Contact Sarah at sarah.larsen@courts.state.mn.us. Learn more », PL and PLonline are the only industry publications focused entirely on public libraries and public librarians. While much of the literature focuses on improving diversity in a wider context (such as improving library education, library collections, or other types of libraries, such as academic libraries), many of the lessons provided are applicable to the public library setting. Ensure that the library stocks a range of inclusive books as part of the main book collection and that these are given equal status. Furthermore, librarians are encouraged to represent libraries by speaking and/or hosting tables at community institutions, such as schools, retirement communities, health clubs, farmer’s markets, fairs, and other events. The University Libraries have prominently displayed a definition of diversity on its Diversity Committee’s webpage for many years and has used it as a guiding statement for the Libraries’ activities. This blindness to racial inequities found in libraries is especially problematic, he argues, given that libraries often promote themselves as “egalitarian institution[s] providing universal access to information for the general public.”10 In order for the library to live up to its aspirational goal, Honma argues that libraries must recognize the reasons racial inequity persists and move beyond perpetuating institutional discrimination.11. In addition, education-related organizations such as Thrive Washington, provide worksheets and other freely available resources for teaching children about diversity, equality, and nonviolence. By placing attention on this set of libraries, the survey is designed to focus on the lack of diversity in leadership roles at academic libraries, says Roger Schonfeld, director of Ithaka S+R’s Libraries and Scholarly Communication Program. to review police response to Orlando shooting. Redefining Diversity: Creating an Inclusive Academic Library through Diversity Initiatives Anne T. Switzer ABSTRACT. Resuming the conversation that started at ACRL, we discuss why diversity really matters to academic libraries, librarians, and the profession, and where to go from here. Robin Bradford, a collection development librarian at the Timberland Regional Library in Tumwater, Washington, noted in a recent interview that both she and the director of her library are black, which she described as “unusual,” and noted that she could only recall four other minority librarians working in collection development.22 Bradford further observed that the library eld in general must make a concerted effort to change and embrace diversity. Join us to learn more about the project and to discuss the implications or impacts of this and other types of radical cataloging. Promote inclusive books and those by diverse … It is absolutely essential that managers understand why gender or racial inequality exists, and are motivated to remedy those issues, as opposed to simply fulfilling quotas or statutory requirements. Whether it is acknowledged or not, everyone has subjective bias; people are instinctively drawn to people who are like them.34 To combat this bias, an easy strategy is to ensure hiring decisions are made by more than one person, and preferably a diverse group of people. [3] Although these are three separate incidents, they share some common attributes, including concerns about racial equality, gun violence, gun possession policies, and law enforcement policies. Publiclibrariesonline.org is the companion website to the bi-monthly print publication “Public Libraries,” the official magazine of the Public Library Association. The importance of providing opportunities for employees to attend workshops and conferences is also emphasized. Some university libraries are taking steps further by creating a diversity space, showcasing exhibits and partnering with other academic and student centered departments to promote diversity and inclusivity. Our staff create an environment that appreciates, acknowledges, encourages and celebrates differences by functioning and communicating effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities and cultural backgrounds. Libraries are dedicated to the principles and practices of social justice, diversity, and equality among our staff, collections, and services. A Muslim woman participating in the Urban Library Program commented that many veiled women approached her to seek help. Librarianship recognizes the value of a diverse workforce in achieving this vision. A survey of public library managers found that only 23 percent recognized multicultural or diversity awareness as an area where training was needed and a similar number reported viewing multicultural awareness as a necessary skill for managing a public library.26 Finally, many people experience “diversity fatigue” in the face of unchanged demographics despite years of messages of the importance of diversity.27 Indeed, there is a perception among minority librarians that diversity efforts are actually meaningless.28 Without making a sincere, systematic effort and using multiple approaches, the problems of inequity will continue.29 However, there are some strategies that can be effective in improving diversity within a library organization. Customers or Patrons? This article contends that it is essential for academic librar-ians to identify and remain mindful of the unique needs of an increasingly diverse student WebJunction: Extended Racial Equity Resource Guide for Libraries, Library of Congress: Student Diversity Internship Program, Tags: communication, conversation, equity, public libraries and diversity, racial equity. Partnering with the Library Community. 50 E Huron Chicago, IL 60611 Mary Wilkins Jordan, “Competencies for Public Library Managers: Diversity in Practice,” Library Management 36, no. Review ALA’s personal data notification (PDN) before proceeding. People know and admire the work of the Library staff who work in the community. Several public libraries have created Black Lives Matter programs, such as a Young Adult Reading List at the Hennepin County Public Library, crisis counseling services at the Dallas Public Library, and a LibGuide on Black Lives Matter teaching materials at the San Francisco Public Library.