Black History Month 2026 Spotlight: Jennifer Louden

This Black History Month, we're "Honouring our Communities" by celebrating the people that make RGU such a diverse and welcoming place to study and work.

In this spotlight, Jennifer Louden, Director of Library and Learning Services, reflects on the importance of allyship, ensuring diverse voices are heard, and how the Library can help foster learning, connection and inclusion across the RGU community.

What does "Honouring Our Communities" mean to you?

It means putting the Library at the heart of the campus and making it a safe, welcoming, inclusive space for everyone to enjoy. It’s also about ensuring our collections are representative and contain a wide variety of voices and perspectives, reflecting our diverse RGU community.

I also believe there is a key role for the Library in developing the information literacy skills of our students, which is so important in today’s world, empowering them to recognise what is true and what is fake, and challenge potential bias.

Why do you think Black History Month is important?

Black History Month is just a fantastic opportunity to learn about and celebrate diversity and the rich heritage and culture of Black communities. It connects different people and departments right across the University so that our combined efforts really amplify their positive contributions and achievements.

I think it’s also an important reminder to reflect on what more we can do as individuals and as a community to tackle injustice and uplift marginalised voices.

What does allyship look like in your day-to-day life?

I think allyship is about being a good listener, not speaking for other people but trying to ensure quieter voices are heard. Different perspectives strengthen and enrich our lives and help us to connect authentically with others.

I know how lucky I am to hold a privileged position in the University and with that comes a responsibility to lead by example, be respectful and to advocate for underrepresented voices where I can.

What can we all do to help create a culture where everyone feels valued and included?

In my experience, it’s about treating others as you’d want to be treated yourself. Be kind, but be curious and actively seek new perspectives and ideas.

What message would you like to share with the RGU community during Black History Month?

Come to the Library – it belongs to you, everyone is welcome. We are not just a repository for books and a place to study, we are a space for engagement and collaboration. Come explore and enjoy our collections but above all come and connect with others, meet people who are different from you, challenge yourself with new perspectives and ideas.

About Jennifer

Jennifer Louden is Director of Library and Learning Services at RGU. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a librarian, she loves books and is a huge advocate of reading for pleasure. Alongside our academic collections, the Library has a small but growing fiction collection which staff and students can enjoy. 

Find out more about Black History Month at RGU.