Introduction\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Diversity, inclusion, and equity are fundamental values of the American Library\u00a0 Association (ALA Core Values of Librarianship, 2004). Despite the continued growth of\u00a0 visible minority populations in Canada and the United States however, librarians of colour still \u201care not plentiful enough that their presence as library professionals is normalized and not a novelty\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 80). In Canada, 89% of the 9,570 librarians employed are White (Statistics Canada, 2016). A similar situation exists in the US where 87.8% of the 179,000 librarians employed are White (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019). In essence, it is clear that the library workforce does not adequately reflect the racially diverse populations being served in either country. In light of the ongoing shortage of librarians of colour in the profession, this paper argues for the importance of staff diversity in libraries. Part 1 provides an overview of four key barriers to staff diversity in libraries: Tokenism, racial microaggressions, exclusionary attitudes, and resistance to change. Part 2 sheds light on the specific ways that lack of staff diversity can negatively affect libraries. Part 3 then discusses how libraries can benefit by hiring more librarians of colour. Finally, Part 4 concludes with recommendations for how libraries can diversify their staff. It should be noted that while the recommendations in Part 4 draw upon examples from the US \u2014 due to the greater body of research available \u2014 they can still be applied in a Canadian context.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Part 1: Barriers<\/b><\/p>\n Tokenism\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Many librarians such as Balderrama (2000) are adamant that librarians of colour \u201cshould be more than tokens or \u2018window dressing\u2019\u201d (p. 195). Put in other words, their presence in libraries should be about more than just a library\u2019s attempt to achieve staff diversity thorough quota filling \u2014 a practice often linked with tokenism (Hankins et al., 2003). 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 \u201cminor details to prove that those concerns are unfounded\u201d\u00a0 (Espinal et al., 2018, p. 148). 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 \u201ccommitment\u201d 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 (Alabi, 2018). The following question must therefore be considered: What is the link between tokenism and higher turnover rates of librarians of colour? Alabi (2018) suggests that when an organization \u2014 libraries included \u2014 with little history of staff diversity decides to hire a person of colour, it often \u201cconsiders its work done\u201d (p. 132). Equally troubling is that the organization may point to the newly hired person of colour as evidence of staff diversity having been achieved. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these types of work environments can result in librarians of colour feeling \u201cvulnerable or isolated\u201d (Riley-Reid, 2017, p. 393) if they are the only person of colour on the team. In these instances, it is often only a matter of time before the librarian of colour \u2014 who is not only isolated and lonely, but also dissatisfied with their organization\u2019s token commitment to staff diversity \u2014 leaves for a new position elsewhere. This in turn forces the organization to find a replacement token hire. Thus, \u201cthe cycle repeats\u201d (Alabi, 2018, p. 132).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Racial Microaggressions\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Racism in librarianship is not pass\u00e9. On the contrary, many librarians of colour are subjected to racially discriminatory attitudes from their peers (Kandiuk, 2014). Those who would deny that racism exists in libraries need only to consider the following statement: \u201cLibraries are microcosms of large society, and if racism exists in the world, it surely exists in the library\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 80). Racial microaggressions or \u201cbrief everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to people of colour because they belong to a racial minority group\u201d (Sue et al., 2007, p. 273) are especially troubling because they are subtle. This subtlety in turn, often makes them hard to detect, confront, and rectify. Although most of the recent research on racial microaggressions has been in an academic library context (Brooke et al., 2015; Alabi, 2015a; Alabi 2015b; Alabi, 2018; Sweeney & Cooke, 2018), there is reason to believe that racial microaggressions are a significant problem in public libraries as well. As illustrated earlier, labour statistics from Statistics Canada and the Bureau of Labor Statistics clearly show that libraries are struggling with racial diversity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With regard to the psychological impact of racial microaggressions, it should be\u00a0 noted that even though they are not overt like racial macroaggressions, they are no less damaging to the psyches of librarians of colour. As Riley-Reid (2017) explains: \u201cBeing the \u2018only\u2019 or one of very few means not only feeling left out, excluded or minimized, it can also mean not always being accepted by one\u2019s peers or not feeling as though he or she\u00a0 \u2018belongs\u2019\u201d (p. 393). Isolation and loneliness are thus the usual consequences of racial\u00a0 microaggressions. Over time, these slights and snubs can not only undermine a librarian\u00a0 of colour\u2019s sense of belonging in the workplace, but at their worst can even be the \u201ctipping point\u201d (Stanley, 2006, p. 714) that results in them deciding to leave their job altogether.