Co-Creating the Beginnings of a Culture of Belonging at the Georgia Tech Library

Abstract

In 2019, the Georgia Tech Library was coming out of a painful period of transition where lofty change initiatives had created significant toxicity in the culture. New leadership was brought in to rectify the situation. Through a series of efforts that translated institutional efforts, departmental actions, and team-based support, the Georgia Tech Library turned a corner and started working towards creating a culture of belonging. In this participatory case study, the authors proposed a nested model of cultural support in which the underpinnings of individual support flow from the team, the department, and the institution. Each part has a role to play in working to create a culture of belonging, understanding that the work is never complete, and that while the example of the Georgia Tech Library has made progress, there is still much work to be done.