Bucknell University's Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library has earned a 2025 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 inclusive excellence and belonging across their campus. These include but are not limited to, research, technology, accessibility, exhibitions and community outreach.

Bucknell will be featured, along with 33 other recipients, in the March 2025 issue of Insight Into Diversity.

"The library & information technology team is deeply honored to receive this award," says Param Bedi, vice president for library & information technology. "Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are embedded in our University and library & information technology strategic plans, and I am proud of the work the library & information team does on a daily basis to make sure that every student, faculty, staff or community member we engage with feels a sense of belonging. This award is a powerful reminder that our efforts to create a more inclusive environment are making a difference at Bucknell."

Bucknell's library & information technology (L&IT) staff stewards and develops the collection of the Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library and supports the University's curriculum in the following ways:

• Offering more than 860,000 items and access to tens of thousands of periodicals and more than 200 databases.
• Providing technical resources and support services that enable Bucknell students, faculty and staff to engage in intellectual exploration and advance the University's mission.
• Collaborating with campus partners to drive innovation in teaching and scholarship.

By building relationships across campus, Bucknell's L&IT organization made significant strides in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Collaborative accomplishments include developing a comprehensive disability services and accessibility guide, hosting digital accessibility workshops with human resources, and partnering with the Office of Accessibility Resources to address accessibility challenges. L&IT staff have also engaged with student groups to understand their DEI-related needs and collaborated with the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life to create a resource for religious observances. Centering the library as a hub for accessibility and diversity has inspired and empowered the campus community to work better together.

"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. "We are proud to honor these college and university libraries as role models for other institutions of higher education."

A call for nominations for this award was made in October 2024.

For more information about the 2025 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.