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<p class="elementToProof" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hello,</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The RBMS Bibliographic Standards Committee Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Group (BSC DEI SG) seeks interested members to join our group. The Steering
Group currently includes 15 members, 9 of which are not BSC members. Our group’s charge includes, but is not limited to: </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Develop DEI guiding principles for metadata creation in relation to special collections</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Develop guidelines for creating institutional statements on harmful language and bias in cataloging </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Provide guidance and critical feedback to all aspects of BSC activities in regards to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In keeping with the spirit of our mission and goals, membership to ALA, RBMS, or any other professional organization is
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">not required</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> to volunteer with our Steering
Group. We welcome anyone with an interest in working with libraries, information, and cultural heritage.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Our Steering Group has a unique structure. We function as an advisory board, identifying areas of work and then charging smaller groups to complete the projects.
Steering Group members act as project leads. The idea is that the subgroups do the heavy lifting -- this allows us to invite underrepresented members of the community to serve on the Steering Group, while not adding to the overcommitment that many of our BIPOC
colleagues often face. For an idea of the group’s structure and the nature of our work, please see
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DEZzKE_2-DbISL5EmfAKWpPeu-mmf6ZVWIgzC89T-1g/edit?usp=sharing" id="OWA9e386332-b618-9fef-9cad-5f07a4e4d167" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly" style="text-decoration: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">our
charge</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Steering Group members should expect to serve on BSC DEI SG for one year with the option to continue working with the group in the next volunteer cycle. Individual
projects will have varying time commitments. The Steering Group is currently meeting every other month for an hour, with individual project groups setting their own schedules. Current projects include:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Developing guidelines for harmful metadata statements and statements on the importance of DEI work</span></p>
</li><li style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; direction: ltr; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Developing a BSC Fellowship to create a leadership opportunity for early career professionals and diversify the committee</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Developing a peer-to-peer mentorship network, focused on cataloging and metadata creation</span></p>
</li></ul>
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<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you are interested, please fill out
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiJ0K4kIqg5I2b5gPK3tKvxg7jOCQ0Q9rPUTj4CKMudtcwJQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" id="OWAb583d38a-2ce4-87df-08a7-60afc367a453" class="OWAAutoLink" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">this
form</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> before February 20th, 2024. As we are recruiting a small number of individuals, we will use responses from form submissions to make our final
decisions. Please feel free to share with those who might be interested.</span></div>
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<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Kind regards,</span></div>
<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Jana Gowan (she/her)</span></div>
<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Co-Chair, BSC DEI SG</span></div>
<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Librarian, Helmerich Center for American Research</span></div>
<div class="elementToProof"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 400; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Gilcrease Museum/The University of Tulsa</span></div>
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