Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

The Library Publishing Coalition’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in library publishing is foundational to the organization’s vision of providing a “scholarly publishing landscape that is open, inclusive, and sustainable” through its values of openness and diversity. This commitment is further instantiated through the initial creation of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force (2019–2021), and the formalization of that task force into a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, starting in 2021. In 2024, the committee name was changed to recognize efforts regarding accessibility: it is now the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee.

Definitions

The LPC DEIA committee used the definitions from the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications’ Joint Statement of Principles as a jumping off point for community discussion about our own definitions of these terms. The resulting language is a mix of C4DISC’s and our own. 

Accessibility
Accessibility is the practice of making information, activities, and/or environments sensible, meaningful, and usable for as many people as possible including those with various cognitive, emotional, motor, and learning abilities.

Anti-oppression
Actions to dismantle and prevent barriers and inequities experienced as a result of being part of historically disadvantaged groups. This includes, but is not limited to, groupings based on race, gender identification, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, language, national origin, age, and physical appearance.

Anti-racism
Anti-racism is the interruption of racism, including white supremacy. It requires acknowledging that structural inequities exist in libraries and publishing spaces and taking action to dismantle and prevent racial barriers and inequities. This can include allyship, hiring, creating resources, fostering community, and dialogue about racism. Anti-racism is part of the larger anti-oppression category.

Diversity
Refers to the composition of a group of people from any number of demographic backgrounds: identities (innate and selected); the collective strength of their experiences, beliefs, values, skills, and perspectives; and the historical and ongoing ways in which these groups have been affected by structures of power. The variability in a diverse group is apparent in the characteristics we see and hear, as well as through behaviors and expressions that we encounter and experience in our workplaces and organizations. Diverse organizations are not by default inclusive.

Equity
Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and needs different resources to be successful. The term “equity” refers to fairness and justice and is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. The process is ongoing, requiring us to identify and overcome intentional and unintentional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures.

Inclusion
The act of establishing philosophies, policies, practices, and procedures to ensure equitable access to opportunities and resources that support individuals in contributing to an organization’s success. Through encouraging awareness of power structures, creating opportunities for those who have historically been excluded, and attempting to decenter majority culture, inclusion creates the environment and infrastructure in which diversity within organizations can exist and thrive. Inclusive organizations are by definition committed to achieving a sense of belonging for everyone at all levels.

White supremacy
We use this term to describe the legal, social, commercial, political, and institutional systems that center whiteness and Euroamerican culture, holding these up as the standard, and rendering non-Euroamerican people and cultures as “other”, “abnormal”  or “different” and often invisible. The operation of these systems creates a race-based caste society that excludes Black, brown, indigenous, and other people of color from equitable participation, and allows “privileges associated with ‘whiteness’ and disadvantages associated with ‘color’ to endure and adapt over time.”

Initiatives

The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee leads LPC’s efforts to create an inclusive community by embedding the work of anti-racism, anti-oppression, and accessibility across the organization. While the DEIA Committee assumes this leadership responsibility, DEIA is the responsibility of all members of the LPC.

Our work in this area is ongoing. Please check back for further information.