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Exclusionary Attitudes\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n In many professions \u2014 librarianship included \u2014 research shows that managers\u00a0 prefer to hire candidates who are in their own image. A plethora of literature indicates that White candidates are not only far more likely to be hired than candidates of colour, but also are more likely to be promoted to management positions (Howland, 1999; Galvin,\u00a0 2015, Cooke, 2017). For some library managers, their reluctance to hire librarians of colour can also be attributed to their fear of challenges to the status quo. As Galvin (2015) explains: \u201cWe choose people like us because it is easy, rather than advocating for different views by picking \u2018unfamiliar\u2019 candidates who might interrogate the process\u201d (Conspicuous Leisure and Wealth, para. 5). In other words, it seems that library managers \u2014 in both public and academic libraries \u2014 ultimately feel more comfortable with \u201cconformity, or homogeneity\u201d (Cooke, 2017 p. 85). The problem with this approach is that \u201chomogeneous environments foster homogeneous attitudes and practices\u201d (Espinal et al., 2018, p. 148). As a result, candidates of colour are judged on the basis of whether or not they can successfully assimilate into the dominant culture \u2014 which in the library world means fitting into White culture (Espinal et al., 2018). Even if they are hired, a librarian of colour is still at risk of being \u201csubject to challenges and discomfort if they do not or cannot assimilate into the dominant culture\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 85). According to Collins (2018), another key concern is that library managers hold hegemonic power. As such, the language they use to frame concepts like racial diversity can be used to reaffirm their dominance. Meritocracy and its rhetoric are a prime example. On the one hand, meritocracy implies that all library candidates \u2014 both White and non-White \u2014 are judged solely on the basis of their qualifications for a position. Yet on the other hand, meritocracy also \u201cimplies that persons who lack attainment (by the standards of the dominant group) are unsuccessful because of their lack of ability, motivation, or both\u201d (Hays-Thomas, 2017, p. 48). When viewed in this light, it is easy to see how meritocracy and its rhetoric can be used to shift blame onto candidates of colour for their \u201cshortcomings.\u201d Meritocracy can also obscure the role that personal biases or discriminatory hiring practices play in barring a candidate of colour from being hired for a position that they are in fact qualified for. Put another way, meritocracy acts as a \u201csystem fail safe\u201d (Collins, 2018, p. 41) bolstered by language about a level playing field, and the \u201cproposition that racial discrimination no longer exists\u201d (Mkandawire-Valhmu et al., 2010, p. 137) on the contrary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Resistance to Change\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n In order for staff diversity to be achieved, libraries need strong leadership to\u00a0 \u201censure that bureaucracy is not a barrier to organizational transformation and the\u00a0 development of a diverse and inclusive workplace\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 79). As discussed\u00a0 earlier however, a major concern is that library managers are more comfortable with\u00a0 homogeneity. Consequently, there continues to be a \u201cgap between what the library has\u00a0 been saying and what it has been doing with regard to diversity\u201d (Balderama, 2000, p.\u00a0 204). This concern is highlighted further in Brown\u2019s (2015) study about attitudes toward\u00a0 employees of colour in the workplace. Brown found that while most study participants\u00a0 agreed that all libraries need to be reflective and representative of racially diverse\u00a0 communities, there was \u201clittle support for actually attempting to achieve a proportional\u00a0 representation of racial or ethnic groups\u201d (p. 127). Similarly, in an earlier study by Wagner and Willms (2010) about staff diversity initiatives in Minnesota, the authors found that a Librarians of Color initiative ultimately failed to diversify public library staff because it was \u201cnot backed up by a serious commitment to changing the status quo\u201d (p. 129).