calls for
the use of courageous intellectual exploration, analysis, and evidence to advance knowledge, ideally in an
environment free of discrimination and intimidation.
For this reason, in our roles as library and educational professionals, we pledge to honor diversity and inclusion,
to support all students, faculty, and staff—including those who are feeling vulnerable and who struggle against
prejudice, discrimination, harassment, and violence—and to offer library services, content, and collections that
will enable our communities’ inquiries about political, racial, and other social injustices occurring in our world.
Yours respectfully,
Keri Aronson
Jaye Barlous
Cheryl Bemiss
Pat Best
Andrew Bonamici
Kay Brooks
Sara Brownmiller
Tatiana Bryant
Barbara Butler
Jonathan Cain
Damon Campbell
Christine Carmichael
Hana Chan
Helen Chu
Eric Clark
Laura Damiani
Sara DeWaay
Erin Doerner
Bronwyn Dorhofer
Jeremy Echols
Tim Erickson
Pat Fellows
Rebecca Fisher
Catherine Flynn-Purvis
David Fowler
Nina Fox
Sam Galli
Mary Galvin
Amanda Garcia
Mary Grenci
Lydia Harlan
Shelley Harshe
Carolina Hernandez
Ryan Hildebrand
Mary Ann Hyatt
Barbara Jenkins
Betsy Kelly
David Ketchum
Holli Kubly
Amy Lake
David Landazuri
Lesli Larson
Rosella Layton
Audrey Lee
Katy Lenn
Rachel Lilley
Adriene Lim
Linda Long
Karen Matson
Kevin McDowell
Kumiko McDowell
Terry McQuilkin
Danielle Mericle
Susan Merrell
Ann Miller
Victoria Mitchell
Marilyn Mohr
Patrick Moore
Karen Munro
Lara Nesselroad
Elizabeth Peterson
Brock Pitzer
Marilyn Reaves
Kelly Reynolds
Miriam Rigby
Lori Robare
Ann Shaffer
Heidi Scheidl
Sarah Seymore
Julia Simic
Nancy Slight-Gibney
Harriett Smith
Jan Smith
Raina Smith
Jeffrey Staiger
Tyler Stewart
Kathy Stroud
Bruce Tabb
John Taylor
Ed Teague
Tiffany Thornton
Samuel Villalobos
Dean Walton
Xiaotong Wang
Mark Watson
Brenda Willis
David Woken
Annie Zeidman-Karpinski
