Abstract:
Representation of diverse populations in any space is something the many libraries struggle to find their footing in. Getting prospective students into library programs has long been about who has the know how to get into a program. This article looks to analyze how existing issues can be looked at and combated through new initiatives to make it possible for libraries to become more diverse, while also looking at the issues that libraries face when it comes to diversity. While also exploring why library and information science programs struggle to bring in students from diverse backgrounds.
Keywords: Diversity, Inclusion, BIPOC, libraries,
academic libraries, library and information science, library workers,
librarians.
Introduction:
Libraries have always been known as a place where those who enter could get all of the information they need, they’ve evolved over the years to include technology resources, movies, music, and other things. The one area in which libraries have lacked when it comes to change is in growth opportunities for those from underrepresented groups. Underrepresented groups have long been in the minority when it comes to library staff and librarians, to the point where pathways for those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) on how to become librarians, or to step beyond a paraprofessional role in libraries are unknown to them. Eric R. Ely stated that “The recruitment and retention of librarians and library staff of color remain significant issues confronting the profession. The lack of diversity may deter prospective LIS professionals from pursuing careers in the field” (Ely, 2022, 412).
To create meaningful change in libraries, there would need to be extensive programs to elevate underrepresented groups. Using qualitative research, to study the factors of what it would take to create comprehensive change in the library fields, by considering the roles that public perception, library and information sciences programs, and library staff play when it comes to creating spaces that while not outright exclusionary, aren’t evolving to match the communities in which they serve.
Literature Review:
When it comes to the issue of diversity the first place to look at are the number of people who have the required degree to work as a librarian. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 27,550 people with Library Science degrees that are employed. When looking at the representation of Library Staff as a whole, according to the American Library Association’s report, “While the exact results and methods used differ, these data consistently show that the demographic makeup of library workers does not reflect that of the larger
population. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are underrepresented in the library workforce, while white people—and white women in particular—are overrepresented. That is not a judgment, simply a statement of fact. For community members visiting the library, it’s important for them to see themselves reflected in the people and collections they find there” (American Library Association, 2021, 7). Without diversity in urban area, it creates an environment where those in the community don’t feel welcome in a space that is part of their neighborhood.
On college campuses students from diverse backgrounds would feel as though they don’t belong, which could also create a level of library anxiety within the students from diverse backgrounds keeping them from using the library. “Academic libraries have an interest in recruiting a more diverse workforce not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because there is a belief that students and faculty will find the library a more welcoming place if more people of color are employed, and that this can contribute to a sense of belonging that aids retention” (Kendrick, 2023, 6). There is a disconnect between students from the BIPOC community and being able to feel comfortable in places that they should already feel safe to be in and a part of this plays a role in the lack of diversity in certain spaces. “According to a 2016 US Department of Education report, a diverse campus leadership significantly contributes to cultural competencies, inclusive pedagogy, and fosters positive student interactions” (Sanchez-Rodriguez, 2021, 185-186).
Issue I: Diversity in the Master in Library and Information Sciences Programs
Where do these changes
need to start, there’s so many pathways that would need to be taken in order to
start meaningful change and bring in more diverse people into the profession. Changes
need to start within the library and the library school programs to foster a
more diverse atmosphere that would bring in students from diverse populations
into the programs. “The students lack of knowledge regarding the library
information profession, and the viable career choices available, illuminates
the need to expose students of color to the occupation” (Gresham, 2024). Too
many students in the BIPOC community don’t understand the work that goes into
becoming a librarian, and many don’t know that there’s pathways to working in
libraries. Looking at Figure 2, the American Library Association list of those
who graduated with a degree in Library and Information Sciences in 2019-2020
cycle, 64.2% of the graduates are white, and looking back to Figure 1 where
nearly 70% of full-time and part-time Library staff is white this still shows a
clear picture of how slow the profession is to change.
What we need to acknowledge are the barriers for diverse populations to get to on the track to working in libraries, “There are many barriers to earning a Master of Library Science degree, particularly for those in minoritized populations, and moving the needle for would-be librarians has proved to be a challenge. Initiatives to increase diversity in librarianship have been slowly increasing” (Peet-Jul, 2024). While the initiatives work in helping students gain access to high education in MLIS programs, it’s still predominantly dominated by white students. In 2021 out of 16,387 students enrolled in an ALA Accredited Master’s Program, as shown in Figure 3, 10,547 students were white, with 5,840 students from diverse backgrounds. This shows that there are “many barriers to earning a Master of Library Science degree (MLS), particularly for those in minoritized populations, include a lack of time, money, standard American English proficiency, academic experience, family support, or access to technology—and moving the needle for would-be librarians has proved to be a challenge” (Peet-Jul, 2024).