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Both studies draw attention to the consequences of organizational inertia. In\u00a0 libraries, this refers to a state of being in which staff diversity initiatives fail to take root\u00a0 because of \u201cdeeply held values and beliefs about how library services should be provided and by whom\u201d (Wagner & Willms, 2010, p. 129). Discomfort discussing staff diversity further contributes to this organizational inertia. This is because racial diversity and racial equality are often perceived as \u201ctaboo topics\u201d (Winston, 2010, p. 60) that are too dangerous to be discussed openly. In this way, communication norms and rules are used to intentionally deflect conversation away from these topics in an effort to preserve the status quo (Winston, 2010).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Part 2: Consequences<\/b><\/p>\n Lack of staff diversity in the profession has several negative implications. Firstly,\u00a0 without staff diversity the profession will continue to remain homogeneous. Homogeneity places candidates of colour at a disadvantage because they are at\u00a0 higher risk of being judged \u2014 by library managers who are more comfortable with\u00a0 preserving the status quo \u2014 on the basis of whether or not they can be assimilated into\u00a0 the dominant culture (Espinal et al., 2018).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Secondly, without a commitment to staff diversity libraries will be unable to\u00a0 adequately reflect the racially diverse communities that they serve. This has potentially\u00a0 negative consequences for library gate counts insofar as fewer people of colour may\u00a0 feel comfortable using libraries. In the presence of a homogenous staff, people of colour could very well stop using their libraries if they assume that they are unwelcome (Katopol, 2014; Cooke, 2017).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thirdly, if more librarians of colour are not hired, then the few who are already in\u00a0 the profession will be overburdened by diversity activities. Whereas librarians of colour are often expected by their colleagues to spend time leading diversity activities, White\u00a0 librarians by contrast are not burdened by the same expectations. As a result, White\u00a0 librarians have the luxury to focus on advancing their careers (Damasco & Hodges, 2012).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fourthly, in the absence of an inclusive work environment \u2014 one where tokenism\u00a0 does not exist \u2014 librarians of colour are at a greater risk of withdrawing psychologically.\u00a0 Mentally checking out has severe consequences for promotion and career advancement.\u00a0 This is because the librarian of colour has developed doubts about staying with their\u00a0 employer. In these instances, even though the librarian of colour has not yet physically\u00a0 left their employer, they are, in a sense, already gone (Griffin et al., 2011).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, without staff diversity initiatives aimed at hiring more librarians of colour,\u00a0 the revolving door in libraries will remain open. In the absence of an inclusive work<\/span> environment, it is only a matter of time before a librarian of colour \u2014 disillusioned with\u00a0 their library\u2019s lack of commitment to staff diversity \u2014 leaves for a more hospitable position elsewhere. The result is a state of limbo where libraries are constantly looking for replacements due to their inability to retain librarians of colour (Cooke, 2017; Alabi, 2018).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Part 3: Benefits<\/b><\/p>\n Benefits for Library Users\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Hiring librarians of colour has positive implications for reducing stereotype threat in libraries (Katopol, 2014; Cooke, 2017). Library users are diverse and \u201cshould have\u00a0 access to librarians who themselves represent diverse populations\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 96). It thus stands to reason that racially diverse library users will feel more welcome when they see themselves reflected among library staff (Alire, 1997; Gandhi, 2000; Adkins &\u00a0 Espinal, 2004; Mestre, 2010; Katopol, 2014; Cooke, 2017). Brown (2015) punctuates this point with the following statement: \u201cIndividuals in general prefer to interact with someone they judge to be more like them, and given a choice will choose to interact with someone they judge to be more like them\u201d (p. 128). Cooke (2017) not only agrees with this point, but even suggests that staff diversity has positive implications for attracting people of colour \u2014 students in particular \u2014 into the profession. In her view, the more that librarians of colour are hired, the more that \u201cstudents of color will realize librarianship as a viable and rewarding career path\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 84).