Alfred University Libraries stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and global movements responding to the systemic racism and anti-Black violence that recently claimed the lives of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and innumerable others. We recognize that this movement is intersectional and essential to dismantling oppression. We appreciate and endorse the statements of Alfred University and the American Library Association, which show support for all marginalized communities, especially the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community.
Affirming that Black Lives Matter engages with our Libraries’ value of supporting “intellectual and cultural diversity” and recommits us to the strategic goals of recruiting and retaining “a diverse and talented staff” and to developing “library programming that makes the libraries a center for intellectual discussion.” We recognize, however, that this is not enough.
The Libraries acknowledge that an ongoing history of oppression occurs not just in areas such as policing, housing, employment, and healthcare, but also in library services, where there are many examples of libraries being complacent or complicit in the oppression  of BIPOC. Alfred University Libraries do not claim immunity from complicity in this history of systemic racism.
Current events show us that unvoiced support for marginalized communities is only slightly better than no support at all, so we are actively adding our voice. However, this is only the first step. We also commit to “walking the walk” in order to create a more equitable, inclusive, and empowering environment, and a more just society. As a start, we will take the following concrete steps:
Creating a more inclusive environment:

• Solicit feedback from students on “What would make you feel more welcome and/or comfortable in the Alfred University Libraries?” Partner with the Institute for Cultural Unity to ensure students from marginalized groups are aware that we are asking for their feedback.
• Require all library personnel to participate in implicit bias and bystander intervention training (see Appendix).
• Strongly encourage library personnel to participate in Psychological First-Aid (PFA) and Safe Zone training (see Appendix).
• Evaluate the library search and hiring process to reduce bias and increase equity and to incorporate best-practices.
• Integrate anti-racist and/or anti-oppression values and language into the AU Libraries Mission, Vision, and Values.

Creating more inclusive collections: 

• Actively add the work of BIPOC scholars to library collections.
• Add resources to support anti-oppression research and work to library collections.
• Solicit suggestions from students on collecting library materials by and/or about BIPOC.
• Whenever possible, ensure that library displays include works by marginalized creators/authors.
• Expand collaboration with student groups for library displays and events.

Educating ourselves:

• Begin a discussion group for library personnel focusing on works from a list of anti-racist resources or a list of anti-oppression readings focused on libraries and librarianship (see Appendix).
• Create a resource guide focused on anti-oppression (see Appendix).

We commit to regularly evaluating our progress and continuing to build on this statement and commitment. We welcome input from our patrons and our community on additional steps we can take as we work toward improving ourselves as professionals and as the Alfred University Libraries.
Appendix: Example Trainings and Resources
To guide the implementation of the actionable steps in our commitment, Alfred University Libraries recommend these examples and resources to be used as appropriate.

• Implicit bias training may include gender and sexuality issues but should also include racial issues such as micro and macroaggressions. One such example is UCLA’s “KNOW” Implicit Bias. This page provides a video series and modules as well as scholarship and additional videos.
• Bystander intervention training equips trainees with the training necessary to intervene in situations of harassment and hate violence. One recommended resource is the Southern Poverty Law Center’s guide to bystander intervention.
• Psychological First Aid (PFA) trainings equip trainees to respond to disasters and other traumatic events that affect a community by focusing on safety, stabilization, and connecting people to helpful resources. The American Psychological Association has compiled lists of resources and PFA providers.
• Safe Zone trainings create the opportunity to learn about different identities, particularly LGBTQIA+ people and the prejudices that they face. One example of Safe Zone training is provided by the Safe Zone Project.
• Lists of anti-racist resources take many meaningful forms. One example of a list that pertains directly to higher education was compiled by #ShutDownSTEM.
• Anti-oppression readings focused in libraries have a rich history. One exemplary compilation of readings is University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Disrupting Whiteness in Libraries and Librarianship: A Reading List.
• Anti-oppression resource guides are helpful tools for guiding students and faculty toward understanding oppression and the ways that they can combat it. Examples of such guides created by libraries include Anti-Oppression Resources for UNLV Students, Simmons University Library Anti-Oppression LibGuide, and this scaffolded list.

Alfred University announces the appointment of Brian Sullivan to the position of dean of libraries. Sullivan, who had been serving since 2018 as interim director of libraries, takes over for Steve Crandall, who retired after a 41-year career at the University.
Sullivan has been at Alfred University for 11 years, serving as instructional librarian at Herrick Library from 2008-12 and as information literacy librarian, also at Herrick Library, from 2012-18.

