January 16, 2024
San Diego Mesa College Library and Learning Resource Center Receives Insight Into
Diversity Magazine’s 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award
National Recognition of Academic Libraries That Are Making a Difference for All Underrepresented
Groups
By Jennifer Kearns, Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah
San Diego, CA. — Today, the San Diego Mesa College Library and Learning Resource
Center (LRC) received the 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD)
Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education.
The LEAD Award honors academic libraries’ programs and initiatives that encourage
and support DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) across their campus. These include,
but are not limited to research, technology, accessibility, exhibitions, and community
outreach. San Diego Mesa College will be featured, along with 55 other recipients,
in the March 2024 issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine.
“I am so proud that the Mesa College Library has earned this Library Excellence in
Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award,” stated Dr. Ashanti T. Hands, President of Mesa
College. “In 2019, we were intentional when we hired an Equity and Engagement Librarian
– the first and only one in the region - who would promote access, outreach, and literacy
services to underserved groups, including ethnic and racial minorities, gender differences,
and students with disabilities.”
Insight Into Diversity Magazine selected the San Diego Mesa College Library and Learning
Resource Center (LRC) because Mesa College and the Library are committed to promoting
access, outreach, and literacy services to underserved groups, including ethnic and
racial minorities, gender differences, and people with disabilities.
The Mesa College Library has multiple Equity and Excellence Initiatives. One of these
initiatives included hiring the first and only Equity and Engagement Librarians in
the San Diego region, Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah. As the leading college of equity
and excellence, efforts related to recruiting, retaining, and advancing a diverse
library staff are crucial for fostering an inclusive and representative work environment.
These efforts typically align with broader diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
initiatives of San Diego Mesa College.
“We know that many academic libraries are not always recognized for their dedication
to diversity, inclusion, and access” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of
Insight Into Diversity magazine. “We are proud to honor these college and university
libraries as role models for other institutions of higher education.”
The Equity and Engagement Librarian works with library staff and other librarians
to assess the DEI progress of the library and ensure that the library supports students
with equity and inclusion at the center of the services provided. True engagement
positions the library as a catalyst in the communities it serves. The Mesa College
Library has provided increased engagement with students and initiated models to lower
barriers and increase access for students, especially marginalized student populations
Additionally, the Mesa College Library also created a 5-year DEIAA plan that is designed
to help break down barriers and expand access to library resources for our underrepresented
students. This is a unique plan, separate from but joined with the Mesa2030 Master
Plan, and serves as a guide to develop activities, spaces, and programs that support
a sense of belonging with a focus on antiracism, historically minoritized groups,
and inclusion.
Another unique Mesa College program is the embedded Librarian initiative focused on
underserved and disproportionately impacted student groups, which began as an initial
request for class visits for our students in Black Studies Classes. The Equity Librarian
has worked with faculty to expand the program, which now serves over 350 black students
in their research sessions and embedded library class visits.
“Preparing for the 2023 LEAD application was very reflective and was extremely helpful
in providing us with a framework to analyze our Equity-minded practices,” stated Dr.
Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah. “We applied for the LEAD Award because the San Diego
Mesa College Library Team would like to shine the light on our Equity and Excellence
Initiatives, especially removing barriers and providing access to our underserved
student populations.”
A call for nominations for this award was announced in October 2023.
Contact: Dr. Edeama Onwuchekwa Jonah, ejonah@sdccd.edu
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive community college committed
to access, success, and equity. We honor those commitments as a diverse community
of students, faculty, professional staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster
scholarship, leadership, innovation, and excellence in an inclusive learning environment.
By promoting student learning and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates,
transfer, workforce training, and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach
their educational goals and shape their future. Among the largest community colleges
in California, Mesa College serves 30,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time.
Mesa offers nearly 200 associate degree and certificate programs and is one of 15
California community colleges offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks
as San Diego’s top transfer institution, is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution and
a Military Friendly School, serving more than 3,500 veterans, active military and
their families. www.sdmesa.edu.
About Insight Into Diversity
Insight Into Diversity magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher
education today. Insight is the leader in recognizing inclusive excellence in higher
education through its many prestigious awards. They are also known for being the leader
in advancing best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion through their website
and print magazine. Current, archived, and digital issues of Insight Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com
Find San Diego Mesa College on Social Media:
Facebook.com: sandiegomesacollege
Twitter.com: sdmesacollege
Instagram.com: sdmesacollege
Youtube: youtube.com: sdmesacollege
Snapchat: sdmesacollege
LinkedIn: San Diego Mesa College
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Tags: Mesa College LRC, Mesa College Library, Library Excellence in Access and Diversity Award, Press Release