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Benefits for Libraries\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Hiring librarians of colour has positive implications for building relationships with\u00a0 racially diverse communities. Due to their unique cultural backgrounds\u00a0 and their own experiences navigating racism, it stands to reason that\u00a0 librarians of colour possess higher levels of cultural competency. This makes librarians of colour ideally suited to serve racially diverse library users (Cooke, 2017).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hiring librarians of colour also has positive implications for developing library\u00a0 collections, services, and programs. Winston (2010) argues that the more diverse\u00a0 library staff are, the more diverse that collections, services, and programming will be as a result. He also argues that librarians of colour are better suited to connect with racially\u00a0 diverse communities and solicit their opinions. In regard to building positive relationships\u00a0 with communities of colour, there is ample reason to believe that racially\u00a0 diverse library users will ultimately feel more comfortable interacting with librarians of\u00a0 colour. The more comfortable they are in turn, the more willing they will be to provide\u00a0 feedback on how the library can improve its collections, services, and programs to better\u00a0 meet the information needs of people of colour. Given that building inclusive library\u00a0 collections, services, and programs are strategic goals for almost all libraries, hiring more librarians of colour will only help to further these goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Staff diversity also has positive implications for retention, which is an important\u00a0 benefit for any organization. Smith et al. (2008) argue that a diverse workforce can lead\u00a0 to reduced turnover, less absenteeism, and increased productivity and morale. They stress the importance of \u201ccreating environments that value and appreciate diverse\u00a0 opinions and backgrounds\u201d (Smith, et al., 2008, p. 184) so that employees of colour will\u00a0 be more inclined to stay with their employers. Although Smith et al.\u2019s study was about\u00a0 lack of diversity in nursing, their insights are relevant to librarianship given\u00a0 that it, much like nursing, has a long history of struggling with racial diversity. In a library\u00a0 context, it is vital for librarians of colour to \u201cfeel valued and welcome in the profession, or they may leave for more hospitable positions in other fields\u201d (Cooke, 2017, p. 79).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That said, what does \u201cfeeling valued\u201d actually mean? Howland (1999) argues that\u00a0 feeling valued means letting librarians of colour BE diverse. She states that \u201cit simply is\u00a0 neither logical nor good business practice to recruit and hire librarians from diverse\u00a0 backgrounds, only to expect them to assimilate and become mirrors of the generations of\u00a0 librarians which have preceded them\u201d (p. 6-7). Instead of expecting assimilation, libraries should look upon librarians of colour and their unique backgrounds as\u00a0 advantages \u2014 not impediments \u2014 to the profession. Librarians of colour\u00a0 need to feel that their unique cultural backgrounds are respected at the workplace.\u00a0 Furthermore, they need to feel that they will be given equal opportunities to make\u00a0 meaningful contributions to the profession. This, of course, includes equal\u00a0 opportunities for career advancement and promotion. In essence, \u201clibraries will benefit enormously by learning from the different perspectives, communication, patterns, and\u00a0 unique skills that librarians of colour bring to the profession\u201d (Mestre, 2010, p.145).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Part 4: Recommendations<\/b><\/p>\n Focus on Targeted Recruitment\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Mestre (2010) argues that if libraries \u201chope to see a growth in the number of\u00a0 librarians of color in the profession\u201d (p. 142) they must make concerted efforts to recruit\u00a0 prospective librarians early. Targeted recruitment therefore warrants consideration. An example of a targeted recruitment program can be found in the now defunct Urban Library Program (ULP). As a joint collaboration between Saint Paul Public Library and St. Catharine University from 2003-2009, the ULP\u2019s overarching goal was to build a\u00a0 pool of library staff that would better reflect the racial diversity of the Saint Paul community (Wagner & Willms, 2010). To that end, the ULP concentrated on recruiting, educating, and retaining people of colour. Considerable emphasis was placed on recruiting students of colour in the hope that they would be inspired to pursue careers in librarianship. In its six years of existence, the ULP successfully recruited five cohorts, including 72 students from 16 different nationalities. Although the ULP ultimately fizzled out, it provides a telling example of how organizations can partner together to increase representation of people of