By JOEL RAMIREZ, NEWS3 Reporter
Western Illinois University libraries will introduce a diversity plan as part of the university’s strategic plan and in collaboration with promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
“To be a great university, you have to have a great library, go side by side,” said Dean of Libraries Hector Maymi-Sugranes. “I always say that a cathedral of knowledge in any university is the library.”
“For me, diversity is a fundamental part of what we call the American experience diversity. To be a more forceful and more perfect union, we have to be more inclusive and try to promote what we call diversity, equity and inclusion.”
These new collections include Hispanic-Latinx, and Caribbean Studies; Africana and African Diaspora Studies; European and Asian Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; Women, Gender and LGBTQIA+ Studies; and Anti-Racism, Intolerance, Genocide and Holocaust Studies.
According to Maymi-Sugranes, these collections will develop clusters of not only materials, printed or digital, but they will also encourage a space for teaching, research and conversations.