Many of these barriers are cause by a number of socio-political issues, with a lack of pathways to the degree being one of the highest issues. “Research shows that the educational attainment and general life trajectory of individuals is largely a result of the socio-economic status of their parents" (Vinopal, 2016). For many, they believe that they won’t be able to grow from that status, as students in K-12 schools feel as though they won’t be able to move above where they grew up, because they don’t see a future. In this instance it shows a failure when it comes to upward mobility for students in urban areas throughout the country.
It is not only in uplifting BIPOC students into gaining admissions into these programs but also in making it possible for faculty in these programs to reflect these changes as well. “The lack of diverse representation within LIS faculties impacts research, teaching, administration, leadership, and service reduces the unique perspectives the global majority offers. Also, the profession as a whole loses out since there are not enough faculty members of color who can serve as mediators, recruiters, and mentors for students from underrepresented populations” (Gresham, 2024). Without representation within the field of study, it also shows that there is a lack of representation in libraries when it comes to professors, as it makes it difficult for diverse students to feel comfortable in finding opportunities within the programs, they’re in. Academic faculty that has a similar background to their students will be able to teach differently than someone the students don’t see as an equal, “Faculty diversity promotes a broader range of pedagogical techniques and boosts faculty-student engagement. However, the shortage of educators of color in LIS programs affects graduate students by limiting their exposure to differing viewpoints and leaves them with multiple disadvantages when it comes to serving underrepresented groups” (Gresham, 2024). Expanding a student’s view of the world will also lead them to understanding how they can diversify library collections, as well as help them reflect on the changes they can see in the community they serve.
Issue II: Diversity in Library Staff
This brings forth the second issue that rises from a lack of pathways for diverse populations, and that is the lack of diverse staff in libraries, and what those who are librarians face while on the job that pushes them to leave their jobs. “The things that get measured by an organization are a tell for what matters to the organization. Librarianship has been grappling with an underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) librarians for decades, and while libraries have developed a plethora of recruitment initiatives, the numbers appear to have not changed meaningfully, remaining static over the decades. A contributing factor may be that demographic information about the profession is not routinely measured and reported” (Hulbert & Kendrick, 2023, 2). This is more prevalent as the political climate in the United States shifts making it more difficult for diverse populations to find ways through upward mobility. Without libraries working to properly measure their staff it is increasingly difficult to know if anything has changed, which begs to question whether the lack of numbers reported is due to libraries failing at garnering attention from the BIPOC community.
Another factor that can keep people from the BIPOC community from joining work in libraries has to do with how they’re treated in their jobs as well as how they’re looked at in the community. “Racism in librarianship is not passé. On the contrary, many librarians of colour are subjected to racially discriminatory attitudes from their peers. Those who would deny that racism exists in libraries need only to consider the following statement: “Libraries are microcosms of large society, and if racism exists in the world, it surely exists in the library” (Cooke, 2017, p. 80). Racial microaggressions or “brief everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to people of colour because they belong to a racial minority group” (Sue et al., 2007, p. 273) are especially troubling because they are subtle” (Miller, 2021). Even with decades of change in the workforce, it is harder to let go of perceived notions based on where the person grew up. Microaggressions are especially hurtful to those who constantly hear them while on the job, while they’re just small comments where the person saying it may or may not mean what they say, to a person from the BIPOC community these microaggressions make them feel as though they don’t belong in the space in which they stand. “We need an awareness of how privilege, bias, and the attendant power differentials and oppression play out at the individual and the systemic levels of our profession. And we must consider how these affect the experiences of underrepresented and marginalized people within our dominant (white, heterosexual, cisgender, and patriarchal) culture” (Vinopal, 2016).
Then there is also the problem of tokenism when it comes to those who work in predominantly white areas. Tokenism is “the practice of doing something (such as hiring a person who belongs to a minority group) only to prevent criticism and give the appearance that people are being treated fairly” (Sherrer, 2018). For a person in the BIPOC community, finding a profession with upward mobility is difficult, but when that person is hired to check off a box that shows that the company, or in this case a library is trying to diversify their staff without going beyond hiring one or two diverse staff members. “Tokenism is problematic in that it creates a false sense of staff diversity. Some would argue that library managers will even respond to concerns about lack of staff diversity by trotting out “minor details to prove that those concerns are unfounded”. These minor details involve citing token hires as evidence of staff diversity in the workplace. By pointing to these token hires as a sign of their “commitment” to diversifying the profession however, many libraries fail to see that these attitudes are ill-suited to produce any long-term visible gains in staff diversity” (Miller, 2021). This also shows that there are issues with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in libraries, and that they need to evolve to show growth in the profession so that it can continue to grow to where those who work in diverse populations mirror the people in the community.