colour in libraries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another example of targeted recruitment is the Peer Information Counseling (PIC) Program. As an initiative of the University of Arizona Libraries, the PIC \u201csupports <\/span>the <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>University\u2019s retention efforts specifically for students from historically underrepresented <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>groups\u201d (University of Arizona Libraries, n.d., Home). As Mestre (2010) explains, <\/span>the PIC has a reputation for recruiting undergraduate students of colour \u2014 international students\u00a0 included \u2014 and giving them technology training so that they can perform reference,\u00a0 instruction, and other duties. Thus, the appeal of this program lies in the fact that students of colour \u201chave a chance to learn about the profession\u201d (Mestre, 2010, p. 143) before they are even eligible for library school. The hope is that by the time these students are ready to graduate, many of them will have already considered careers in librarianship.<\/span><\/p>\n Libraries may also want to study targeted recruitment strategies used in other professions that have struggled with racial diversity. Nursing is one such example. Smith\u00a0 et al.\u2019s (2008) study of the Health Worker Career Advancement Program (HWCAP)\u00a0 illustrates the important role of outreach in attracting people from underrepresented\u00a0 groups. Multiple promotional strategies \u2014 a notable example being an advertisement\u00a0 campaign on a local minority radio station that resulted in hundreds of inquiries \u2014 were\u00a0 used to attract participants to the HWCAP. To inspire learning among \u201chard-to-reach adult and adolescent groups\u201d (Smith et al., 2008, p. 187) the HWCAP hired an outreach\u00a0 coordinator to organize workshops and camps for participants. The outreach coordinator\u00a0 also organized shadowing experiences for middle school and high school students,\u00a0 thereby exposing them to a wealth of careers in nursing and healthcare as a result. Moreover, the outreach coordinator successfully arranged internships for these students.\u00a0 In short, the success of the HWCAP further underscores the critical importance of\u00a0 reaching underrepresented groups \u2014 people of colour in particular \u2014 early in their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Create a Residency or Fellowship Program\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Residency or fellowship programs are another way that libraries can increase the\u00a0 pool of librarians of colour in the profession. Models for residency or fellowship programs\u00a0 can be found at several American universities. Cornell University, University of Michigan,\u00a0 and Yale University are among those that have created residency programs specifically\u00a0 for people of colour. Many of these programs offer competitive salaries and will even\u00a0 provide a professional development stipend so that people of colour can attend\u00a0 conferences and training to improve their skills. Some residency programs in the US even allow people of colour to earn their library degrees while doing actual library work. By providing \u201cgrounding in various aspects of librarianship\u201d (Mestre, 2010, p. 144) these\u00a0 residency or fellowship programs not only provide \u201cinvaluable career development\u00a0 opportunities to minority library professionals\u201d (Mestre, 2010, p. 144), but also prepare\u00a0 them for their post-library school lives in librarianship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Work with Library Schools to Co-fund Scholarship Programs\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Working with library schools to create or co-fund scholarship programs is yet\u00a0 another way for libraries to recruit aspiring librarians from racially diverse backgrounds into the profession. In the US, ALA\u2019s Spectrum Scholarship Program \u201cactively recruits and provides scholarships to <\/span>American Indian\/Alaska Native, Asian, Black\/African<\/span> American, Hispanic\/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and\/or Native<\/span> Hawaiian\/Other Pacific Islander students\u201d <\/span>(ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program, n.d., About). Through Spectrum, ALA attempts to give people of colour the\u00a0 opportunity to obtain graduate degrees and leadership positions in librarianship. More\u00a0 scholarship programs like Spectrum are required to help foster the next generation of\u00a0 librarians of colour. With this in mind, libraries should consider working alongside library\u00a0 schools to identify and nominate students of colour that show promise in their studies. In\u00a0 essence, no matter what form these new scholarship programs take, they must be aimed\u00a0 at attracting more people of colour into the profession.