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This study examines the experiences of academic librarians in Canada and the U.S. at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professional development events (PDE) and makes recommendations for improving PDE on DEI. It pursues the following overarching research problem: What accounts for the effectiveness of learning at DEI PDEs and what makes PDEs impactful and memorable? The study is framed through select theories of learning, epistemologically guided by hermeneutic phenomenology, and relies on the critical incident approach and qualitative self-administered survey, enriched by descriptive statistics. It results in the analytical Expectation and Learning Impact Framework (ELIF) for organizing DEI-related PDEs and a specific Checklist of recommendations for improving PDEs. This research will benefit academic librarians, LIS educators, as well as anyone wishing to organize meaningful DEI events. This is particularly instrumental when librarians have a wide variety of events to choose from but limited time and funding for attending them. It is also hoped that this study findings will expand an understanding of DEI PDEs, in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the results of a qualitative survey of academic librarians in Canada and the U.S., this study focuses on the learning and subsequent change following professional development events (PDE) dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Carried out collaboratively by a group of American and Canadian researchers, the study is guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and the concept of retrospective reflection and builds on the critical incident approach supporting the survey design. Reporting on two large clusters of findings – those related to personal learning and change and those related to organizational change – the study highlights five types of learning and subsequent change that result from DEI PDEs: cognitive learning and change (awareness); behavioral learning and change (action); personal learning and change (self-awareness and self-improvement); social learning and change (interaction); and affective/emotional learning and change. The findings are mapped to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of change, which creates a foundation for making recommendations for future mixed methods research and impactful PDE design. The study records both achievements and regrettable omissions in the current PDE offerings, in the hopes that noticed gaps and existing shortcomings will be remedied moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]