[4]. Employees who do not feel supported and valued will not remain with an organization or even in the profession for long. Wagner and Willms, “Urban Library Program,” 142. Hiring a diverse workforce is certainly a positive step for organizations seeking diversity, but it means very little if the organization is unable to retain those employees. Some libraries work to increase access with bookmobiles, car pools, ensured and extended evening and weekend hours, new satellite locations, book delivery programs for hospital patients and homebound individuals, collaborations with schools, recreation departments, and juvenile and senior citizen transportation programs to facilitate transportation to and from libraries. . Diversity in Public Libraries Working in a library with diverse patrons can be both easy and difficult depending on the way you look at it. The diversity outreach librarian has provided a forum for the University Libraries to highlight their services to the incoming freshmen participating in this program. According to ALA, a mere 4.3 percent of librarians are black, 3.5 percent are Asian, and 3.7 percent identify as “other.”3 While ALA has not maintained statistics designating the racial background of public librarians since 1998, it can be assumed that these statistics about general librarianship do reflect the trends in public libraries as well. Learn more », A Publication of the Public Library Association, Diversity in Public Libraries Strategies for Achieving a More Representative Workforce, Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science, Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity, Diversity Never Happens: The Story of Minority Hiring Doesn’t Seem to Change Much, Library Publishing and Diversity Values: Changing Scholarly Publishing through Policy and Scholarly Communication Education, Trippin’ over the Color Line: The Invisibility of Race in Library and Information Science, Racial and Ethnic Diversity among Librarians: A Status Report, An Interview with Robin Bradford, Genre Avenger and RWA Librarian of the Year, ReFLections on Diversity and Organizational Development, ALA Office for Diversity Literacy and Outreach Services, Darin Strauss on Merging Memoir and Fiction in his Incredible New Novel, New Research Explores How Public Libraries Can Best Combat Misinformation, Not open? Sarah is currently reading I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley. Moving forward and correcting past injustices of sexism and racism is not a simple undertaking, even when an organization acknowledges the value of attempting to do so. Mentoring of employees and assessment of the library’s policies and practices are also key components of ensuring that a diversity initiative does not fizzle out and provides adequate results. Libraries can be places of comfort and support during sad and challenging times, and serve as powerful forces for change by promoting equity, diversity and inclusion. Adkins, Virden, and Yier, “Learning About Diversity,” 148; Wagner and Willms, “Urban Library Program,” 137, 142. Bugg, “Perceptions of People of Color,” 435–36. Diversity initiatives are not a new phenomenon for libraries. Organisations delivering public services should be familiar with the Equality Act 2010. Wagner and Willms, “Urban Library Program,” 136–38. Bugg, “Perceptions of People of Color,” 429. Andrade and Rivera, “Developing a Diversity Competent Workforce,” 701–6. If the motivation behind a public library’s diversity initiative takes into account the societal wrongs that a diversity initiative seeks to correct, the likelihood of success is far greater than simply using the word “diversity” as a buzzword and an abstract ideal.31 This also means more than increasing the visible diversity in an organization or relying on quotas.32 Management must set, enforce, promote, and model policies that reinforce inclusion and value diversity at every level of the library organization.33, Hiring practices are absolutely essential when recruiting a diverse workforce. Hastings, “Why Don’t Our Libraries Mirror the Populations They Serve,” 134–35; Kreitz, “Best Practices,” 102–3. Learn more », A Publication of the Public Library Association, Encouraging Diversity and Equity in Public Libraries, teaching children about diversity, equality, and nonviolence, Libraries Respond to Community Needs in Times of Crisis, The Latest: Hundreds Gather at School After Castile Funeral, Five Dallas police officers were killed by a lone attacker, authorities say, Justice Dept. Wagner and Willms evaluated the Urban Library Program, a joint effort of St. Catherine University and the St. Paul Public Library to recruit, educate, hire, and retain a diverse paraprofessional workforce. To celebrate the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May) this article will explore and hopefully inspire reflection on some of the ways libraries act as cultural hubs – as gateways connecting our communities to one another, and to She observed that libraries tend to stick with what they have always done, “and it’s not that people are doing it out of malice, but if. Getting Paid: How Do Authors Make Money from Library Books? Diversity is a term that has become something of an empty buzzword recently, having been used so frequently that it has lost nearly all of its meaning. Advice on developing collections for diverse user groups appears in the public and school library literature. Speaking from experience, if you come from a minority it can be extremely easy to work with the diverse population due to the fact that you may have something in common with that group. It is incumbent upon the highest levels of management to set policies and procedures that encourage diversity and inclusion in the library, and upon middle-managers and supervisors to ensure that appropriate hiring practices and training occur at all levels. As a result of recent events and historical reflection, public libraries are increasing efforts to advance racial equality and provide resources for conversations and greater communication between diverse groups of people and more engagement with local libraries and their programs. Without the program, which placed these candidates in libraries in positions for which they otherwise would have been overlooked or considered unqualified, the library would have lost out on many talented diverse library staff.37, Training is also essential to building a diverse workforce. How You Look at Your Library's Users Affects Customer Service, Diversity in Public Libraries Strategies for Achieving a More Representative Workforce, Open to Change: Libraries Pivot to Serve Small Businesses. Todd Honma notes that while many disciplines have struggled with diversity, the library remained