Stop, reflect, replace: Renovating our foundation for inclusive participation

Abstract

As in many academic libraries all over the country, attracting and retaining people of color has been a continuous, uphill battle.”“It is a troubling reality that our current librarian ranks do not represent the communities served by libraries.”Sadly, both of these statements, from 2001 and 2003, still hold true today. Sustained attempts to lower barriers for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), such as through residency programs, have not resulted in their long-term retention, and white librarians still make up the vast majority of degreed librarians. Now is the time to stop this cycle and change the narrative in academic librarianship.