Library and Technology Services (LTS) has been honored with the prestigious Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, recognizing our deep commitment to building community, fostering inclusion, and promoting accessibility. Through collections, events, services, and partnerships, LTS fosters an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. The Libraries received the inaugural LEAD Award in 2024 and have been recognized again this year, reaffirming our ongoing leadership in advancing initiatives that welcome all members of our community, provide equitable access to information and scholarly resources, and promote a common sense of belonging. Lehigh is featured, along with 33 other recipients, in the March 2025 issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine.
A key strength of Lehigh Libraries is its integration with Library and Technology Services (LTS), which weaves principles of community, access, and belonging into all aspects of our operations, from collections and programming to accessibility and professional development. This commitment is embedded in the LTS strategic plan, ensuring community, equity, and access remain central to decision-making. The Libraries regularly gather campus input to refine our initiatives and meet community needs.
“We have strengthened our commitment to these principles, deepened our partnerships with faculty and staff across campus, and furthered our efforts to make the libraries a welcoming space for all students,” said Greg Reihman, Vice Provost for Library and Technology Services. “I once again credit our staff, who embody these values and goals in everything they do, and who work every day to help create A Lehigh for Everyone.”
Lehigh Libraries is committed to building collections that reflect a wide range of voices and perspectives. The Community and Inclusion Resource Center: A Library for Everyone (CIRCLE) space in Fairchild-Martindale Library, opened in 2023, along with the OverDrive eBook collection, highlights works across diverse genres and creates a welcoming space for all students. “These efforts ensure that historically underrepresented perspectives are accessible to the campus community,” added Lehigh University Librarian Boaz Nadav-Manes. “Visibility is key, and the library actively promotes these collections through digital signage, campus communications, and in-person displays throughout the year.”
Lehigh’s nomination for this award highlighted specific actions LTS has taken in recent years to strengthen connections across the community, including hosting events in the CIRCLE and around campus to amplify marginalized voices and encourage dialogue.
The Lehigh Libraries and LTS Diversity & Inclusion Committee have sponsored numerous programs in 2024, including a talk by American Library Association President Emily Drabinski on intellectual freedom, a poetry and archival workshop with Remica Bingham-Risher, and a student art exhibition on gender violence awareness. Other initiatives, such as “Plant Therapy with Brown Skin Plant Mama” and a discussion on the Clery Act’s impact on campus safety, demonstrate the library’s commitment to fostering dialogue on critical social issues while creating a space for reflection and engagement.
The Lehigh University Libraries advance these goals through ongoing partnerships and initiatives. Last year, we supported the Gloria Naylor Archive and LGBT+ Community Archive, assisted faculty researching bias in Generative AI, and partnered with the Institute for Indigenous Studies to provide access to essential scholarly resources. We also co-funded Lehigh’s NCFDD subscription to support underrepresented faculty. Each fall, our Harvest of Ideas event celebrates diverse faculty research and strengthens our community through inclusive access and shared scholarship.
Donald Outing, Lehigh’s Vice President for Equity and Community, said “LTS continues to set a powerful example of how libraries can be catalysts for meaningful change. Our libraries are dynamic spaces for inclusion, dialogue, and innovation. This second consecutive LEAD Award affirms LTS’s deep commitment to ensuring that every student, faculty, and staff member feels a sense of belonging.”
Reihman notes that accessibility remains a priority, with the library ensuring course materials are accessible, providing video captioning, and improving website usability. “The Assistive Technology Working Group collaborates across campus to address evolving accessibility needs, reinforcing the library’s role as an advocate for equitable learning environments,” he said.
Lehigh Libraries also promotes best practices in equitable hiring and staff development, refining recruitment strategies to attract diverse talent and offering staff workshops in gender equity, multicultural affairs, and accessibility. Professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs and cultural immersion experiences, further support staff in fostering an inclusive academic space.
As a vocal advocate for intellectual freedom, the library has hosted banned book discussions with The Pride Center @LU and Eastern PA Trans Equity Project, spotlighting the broader consequences of censorship.
The LEAD Award affirms Lehigh Libraries’ impact, recognizing its ongoing efforts to turn commitment to core values into meaningful action. Reihman emphasizes that such recognition highlights the library’s role “not just as a knowledge repository, but as a catalyst for community building, inclusion, dialogue, and change.”
Insight Into Diversity 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 inclusive excellence and belonging in higher education through their website and print magazine.