fairly oblivious to racial issues in particular.9 The lack of diversity in American libraries and their collections has its roots in the history and development of libraries by whites serving an ethnically white populace and promoting Western European (that is, white) values and ideals. Libraries make a difference for children every day, and I look forward to continuing to work towards these efforts so that all children in a community can benefit from public library programs and resources as we deal with the aftermath of the recent summer events and focus on nonviolence and productive, healthful, safe, and educational futures for our children. Library directors and collection development librarians may also partake in activities such as organizing readings by authors from diverse backgrounds and compiling resource guides that focus on diverse authors and/or subject matter. As recent news coverage attests, this summer has had several unfortunate events involving violence and conflict. The history of the library in the United States is fraught with sexism, racism, and inequality. Schadt’s article also quotes Sandra Hughes-Hassell (a school library media professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill), who makes the point that library boards (and other library-related organizations) should strive for diverse memberships (e.g. Join a panel discussion exploring inequities in our libraries, the changing demographics in the U.S. and Denice Adkins, Christina Virden, and CharlesYier, “Learning about Diversity: The Roles of LIS Education, LIS Associations, and Lived Experience,”. . Diversity, a core value, and Inclusion, a foundational commitment, are two of these directives. Truly achieving diversity and equality in the library field (and in other areas of society as well) will require an immense effort by all members of society, not just those who have been directly affected by sexism or racism. Rural Libraries Push WiFi Into Community Spaces, Community Centered: 23 Reasons Why Your Library Is the Most Important Place in Town, Ten Essential Qualities for Success: A New Cataloging Librarian's Guide from a Supervisor's Perspective. As part of its efforts to increase diversity within the library, the University of Arizona implemented a series of diversity training sessions that brought in speakers from many different disciplines to discuss issues related to diversity and cultural competency. Equality and Diversity We seek to remove barriers to our services, to promote a culture of inclusiveness and to maximise the personal achievement of our users and of our staff. Libraries Engaging Diverse Populations: Beyond the Multicultural Potluck Are you looking for practical ways to engage diverse populations in meaningful ways? School Libraries Public Libraries COVID-19 Diversity Blogs 100 Scope Notes A Fuse #8 Production Good Comics for Kids Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog Neverending Search Teen Librarian Toolbox The Classroom Bookshelf The Yarn Events & More+ As year-round community organizations with free membership and access to resources, libraries serve crucial roles in community education and dialogue. Learn more », A division of the American Library Association Publiclibrariesonline.org is the companion website to the bi-monthly print publication “Public Libraries,” the official magazine of the Public Library Association. [7] These statistics are important because a job is usually necessary to purchase and maintain a car, and vice versa, suggesting that it is prudent for communities to focus on cost-effective ways to improve public transportation, increase library accessibility, and expand job-finding and -creation programs. Many MIT departments, including the Libraries, are following MIT’s efforts and addressing these important issues on a local level. ALA’s policy manual also includes a section on diversity, which offers general goals supporting diverse workforces and collections.17 Library and information science publications have also embraced the call for diversity and proffered solutions to solve the lack of diversity. While not exhaustive, we intend this guide to be a starting point for further inquiry. There are many barriers facing those who wish to improve diversity in library and information science. .you do what you’ve always done. [5] Car ownership has decreased over the past few years,[6] and the national average unemployment rate is presently about 4.9 percent. ALA first established minority caucuses in the 1970s, and diversity was officially included as a Key Action Area starting in 1998.16 Today, ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services promotes diversity through educational initiatives, training, and support for library professionals. Tags: ALA Office for Diversity Literacy and Outreach Services, diversifying the library workforce, diversity, public libraries and diversity. Libraries welcome everyone: Six stories of diversity and inclusion from libraries in England 5 This report presents the results from ‘desk research’ and a call for examples, plus the findings of six case studies, the aim of which was to explore different aspects of A further option is to host lectures by local university professors in fields such as sociology and other social sciences so that patron communities can explore historical and contemporary issues in group discussions. Libraries Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Commitment Statement (full statement) Library Faculty Organization (LFO) Resolution on Anti-racism Penn State University Libraries holds a unique position in the Penn State community, residing at the nexus of intellectual discovery, teaching and learning, and research. Equality and Diversity Considerations All public services need to consider how accessible they are to all sections of the community. Libraries are not the only work setting that faces a problem with diversity.8 However, given that the public library is a forum that serves a variety of communities and interests, it is critical to develop a public library workforce that more accurately reflects the diverse backgrounds that public libraries serve. SARAH E. LARSEN is the Outreach Librarian at the Minnesota State Law Library and an MLIS candidate at St. Catherine University in St. Paul (MN). 6/7 (2015), doi:10.1108/LM-12-2014- 0139. We are in a unique and special position to promote these values and take a strong stand against hate and intolerance. 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