As interim director, Sullivan’s responsibilities included: managing all day to day operations; collaborating with Crandall to co-lead the strategic planning and assessment process; assisting the dean with managing the libraries budget; facilitating professional development for library faculty and staff; and coordinating all aspects of general library operations and facilities management.
His duties as instructional and information literacy librarian included leading development of the Alfred University Libraries reorganization plan; managing the library’s instructional program; chairing the Libraries Assessment Team; and leading the Task Force on Information Literacy and Assessment.
Sullivan earned a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Fredonia in 2000 and a Master of Library Science degree from the University at Buffalo in 2003.
He has taught a variety of library instruction sessions at Alfred University since 2008, including Writing I and II and First Year Experience, and in 2014 and 2015 taught an honors course, Create Your Own Religion.
Sullivan came to Alfred University in 2008 from Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, FL, where he was head of Public Services from 2006-07 and instructional services and electronic resources librarian from 2005-06. He was librarian at Hamlin (NY) Public Library for a year, in 2003.
Sullivan earned a master’s degree in theological studies from the Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College in 2002. He served as a theological library consultant at the Golisano Library, Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan, from 2016-18. He also served as an instructor at the Seminary during those years, teaching classes in library research for Seminary students and leading Doctor of Ministry dissertation workshops and new graduate student library orientations. His prior teaching experience also includes new graduate student orientations and graduate theology library orientations at Ave Maria University.

Samuel R. Scholes Library of Ceramics
Public Services and User Experience Librarian
The Samuel Scholes Library of Ceramics at Alfred University seeks a forward thinking, team oriented, customer service focused librarian to serve within a specialized academic library. Primarily serving undergraduate and graduate programs in Art and Design and Engineering and Science, Scholes Library also provides integrated library services with the Herrick Library at Alfred University.
Responsibilities:
The Public Services and User Experience Librarian position is a 12 month, administrative (non-tenure) position reporting to the Director of Scholes Library. This key administrative position is responsible for planning and coordinating all public facing operations including circulation, student worker hiring, training, and scheduling, all service desk operations, reference desk scheduling, user experience enhancements, and policy development.  This position also serves as assistant to the Director in reporting and providing library statistics.  Working in a fast paced, highly collaborative environment, the Public Services and User Experience Librarian serves as a key operational link to all departmental areas within Scholes Library and public face of the library as a whole.
Primary activities:
Circulation
The Public Services and User Experience Librarian is responsible for the management and maintenance of circulation in the library. This includes the systems and technologies that control circulation—such as our circulation policies and LMS (Aleph)—as well as oversight of stack maintenance, shelf-reading, and other procedures that allow circulation of the physical collection. This individual will also collect public services statistics for the Library Director.
Supervisory
The person filling this position has an important supervisory role in the Public Services department. This individual is responsible for the hiring, scheduling, training, and supervision of approximately 35 student assistants and part-time reference assistants. They also have responsibility for developing and updating procedures and manuals related to the student workers.
Administrative
The Public Services Librarian works closely with the Library Director in several areas of library administration. In an outward facing capacity, the librarian in this role communicates with patrons and other external constituencies for all operational and service matters. Within the library, they gather, report, and analyze data across all units, as well as develop internal procedures and policies as necessary.
Assessment
In concert with their role collecting statistics for the Library Director, the Public Services Librarian is responsible for facilitating assessment efforts within Scholes Library and mapping this work to relevant university-wide strategic planning as appropriate. This individual will have a significant role in library assessment, both in Scholes and across the libraries.
User Experience
The Public Services and User Experience Librarian is dedicating to improving user experience for our patrons, monitoring current public service trends, leading initiatives to develop and expand services, and assisting patrons with special requests as appropriate. They are the public face of the library, coordinating guides, signage, tech support, and other front line patron needs, as well as orientation sessions on request.
Reference/Concierge Services
As part of the outward-facing user experience aspect of this position, the Public Services Librarian is responsible for reference services in the library. They coordinate the scheduling of librarians and part-time assistants at the reference desk, participate in the reference rotation, ensure that the reference desk is staffed at all scheduled hours, and provide “concierge” service to all patrons.

Other duties:

• Participates in professional activities, serves on appropriate campus committees, and performs other College and University duties appropriate to administrative status
• Participates in professional development activities on and off campus
• Participates in strategic planning for campus libraries
• Assists with group information literacy instruction as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications: An ALA accredited MLS or equivalent degree is required; experience working in Circulation, Public Services and/or Reference Services in an academic library is preferred. Very strong technology skills and experience with administrative functions of an integrated library system are highly desirable. This position requires a strong customer service orientation, as well as excellent oral and written communication and supervisory skills. Subject background or coursework in art or engineering is a plus. This is a 12-month, non-tenure position requiring professional contributions to campus committees as assigned. This position also requires professional development and participation in collaboration within the greater SUNY Library community.
To apply, please submit the following to the address below: (Email & PDF preferred). Application review begins November 16, 2015 and will continue until the position is filled.

1) A letter of introduction outlining how your qualifications and experience match this opportunity;
2) Current Resume/Vitae;
3) Names, email, and phone numbers of three appropriate references

Email materials to: humanresources@alfred.edu
or mail to:
Alfred University
Office of Human Resources
Greene Hall
Alfred, NY 14802
Alfred University, Alfred, NY, actively subscribes to a policy of equal employment opportunity, and will not discriminate against any employee, student or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, gender identification or expression, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, military or veteran status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction status, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Protected veterans, minorities and women are encouraged to apply.