Our Commitment to Diversity

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library acknowledges that we are in the aboriginal territories of the Salish and Kalispel people. We honor the path they have always shown us in caring for this place for the generations to come.

Mission | DEI Committee | Definition of Diversity | Resources

Mansfield Library Diversity Mission

The Mansfield Libraries support The University of Montana’s strong commitment to creating a vibrant and welcoming culture that expects and respects diversity. Our patron base includes the students, faculty, and staff at UM as well as community members of all backgrounds. We support diversity through our collections, services, instruction, and physical and virtual environments in recognition of our unique responsibility to and long history of upholding equal access, intellectual freedom, and freedom of expression.

DEI Committee

Charge

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is a standing committee within the Mansfield Library composed of faculty, staff, and student employees. The committee charge is to support the Mansfield Libraries’ and the University of Montana’s strong commitment to creating a vibrant and welcoming culture that expects and respects diversity. The DEI Committee’s role is to actively challenge racism and support diversity through library collections, services, instruction, exhibits, and physical and virtual environments in recognition of the Mansfield Library’s unique responsibility to and long history of upholding equal and accessible access to information, intellectual freedom, and freedom of inquiry and right to privacy.

Members

Jill Howard - Chair

Faculty Representatives

Natalie Bond - Reference & Instruction

Staff Representatives

Annie Weiler - Payne Family Library
Erik Larson - Circulation/ILL
Wes Samson - Systems
Deb Graham - Administration

Definition of Diversity

The Mansfield Libraries define diversity in alignment with the definition presented in the Diversity Plan for The University of Montana.

“The following definition of diversity does not limit but provides a context for this Plan.

The University of Montana seeks to enhance diversity by recognizing and embracing the differences in age, ideas and perspectives, disabilities, creed, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, and the socioeconomic and geographic composition of its faculty, administrative professionals, staff, and students.

In its effort to enhance diversity, The University of Montana recognizes that particular focused effort must be placed on including members of groups who have historically been subject to discrimination and are still underrepresented in the campus community.”