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Start a Mentorship Program\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Filling more leadership positions with librarians of colour can help to create work\u00a0 environments that are more conducive to racial diversity in libraries (Alire, 2001). The profession must \u201cfocus on creating a next generation of leaders that reflect the population demographics it serves\u201d (Kumaran, 2015, 435). For this to be achieved, librarians of colour must be afforded equal opportunities to move up in their organizations. The reason that this is so important is that far too many employees of colour in Canada and the US\u00a0 \u2014 librarians of colour included \u2014 encounter unofficially acknowledged barriers such as the glass ceiling and the sticky floor in their organizations. The glass ceiling keeps visible minorities from \u201cadvancing beyond a certain point in upper levels of organizations\u201d (Hays-Thomas, 2017, p. 63). The sticky floor on the other hand keeps visible minorities \u201cstuck at the bottom of the organizational structure\u201d (Hays-Thomas, 2017, p. 63). In light of these barriers, it will be crucial for libraries \u2014 public and academic \u2014 to prioritize mentorship of librarians of colour. Mentorship opportunities are vitally important, especially when one considers that a lack of mentorship in the profession has often been cited as a key challenge facing librarians of colour who are looking to advance their careers. Without mentorship, librarians of colour are prone to experience isolation and loneliness. These feelings, in turn, can negatively affect morale, work performance, and ultimately career advancement (Damasco & Hodges, 2012). In this type of work environment, librarians of colour \u201cmay not consider moving forward\u201d (Kumaran, 2015, 439) with their careers because they know that they will not have the support of the organization. Worse still, they may consider leaving their employer altogether. Conversely, librarians of colour who are given equal opportunities to develop and contribute their full potential in the workplace, and are mentored and prepared to accept greater responsibility, will be much more inclined to stay with their employers. To ensure that librarians of colour are not \u201cless than\u201d (Riley-Reid, 2017,\u00a0 p. 394) but equal to their White counterparts, they must be given the proper tools to succeed. Hence the critical importance of mentorship in libraries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Make Diversity one of the Focal Points in Succession Planning<\/b> Kumaran (2015) provides seven steps for building a culturally competent\u00a0 workforce for better succession planning. Although these steps were proposed for an academic library context, they can be applied to a public library context as well. The seven steps are as follows[1]<\/a>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In essence, Kumaran\u2019s seven steps highlight the importance of thinking and planning\u00a0 strategically to create work environments where librarians of colour can have \u201cproductive\u00a0 and fulfilling\u201d (p. 443) careers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Food for Thought:\u00a0Opposing Arguments<\/b><\/p>\n Although the objective of this paper has been to argue for the necessity of staff\u00a0 diversity in libraries, opposing points of view have also been considered.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Staff Diversity as Affirmative Action?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n It is not unreasonable to think that critics might view staff diversity initiatives in libraries as a form of affirmative action. According to Kandiuk (2014), some may even show hostility to what they perceive as \u201cpreferential treatment for librarians from equity seeking groups (non-Caucasians)\u201d (p. 503). A recent court case in the US titled <\/span>Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin<\/span><\/i> helps to illustrate this point. Despite not originating in a\u00a0 library context, this court case nevertheless helps to highlight the controversial nature of\u00a0 affirmative action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Upon being denied entry to the University of Texas at Austin, Abigail Fisher sued\u00a0 the University on the grounds that she was discriminated against for being White. At the\u00a0 heart of Fisher\u2019s argument was that the University\u2019s affirmative action program resulted\u00a0 in her being denied entry in favour of students of colour. From her point of view, more and more students of colour were being admitted into the University at the expense of White students like herself. The case came to a conclusion when the Supreme Court ruled that the University\u2019s use of race as a consideration for admission was not a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, decided 2016). <\/span>Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin <\/span><\/i>is thus a telling example of the potential difficulties that organizations can face when trying to increase the pool of applicants from historically underrepresented groups (Stowes, 2013). Canadian and US libraries would therefore be wise to take note of the <\/span>Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin <\/span><\/i>ruling and its implications for staff diversity initiatives in libraries.