Professional associations often talk about belonging. But before belonging comes something more fundamental: inclusion.
Inclusion is the on-ramp.
For ACRL, inclusion is not just about representation on committees—it is about how new members experience their first year. It is about whether joining feels intuitive or overwhelming. It is about whether early engagement feels purposeful or performative.
If we want to grow the profession and cultivate leadership across early, mid, and seasoned librarians, we must design inclusion intentionally—especially for new members.
Inclusion Starts Before the First Committee
When a librarian joins ACRL, they are asking:
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Where do I fit?
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How do I get involved?
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Is this organization relevant to my institution?
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Will my voice matter?
For many early-career librarians—and for librarians at small or under-resourced institutions—the structure of ACRL can feel complex. Sections, interest groups, committees, discussion lists, conferences, publications. The opportunities are abundant, but the pathways are not always clear.
Inclusion means:
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Clear, visible entry points.
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Simplified explanations of how governance works.
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A roadmap for “what to do in your first year.”
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Human connection early in the process.
Inclusion is clarity.
Designing Inclusion for Early Career Librarians
Early career professionals are often eager to contribute but unsure where to begin.
ACRL can intentionally design inclusion through:
1. Structured First-Year Pathways
A clearly defined “First-Year in ACRL” program that outlines:
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Attend one virtual event.
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Join one section discussion.
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Apply for one micro-volunteer opportunity.
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Connect with one peer mentor.
2. Micro-Engagement Opportunities
Not everyone can commit to a three-year committee appointment. Offer:
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Short-term task groups.
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One-time project teams.
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Lightning round presentations.
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Virtual facilitation roles.
Inclusion at this stage means lowering the time and visibility barrier to participation.
3. Transparent Leadership Pipelines
Early career librarians should be able to see:
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How someone moves from member → committee member → chair → board.
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Estimated time commitments.
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Support structures available.
Clarity reduces intimidation.
Inclusion for Mid-Career Librarians: Re-Engagement and Relevance
Mid-career librarians often join associations earlier in their career, then disengage due to workload, family obligations, or institutional pressures.
Inclusion here looks like:
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Flexible engagement options.
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Virtual-first leadership tracks.
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Recognition of professional experience gained outside ACRL.
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Programming that addresses real institutional challenges (budget cuts, AI integration, workforce development).
Mid-career professionals need to see that ACRL understands their realities.
Inclusion at this stage is about relevance.
Inclusion for Seasoned Librarians: Valuing Intellectual Capital
Later-stage librarians may hesitate to join—or rejoin—if they perceive associations as oriented only toward emerging professionals or new technologies.
Inclusion here means:
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Highlighting seasoned voices in thought leadership.
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Creating formal mentoring circles.
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Inviting experienced librarians into strategic advisory roles.
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Designing leadership institutes that include legacy-building conversations.
Inclusion at this stage is about recognition.
Inclusion Across Institutional Types
If ACRL wants to expand membership, it must intentionally include librarians from:
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Community colleges
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Small private colleges
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Minority-serving institutions
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Rural campuses
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Underfunded public universities
Inclusion requires acknowledging structural disparities:
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Conference travel costs
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Membership fees
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Release time for service
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Institutional prestige bias
Concrete strategies could include:
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Sliding-scale or sponsored memberships.
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Expanded travel grants.
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Virtual leadership academies.
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Spotlighting scholarship and innovation from under-resourced institutions.
Inclusion means designing for those without surplus resources.
From Inclusion to Leadership Development
If inclusion is done well, leadership development follows naturally.
When new members:
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Understand the structure,
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Experience early success,
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Receive encouragement,
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See people like themselves in visible roles,
they begin to imagine themselves as leaders.
Leadership programs should not feel like elite opportunities reserved for the already visible. They should feel like the next step in a clearly articulated pathway.
ACRL could consider:
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Tiered leadership development tracks (early, mid, seasoned).
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Intergenerational cohorts.
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Explicit nomination pipelines for members from historically underrepresented institution types.
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Feedback loops to assess whether members feel oriented, supported, and valued in their first two years.
Inclusion Is Growth Strategy
If belonging is cultural depth, inclusion is structural design.
For ACRL, inclusion is not just an equity value—it is a membership growth strategy and a leadership sustainability strategy.
New members do not stay because of mission statements.
They stay because they can see a path.
If we want the association to reflect the full diversity of academic librarianship—across institution type, career stage, geography, and identity—we must intentionally design the on-ramp.
Inclusion is the first experience.
And first experiences determine who becomes the next generation of leaders.
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