Beyond this there is the issue of diverse employees in libraries, as “Historically, library studies have shown individuals of color are predominantly in para-professional roles” (Sanchez-Rodriguez, 2021, 188). These support roles within libraries are important, not only to the library itself but to the community, but it then becomes an issue when these employees are stuck in one specific role, especially when “these diversity efforts do very little to attract, retain and promote marginalized groups and attempts continue to be substandard in hiring for upper-management ranking positions in academia” (Sanchez-Rodriguez, 2021, 188). Many roles that were once a step upwards for paraprofessionals now have the stipulation that the person must have a degree, mostly a master’s in library and information science, which is difficult to attain when there are no pathways for them to move a step upward. For many this means getting a degree in library sciences, but “Despite decades of good intentions and interventions, we are not on a path to meaningful acceleration in the number of librarians of color relative to their white peers. This recognition is not a call to stop any of the programs currently planned or in place, rather a reality check to advocate for new approaches to a perennial problem” (Kendrick, 2023, 3). It can be acknowledged easily that even those in a position within an library institution, it is difficult to move upward when there is no next step up, “Within academic libraries, for example, for people in these “non-MLS” positions, their opportunities in libraries currently are capped—it would be very tough way for someone without an MLS to be promoted up the ranks to library director or dean. And so as the careers of the people who are stars in their area develop, they leave our organizations for other fields. And they take not only their brilliance with their functional specialization with them, but also all their other creative intelligence that they would bring to the table that would diversify the thinking in our field and make us more relevant to a broader swath of the population. (Kendrick, 2023, 5). The turnover rate for people in such positions is higher when they cannot take that next step up, their skills can be transferred to other positions outside of a library and so the library and the patrons lose out on what they brought to the table.
This issue isn’t just one that effects paraprofessionals in libraries, it is one that also transcends to diverse librarians as well, they also place the burden on making these changes on the BIPOC community and not looking into why those in the BIPOC community can’t move into these roles. “In essence, we are trying to change the behavior of BIPOCs. It’s a deficit model—there’s a problem that not enough people of color are librarians, so people of color need to change and start going to library school. It’s like there’s something wrong with the BIPOC community—the community is not doing something the library world needs it to do; “how can we get more people of color to enroll in library school” may not be the right question. A more productive question might be to ask why BIPOC are not enrolling in library school” (Kendrick, 2023, 5). Those with the power to change these viewpoints, and give opportunities to those who wouldn’t know how to gain them oftentimes talk about creating equality without actually trying to do so. “Libraries, academic or otherwise, can no longer hide behind the façade of neutrality or refrain from vigorously engaging in efforts to confront systemic inequities and injustices” (Ely, 2022, 413).
The use of language used in libraries especially those in University Libraries, where paraprofessionals feel as they’re below those with degrees in Library Sciences. In the article “Contextualizing Inclusivity in Terms of Language: Distinguishing Librarians”, the authors searched scholarly articles on how specific terms are used when speaking about those in library professions, they write that “Within the library research literature, there is often a distinction made between librarians and their colleagues. Specifically, this distinction is made using “librarian(s) and library staff or staff.” A systematic searching approach was employed to scan the library literature to see if this specific example is reflected in the ways in which library employees are written about in an academic setting” (Petropoulos, et al., 2022, 538). This shows that library staff are distinctly different from librarians, and that they’re not the same even though they work within the same space. Further stating that, “To better understand the implications of exclusionary language and this analysis, it is beneficial to explore how the staff is defined and highlight the known impact of work place exclusion” (Petropoulos, et al., 2022, 540).
Solutions:
What solutions can be made in the next decade that would change the trajectory of the library professions, where diversity is no longer an issue, where representation is the norm for all libraries, not only in their books and media but also in their staff. These changes have been spoken about for decades now, “The librarian profession suffers from a persistent lack of racial and ethnic diversity that has not changed significantly over the past 15 years. Librarians and other library professionals also tend to be slightly older than the general workforce” (Department for Professional Employees, 2024). Yet, in order to make purposeful change, there are many steps that need to be taken in order for future generations to have the ability to move upwards in libraries. One of the first steps in doing this is one that has become a hot topic due to the current socio-political climate, and that is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, some in which have been eliminated in some areas of the country.
