Library and Information Services for Cultural Minorities: A Commentary and Analysis of a Report to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science

Abstract

Before I present my summary of this very important report, there may be those present who are wondering, what is this thing called the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science? I will take a few lines to describe the Commission. The most recent and best description of the work of the Commission can be found in the 1982-83 Annual Report of the National Commission which states the following:"Since its establishment in 1970, the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science has worked with Congress, the executive branch, and the entire library and information community to develop policies and plans to meet the library and information needs of the people of the United States. During its first ten years of service, the Commission worked to identify the libray and information needs of the American people and to define national goals, policies, and plans for library and information services. The culmination of that decade was the landmark White House Conference on Library and Information Services in 1979. This event and the many other specific accomplishments of the Commission's first ten years are discussed in its annual report for 1980-81, subtitled "A Decade of Accomplishment."" NCLIS is directed by its enabling legislation (P. L. 91-345) to advise and assist the executive and legislative branches and the library/information community. In addition to these ongoing responsibilities, the Commission established for itself three major program objectives as it began its second decade of service:The development of specifications for library legislation, improving the dissemination of federal information, and improving library and information services through resource sharing and applications of technology.

Cultural Competence: A Conceptual Framework for Library and Information Science Professionals

“…For decades, a corps of library and information science professionals have advocated for greater cultural awareness within the profession to meet the needs of a growing population of diverse library users [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Discussions surrounding cultural issues within the library and information science (LIS) profession have focused on multiculturalism [16] and diversity [2,17], as well as the importance of libraries and LIS professionals in appreciating and recognizing ethnicity [13] and the "multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual nature of society" [16, par.…”

“…Discussions surrounding cultural issues within the library and information science (LIS) profession have focused on multiculturalism [16] and diversity [2,17], as well as the importance of libraries and LIS professionals in appreciating and recognizing ethnicity [13] and the "multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual nature of society" [16, par. 23].…”

“…A considerable amount of work has yet to be done for the LIS profession to fully embrace and understand the needs of culturally diverse populations, particularly since the cultural background of many LIS professionals differs from those they serve [13,20], and issues surrounding diversity (e.g., immigration, English only legislation) have become increasingly complex. To develop cultural competence, LIS professionals will need a clear definition of cultural competence to avoid the use of the word as a "catch phrase" with little substance.…”

“…The term minority as used in this article, refers to African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latino and other Spanish-speaking groups. Underserved populations include poor, homeless, individuals with disabilities, elderly, and rural populations, many of whom are also minorities [29,13].…”

“…All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 176 THE LIBRARY QUARTERLY Cultural competence, a term used in the literature to describe the ability of professionals to understanding the needs of diverse populations [3,19], is a highly developed ability to understand and respect cultural differences and to address issues of disparity among diverse populations competently. A considerable amount of work has yet to be done for the LIS profession to fully embrace and understand the needs of culturally diverse populations, particularly since the cultural background of many LIS professionals differs from those they serve [13,20], and issues surrounding diversity (e.g., immigration, English only legislation) have become increasingly complex. To develop cultural competence, LIS professionals will need a clear definition of cultural competence to avoid the use of the word as a "catch phrase" with little substance.…”