Transparency in Library Communication

Transparency in communication is critical at all levels. It is necessary for an equitable and inclusive workplace as well as for library stakeholders to understand changes as they occur. Without it, leaders lack the context needed to understand the decisions they must make, and workers have difficulty with trust and buy-in. Effective transparency takes time and practice as it is challenging to share information that is timely, complete, and helpful.

In this two-session, interactive workshop, instructors will work with attendees to understand their own power, privilege, and positionality in developing a culture of transparency at all levels of an organization. The group will review several case studies of transparency with internal and external stakeholders, learn techniques for supporting transparency regardless of role, and use multiple lenses for analyzing and understanding the challenges at participant’s institutions. Please come prepared with a transparency problem to solve, or an example of a problematic lack of transparency you have experienced or observed. Participants will be expected to share this scenario with the group during the first session.