Where can change start when the programs are in danger? The first place is to start with the current library staff, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, created a 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge, at their academic library, the purpose of this challenge was so that the library staff could make connections between racism and equity in regard to work in a library and archive space. “Launched in June 2020, the University Libraries’ Reckoning Initiative represents a commitment to move beyond a mere focus on diversity and encourages library staff to think critically about racial equity, racism, and social justice. The work of Reckoning falls within five broad categories: (1) education and training; (2) programmatic work; (3) systems analysis, intervention, and change strategy; (4) integrating antiracism practices within library work; and (5) tracking and assessing inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and antiracism work” (Figueroa & Shawgo, 2022, 199). Starting within the staff gives them the opportunity to learn through initiatives where they can find areas where they are lacking, and what they need to do to bring forth meaningful change. Though they weren’t without their own challenges, even with participation in the program, “Additionally, while staff participation in the library-organized caucus meetings was substantial, the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) lacked significant numbers. Indeed, this may have more to do with current University Libraries’ staff demographics than with an unwillingness to participate” (Figueroa & Shawgo, 2022, 200).
Professional Development Opportunities:
Professional development in any work environment is important, within the context of creating a more diverse and inclusive environment, it can help create understanding of concepts that before are unknown to those who have never had exposure to people in the BIPOC community. “Professional development offerings should include pedagogical components, particularly instruction in culturally relevant and culturally responsive teaching methods. Some of the most effective pedagogical techniques borrow from asset-based approaches to education, which view students’ differences as assets rather than deficits” (Ely, 2022, 396). In creating these opportunities, a library can help their employees learn ways to combat things that could lead to misunderstandings, correct offensive language that can lead to microaggressions, even moving away from separating librarians from library staff. When it comes to language that is used to identify library workers “two competing elements influence feelings of inclusion: belonging and uniqueness. Therefore, there needs to be a balance between grouping individuals collectively and recognizing their unique role differences. Terminology should focus on the value these differences bring to the library. For this reason, it is recommended that library managers, leaders, and the associations that represent and support them shift away from using such phrasing as “librarians and library staff.” (Petropoulos, et al., 2022, 541-542).
There are also elements at play “The fact that librarians may be faculty members at their institutions enmeshes library hierarchies with the broader institutional hierarchy,” (Glusker, et al., 2022, 156). This is different in public and school libraries, but in academic institutions it creates a natural divide between those who have the required degrees and those who don’t. For those who don’t professional development opportunities create areas where they can learn more about their jobs and expand their experience where they can move up in their positions. As a part of uplifting their employees, the city university of New York created a program for their library staff to help them move up in their library, they offered suggestions that would create prospects for them where they aren’t trapped in a single place. One of these things was creating a mentoring program that would offer “opportunities of title reclassification for paraprofessionals and part-time classified working additional or new responsibilities outside of their general responsibilities due to high volume of staff turnover” (Sanchez-Rodriguez, 2021, 200). As high turnover is a problem throughout the library field for those who are not librarians. As a part of this program they also created mentoring opportunities for the paraprofessional and part-time staff that would not only put them in different roles within libraries but also give them the opportunity to go into a master in library and information science program if they wish to.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
How can diversity, equity and inclusion help in libraries, especially when the library staff doesn’t reflect the population. “In essence, it is clear that the library workforce does not adequately reflect the racially diverse populations being served in either country” (Miller, 2021). There are many things that need to be done to create an environment where diverse groups can and will work in the library, but changes need to be made. One way is to stop tokenism in libraries, as discussed earlier, it makes it so library staff from underrepresented communities feel as though they do not fit into the place that they work. “One critical step in combating tokenism — and encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion — is ensuring that employees aren’t called upon to be the lone representative for their entire group… Companies can help forestall tokenism by making sure there’s more than one person from each demographic in a group” (Sherrer, 2018). Jennifer Vinopal’s article “The Quest for diversity in library staffing: From awareness to action. In the Library with the Lead Pipe,” had some steps that encourages libraries to take the necessary steps to truly bring diversity into libraries. They stated that libraries should
1. Create opportunities in the organization to raise awareness of implicit bias, discuss it, and take steps to reduce it.
2. Don’t disguise the issues or use euphemisms.3. Make diversity and social justice a genuine and regular part of the organization’s work. Rather than just paying lip service to the concept of diversity, include diversity initiatives in the library’s strategic plan and then make time and provide support for staff to accomplish them.
