Advisory board debates phrasing of diversity and inclusion question for candidate interviews

Members of the Library Advisory Board discussed question wording for candidate interviews, focusing on question five on both the adult and student application forms. Several members said the existing phrasing used ‘‘DEI’’ language that some applicants might find unfamiliar or off-putting; others said wording should still capture concepts of diversity, inclusion and respect. The group proposed alternative phrasings (examples included asking how a candidate would "encourage and advance a supportive environment" or how they would "advance an environment of belonging" in a group). The board did not adopt a final replacement at the meeting; members agreed to send suggested rewordings to Director Corey Bridal, who will collate the proposals and circulate them to the board for final wording before interviews. Board members also discussed whether to provide interview questions to candidates in advance. Because interviews occur in a public meeting, some members noted that giving the questions ahead of time reduces disadvantage for candidates who interview early; others said seeing a candidate's unrehearsed answers can be informative. The board agreed to provide the questions in advance to help reduce candidate anxiety and to ensure consistency across interviews. No formal change to the question set was adopted at this meeting; the board set a short timeline for collecting suggested wording and planned to finalize question language before November interviews.