Multicultural Issues for Readers' Advisory Services

Abstract

A considerable amount of time and money has been spent debating the ultimate services to multicultural groups. So far, very few programs have been developed to integrate services to multicultural groups into the mainstream of librarianship. Many libraries have failed to create an awareness about the importance of information to multicultural groups. The tendency found among many librarians is either to remain silent or to excuse themselves by lack of funds. In addition to these tendencies, often the nonassertive outlook of librarians has led to a number of multicultural users remaining unaware of the sources of information that are available to them through the library.

Library Services to Multicultural Populations through the Lens of History: A Literature Review

“…Often, those library users would be a forgotten lot. Once they entered the library, which for many of them remained an uncharted territory well into their stay in the country, they were left on their own both physically and in terms of their information needs (Abdullahi, 1993). Gradually, though, public libraries started to assume the role of information mediators and educators (Birge, 1981), which was a crucial step in providing a bridge to community resources for sprawling immigrant communities.…”

Electronic Databases for Readers’ Advisory Services and Intellectual Access to Translated Fiction Not Originally Written in English

“…Within this multicultural environment, it would be strange indeed if readers' advisory services were not affected. In the early 1990s, Susan Jane Freiband (1993) and Ismail Abdullahi (1993) recommended that particular attention be paid to readers' advisory services for multicultural communities. In the early 2000s, Dawson and Van Fleet reiterated this recommendation, pointing out that, although there are increasing numbers of "specialized readers' advisory tools that focus on multicultural literatures individually and collectively" (Dawson and Van Fleet 2001, 259), the "extent to which librarians appreciate and commit to diversity" is often cyclical (Dawson and Van Fleet 2001, 262).…”