4. Think critically about the data collection tools your organization employs, the data gathered, and how you make sense of it. In addition to knowing what kind of information the tools are designed to elicit and how they do so, it is also crucial to understand what biases we bring to our interpretation of the data, and to think about what data is missing and why.
5. For all but the highest-level library positions, for which recruiting firms may be engaged, we typically post job ads on websites and listservs and then encourage library staff to promote the position through their own networks. This reliance on personal networks, which tend to lack diversity, can serve to perpetuate demographically homogeneous workplaces.
6. Devise targeted mentoring and professional development strategies that encourage, support, and develop all staff in your organization.
7. All staff, including interns, should be fairly compensated for their work. (Vinopal, 2016)
These steps within a diversity, equity and inclusion standpoint would create opportunities for not only bringing in diverse staff but also educating their current staff and creating an environment where everyone feels equal.
Library Patrons:
The final prospective solution comes not from library staff, but from library patrons, as patron perception is as important as staff perception. An area that would be the easiest to understand patron perception are in academic libraries, where research is a part of the student’s life in their perspective university. “(1) How do academic librarians and staff conceptualize diversity and difference based upon their engagement with organizational diversity initiatives and their experience interacting with students from different backgrounds? and (2) How do these conceptualizations affect their service as they consider the significance of diversity in their work? The answers to these questions form the foundation of what cultural competence looks like in academic libraries in the United States” (Ely, 2022, 396). To measure this the Health Science Center Libraries at the University of Florida used a HappyOrNot machine to ask the students question each week. A HappyOrNot, is a device that a patron can rate a service at an institution, or in the case of a library, ask a question about user experience in a library.
Figure 4 HappyOrNot machine
These questions, presented below on table 1, showing what each student was asked each week. “One of the Team’s earliest priorities—falling under one of its stated goals to “assess and identify diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice opportunities within the HSCL’s spaces”—was to understand patrons’ views of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) climate in HSCL and thus identify potential gaps, strengths, and areas of improvement” (Morgan-Daniel, et. al., 2021, 3).
From the study several things were noted, “The response rate was approximately 4.3% as around 81,000 visitors entered the library during the assessment period” (Morgan-Daniel, et. al., 2021, 9). From 81,000 visitors to the library, only 3,483 answered the questions presented during the study. In the Fall 2021 academic year when this study was done, the school had a population of 61,112 undergraduate and graduate students, this doesn’t account for the number of students that replied more than once. The study also used google surveys and paper surveys to get feedback from students, “some patrons expressed that they did not receive enough respect from other library visitors... Other concerns revealed by the assessment suggest that the library needs to improve its services for patrons with disabilities and non-native English language speakers.” (Morgan-Daniel, et. al., 2021, 13).
While asking library patron’s their opinion on matters of the library, it is imperative that the libraries that into account the community they serve and what it needs. The needs of the patrons is important, but also understanding that not all patrons will reply is something that will also have to be noted. Some studies take time and would need extensive back and forth between patrons and library staff, such as this one conducted by the University of Florida.
Conclusion
Change doesn’t happen overnight, sometimes change is hard to obtain when some libraries are a part of a public service area, public libraries, public school libraries, and state university libraries are a part of a public service area and serve not only those who frequently go to these places, but also the state in which they’re a part of. They’re run on taxpayer funds, which makes it difficult for them to get the right funding to make meaningful change. “Improving equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) for the profession supports the efforts of libraries to better serve their communities” (American Library Association, 2021, 11). To improve this it would require for jobs to cultivate a “Demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity and anti-racism and working to advance a workplace culture that strives to eliminate or mitigate the effects of systemic racism and bias” (Kendrick, 2023, 3). This is not easy for all jobs, rural areas would have a more difficult time finding ways to create an environment welcoming to someone from a diverse background, this includes colleges and universities in predominantly white areas to find ways to make diverse students feel welcome but also for diverse staff members to want to stay in the area. Without these kinds of initiatives these areas would suffer as people would move out from them while those who still live there would age without any way to revitalize the area, which also creates educational deserts, as schools would close, and in turn the library will close as well.
Introducing initiatives, such as mentoring programs and professional development opportunities for existing staff to elevate themselves into high positions, would create opportunities in these areas for growth. It would bring in perspective employees which would also bring more people into the areas that they serve. In urban areas, it would create spaces where underrepresented groups would feel more comfortable using library resources without being judged, as underrepresented groups in libraries would make them feel welcomed in the space. It’s not only about creating opportunities to elevate existing staff, but also about ushering a new generation of library staff and libraries where everyone feels as though they belong in the space, and this is what matters the most.
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