Domain 2:
The Environment

One of the tenets of FASNY's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement is that, as an institution, FASNY strives "to build and nurture a culture where the inclusion and empowerment of diverse voices among faculty, staff, students, and FASNY families is a way of life and not an initiative." Paramount to creating such a culture is offering students and faculty access to literature that provides what Rudine Sims Bishop calls "windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors"--literature that offers representations of themselves and literature that offers access to the lives of others different from themselves.

In order to spotlight the diverse array of literature, in both English and French, that is available at the library, I create a rotating display that compliments the heritage or history month being recognized and celebrated. Below is a small sampling of those displays.

Early each school year I emphasize to students that the library is a shared space of community, and one way I emphasize this is by providing opportunities for student work to be displayed at various times throughout the year. Doing so helps students feel a greater sense of ownership and responsiblity for the space, which helps foster a library environment of respect and rapport.

In order to fulfill the Danielson goals of creating a library environment of respect and rapport, and creating a culture for investigation and love of literature, I use both passive displays and interactive programming to engage students.  Passive displays include a rotating display of literature that uses current trends and memes to catch student interest, and interactive programming includes 2-sentence story contests, name-that-scribe games, and vision board workshops.