This roundtable discussion will provide a collaborative space for librarians and archivists to exchange strategies for incorporating DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) into teaching and learning with special collections and archives. Participants will be invited to share personal experiences and approaches in the classroom that address topics such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), multi-sensorial and neurodivergent learning styles, accessibility for students with disabilities, and strategies to support English-language learners, to name a few examples. The discussion will also invite examples of Feminist and Critical Information Literacy pedagogical approaches to foster inclusive and equitable engagement in special collections and archives instruction. To guide the conversation, the following main questions will be posed:
- Share an example of using a DEIA-approach in your special collections or archives teaching? What worked well and what would you have done differently? - What are some helpful strategies or tools that you have used to make special collections and archives instruction more accessible and engaging? - How have you applied Feminist pedagogy or Critical Information Literacy in your special collections and archives instruction? - What excites you most about using DEIA-informed teaching in special collections and archives? Inversely, what challenges have you encountered when implementing DEIA strategies in special collections instruction, and how have you addressed them? - Are there any other ideas or approaches to DEIA-informed teaching in special collections and archives instruction that you would like to try but haven't had the opportunity yet?
Additional Questions: - How do collaboration and community partnerships contribute to advancing DEIA initiatives in teaching with special collections and archives? - How can we elevate traditionally underrepresented voices within special collections to make them more central in our teaching practices?
