CCL News

The recording of the Fall Workshop, Bridges Not Barriers: Inclusive Learning for All Learners. is now available along with slides from the presenters.

This session highlights the vital role that libraries play in creating equitable and inclusive educational environments. Four librarians from different colleges share their experiences and insights on serving diverse student populations and improving access to library resources and services. Through their stories and strategies, we explore how academic libraries can continue to bridge gaps and remove barriers, ensuring that all learners can thrive.

Recording

• CCL Fall 2025 Workshop | Bridges Not Barriers: Inclusive Learning for All Learners (November 7, 2025)
• Chat

Presentations:

Open Pedagogy: Student Creators' Agency in Learning All the Things

• Cynthia Orozco, Long Beach City College

Academic Library Services to Students Who Are Incarcerated

• Jewell Ludwigsen, Cerro Coso Community College

Burden-Free by Design: How Libraries Empower Student Access to Instructional Materials

• Aloha Sargent, Cabrillo College
• Ame Maloney, College of San Mateo & Ventura College

This workshop was brought to you by the CCL Leadership and Professional Development Committee.

About the Annual Library Data Survey for California Community Colleges

Each California community college is required to report on the condition of the college libraries pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 55800. The reporting process includes two-parts,

1. Electronic submission of the survey through SurveyMonkey and
2. Completion of the certification form.

The Council of Chief Librarians, as a service to the Chancellor’s Office, will update the survey annually, distribute the survey, collect survey data, and provide an analysis. Doug Achterman, a two-term former president of the Council of Chief Librarians, is heading this effort for CCL. All data collected via the survey, along with the analysis, will be provided to a designated representative of the Chancellor’s Office.

Getting Ready for the Survey

Before starting the electronic version of the survey, review all of the instructions and use the .pdf version of the survey to compile data. 

• Please note that survey responses are for the period from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.
• Survey completion due date: October 31, 2025.

Quick Links:

• The Annual Library Data Survey
• PDF of the Survey
• Survey Certification Form
• Survey Guide and FAQs
• Alma Analytics Guide
   

Designating One Person to Enter Survey Data

Designate one person to enter the survey data in SurveyMonkey using the link provided. Responses are saved and submitted when a respondent clicks the “Next” button on each page of the survey. 

If the survey is not completed in a single sitting, the respondent should be able to return to the survey by accessing it later on the same device and browser. Respondent can then edit previous responses and add new responses to complete the survey. 

Once you are ready, access the Annual Library Data Survey. 

At the end of the survey, clicking on the “Done” button closes the survey, and respondents can no longer access it to make additions or changes. Only do this when you have reviewed all your responses carefully.

Completing the Annual Library Data Survey Certification Form

Complete the Annual Library Data Survey Certification form.

The Certificate form is to be electronically signed and emailed to the Chancellor's Office. The certificate form must contain electronic signatures from the college Chief Librarian and the Chief Instructional Officer.

Once signed, email the completed form to the Chancellor's Office via David Garcia: DGarcia@cccco.edu

Getting Additional Assistance with the Survey

Responses to common questions will be compiled on the Annual Library Data Survey Guide which will be updated regularly as questions arise during the open survey dates.
The Library Services Platform Analytics work group has prepared a guide to using Alma and its analytics features to collect data for specific questions. 

You can also email Walter Butler, butler_walter@smc.edu with any questions about the survey. 

Photo by UX Indonesia on Unsplash
 

The Mt. SAC Library is thrilled to announce that we have received a prestigious grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for a 3-year project titled "Promoting Equity by Examining College History Through Digital Photos." Mt. SAC is one of only five institutions nationally to receive a grant through this initiative. The funding, totaling $149,949.00, will be used to expand a digital photo collection that documents the history of Mt. SAC, incorporates the use of the photo collection across the humanities and other academic disciplines, and promotes digital preservation on campus and in surrounding communities.  

We look forward to the positive impact this grant will have and are excited to continue the library’s  mission of meeting the needs of our students and diverse communities through cultivating knowledge creation and discovery, innovation, and academic, professional, and personal achievement.   

For more information about the National Endowment Grant and upcoming programs, contact digitalhistory@mtsac.edu or Hong Guo, Grant Project Director/Online Learning Librarian, hguo@mtsac.edu 

The project has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. 

Congratulations to those who have won awards in the last year!

• Lindsay Davis, Merced College, Distinguished Full-time Faculty Member of the Year
• Abigail Morales, Cypress College, Long Beach City College, Santiago Canyon College, REFORMA 2024 Dr. Arnulfo D. Trejo Librarian of the Year Award
• San Diego Mesa College Library and Learning Resource Center, Insight Into Diversity Magazine, 2024 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award
• Dr. Romelia Salinas, Mt. San Antonio College, REFORMA 2024 Elizabeth Martinez Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

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 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 minoritized groups. This recognition honors the power, impact, and possibilities of institutionalizing equity-minded, innovative practices that disrupt the status quo and create conditions that matter for our students to be seen and to succeed.”

Insight Into Diversity Magazine selected the San Diego Mesa College Library and Learning Resource Center (LRC) because San Diego 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 at 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. 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. 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."