Why diversity in American libraries

Abstract

Provides an historical perspective for the fight for diversity in US libraries, defining diversity, describing the changing demographics and discussing problems of implementing diversity. The lack of diversity in middle management posts in the US Government is noted. Work within the American Library Association, including recruiting initiatives and the Spectrum Initiative, a Diversity Fair, the establishment of a Presidential Committee on Library Service to Minorities are described. Concludes with examples of services provided by public libraries and considers prospects for the future.

Diversity in librarianship: The United States perspective

“…According to Josey and Abdullahi (2002), another major concern is to recruit more representatives of minorities, not only at the entry level but also at middle level as well as top management. To increase minority recruitment into the library profession, Stanley (2007) recommended: to make a personal commitment to minority recruitment; to begin marketing much earlier at the junior and senior levels in high school, using high school advisors, career days, and high school librarians; and to develop and implement a mentoring program that provides professional and emotional support and assistance to minority library school students.…”

The Reach of a Long-Arm Stapler: Calling in Microaggressions in the LIS Field through Zine Work

“…Despite diversity being listed as one of the core values of the American Library Association (2004), there has overall been infrequent and limited discussion of diversity in LIS literature. What has been published on diversity typically centers on the topic of recruiting more people from underrepresented ethnic and racial backgrounds into librarianship (Dewey and Keally 2008;Gulati 2010;Josey and Abdullahi 2002;Kim and Sin 2008;Love 2010). This numbers-focused approach to diversity has provided little discussion on retention in the profession or how everyday workplace behaviors relating to race, racism, or antiracism affect sustained diversity in the LIS profession.…”

Library and Information Services to the Arabic‐Speaking Community: A Survey of Michigan Public Libraries

“…These authors assert that the ALA could be doing more to perpetuate culturally diverse library services by encouraging library and information science programs to include educational materials and experiences that would ''sensitize'' future librarians to the importance of cultural diversity. Josey and Abdullahi (2002) conclude that institutions and organizations must make a greater commitment to diversity and call for more representation of ethnic minorities in the workforce. The authors cite several public libraries that ''… are rising to the occasion to provide programs and services to the growing multicultural population,'' the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library to name a few.…”

“…Josey and Abdullahi (2002) present a historical perspective of the campaign for diversity in American libraries by enumerating what is meant by diversity, summarizing the changing demographics in the U.S. population, and outlining the difficulties in implementing diversity. These authors assert that the ALA could be doing more to perpetuate culturally diverse library services by encouraging library and information science programs to include educational materials and experiences that would ''sensitize'' future librarians to the importance of cultural diversity.…”