Nancy Macías, (408) 712-2150
nancy.macias@sjlibrary.org
Karla Alvarez
karla.alvarez@sjlibrary.org
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
San José Welcomes its First Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Quality Standards
San José City Council Adopts Equity Standards for Citywide Programs
San José, Calif., February 9, 2022 – On Tuesday, February 8, the San José City Council voted unanimously to support and approve the proposed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Quality Standards (EDIQS) making these the City’s first quality requirements for citywide offered programs to prioritize and assess efforts based on impact in achieving the principles of equity, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racism.
As part of the City of San José and the San José Public Library’s (SJPL) commitment to equity, the standards ensure quality educational programming for its residents, and provides a model for all City departments that intentionally help identify areas for improvement, removes barriers to community access, and provides consistent guiding principles as well as clear requirements for assessment and reporting of outcomes.
Introduced to Council by the San José Public Library with the support from the Office of Racial Equity, the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Quality Standards are comprised of the following six (6) areas:
- Anti-Racist Approach
- Inclusive Programming
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Culturally-Relevant Pedagogy
- Community Involvement in Programming
- Outreach as Key to Inclusion
“The Office of Racial Equity welcomes these Quality Standards to guide City staff and ensure our educational programming results in positive outcomes for communities of color. We look forward to continue collaborating with the Library in the development of additional tools and training spaces to build staff capacities in infusing equity into our work,” said Zulma Maciel, Director of Office of Racial Equity.
The San José Public Library is committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for every San José resident by incorporating an inclusive, equity-driven approach to Library operations, services, programming, and high-quality learning experiences.
“We at the Library are so thankful for the support of our City Council and the approval today, said Jill Bourne, City Librarian. “I’m especially appreciative, knowing that the Quality Standards were developed from the deep, long-standing commitment and expertise of our Library teams and community stakeholders to the foundational values of equity and social justice in supporting everyone in their learning journeys.”
“Public libraries play an essential role in providing free access to education, literacy resources, and technology for all communities. When we center equity in our services and programming, we break down barriers to library and other Citywide access for underserved children and families at a systemic level – addressing the harms of the past and helping build an anti-racist future,” said Councilmember Sylvia Arenas. “I’m grateful to our San José Public Library for their shared commitment to equity.”
The San José Public Library was the City department appointed by former City Manager Norberto Dueñas in 2016 to lead the coordination of the Education and Digital Literacy (EDL) Strategy, including the development of the EDL Policy 0-30 and quality standards for citywide programs.
Read the full Equity and Inclusion Services Report here. Learn more about the Library’s efforts to advance Equity and Inclusion through its services and programs by visiting: sjpl.org/equity-inclusion
About the City of San José
With more than one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States and is Northern California’s largest city and the 10th largest city in the nation. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world. In 2011, the City adopted Envision San José 2040, a long-term growth plan that sets forth a vision and a comprehensive road map to guide the City’s anticipated growth through the year 2040.
About the San José Public Library
San José Public Library is located in the heart of Silicon Valley and in the nation’s 10th largest city. SJPL serves a culturally diverse population of more than one million, making it one of the busiest library systems nationwide. It registers an average of over 4-million visits with a checkout rate of nearly 7- million items, annually. Alongside its award-winning staff, recognized for its innovation and leadership, SJPL strives to ensure that our services reflect the city’s rich diversity and every member in our community enjoys their library experience
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