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Racial Diversity as a Library School Problem?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n If libraries have been slow at making progress toward diversifying the profession,\u00a0 library schools have arguably been even slower (Cooke, 2017). The \u201cpipeline problem\u201d\u00a0 (Alabi, 2018, p. 132) or the small pool of students of colour graduating from library schools is a significant issue. With so few students of colour attending and graduating from library schools, the number of candidates of colour for prospective employers to choose from is limited. For this reason, sceptics of staff diversity initiatives in libraries could very well argue that lack of staff diversity in the profession is more of a library school problem than it is a library one. According to this argument, diversity initiatives should not take place in libraries but rather in library schools because they are responsible for producing future librarians of colour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to the scarcity of students of colour in library schools, there are also\u00a0 concerns about whether the LIS curriculum adequately prepares library students for\u00a0 diversity-related issues. Here again, an argument could be made that library schools are<\/span> underperforming with respect to fostering awareness of racial diversity. While \u201cit is\u00a0 important for all students in LIS programs to be exposed to issues of multiculturalism and diversity\u201d (Mestre, 2010, p. 124), the fact remains that library schools continue to struggle with incorporating diversity and social justice issues into the curriculum. As a\u00a0 consequence, library students often find themselves \u201cill prepared for encounters with\u00a0 library users who are very different from themselves (Mestre, 2010, p. 125).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The lack of social justice courses in the LIS curriculum is unfortunate given that\u00a0 they have the potential to \u201cfacilitate deep reflection and assist in the development of\u00a0 empathy and cultural competence\u201d (Jaeger et al., 2015, p. 153). Social justice is about\u00a0 \u201ceradicating systematic marginalization and privilege\u201d (Jaeger, et al., 2015, p. 153).\u00a0 Without greater emphasis on social justice, an argument can be made that\u00a0 library students will remain ill-equipped to recognize barriers facing librarians of colour in\u00a0 the profession. This is significant, as many library students will eventually become library\u00a0 managers later in their careers. Failure to recognize privilege on the one hand, and the\u00a0 disadvantaged positions of underrepresented groups on the other, has negative implications for hiring more librarians of colour. It is thus vital for library students to be given opportunities to discuss race, racism, privilege, and other topics that will force them to think critically about the need for racial diversity in libraries (Cooke, 2017).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n In order for libraries in Canada and the US to represent the racially diverse\u00a0 communities that they serve, they must make a concerted effort to hire more librarians of\u00a0 colour. The success of staff diversity initiatives is contingent upon decision makers in\u00a0 libraries being aware of barriers that negatively affect librarians of colour at the workplace. Notable barriers include: Tokenism, racial microaggressions, exclusionary attitudes, and resistance to change. While lack of diversity has negative implications for the profession, greater diversity by contrast has clear benefits for both library users and libraries. These benefits include: A reduced risk of stereotype threat; a more welcoming atmosphere for racially diverse library users; a library staff that reflects the community; higher retention rates of librarians of colour; and a work environment where the racial diversity of librarians of colour is respected. This paper has also suggested that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to rectifying the lack of racial diversity in the profession. As such, a series of recommendations were made including: Targeted recruitment, residency or fellowship programs, scholarship programs, mentoring opportunities, and succession planning. <\/p>\n Josh Chan<\/strong> is a new Reference Librarian at the Okanagan Regional Library in downtown Kelowna. He graduated with a MLIS degree from the UBC iSchool in May 2020 and has a strong background in reference, research, and instruction. His research interests include: Information retrieval, information literacy, and social justice in libraries.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n [1]<\/a>The seven steps shown above were pared down for brevity. The complete version can be seen in Kumaran, 2015, pp.442-443. A very similar seven step approach, albeit with more emphasis on creating an\u00a0 anti-racist approach to hiring, can also be found in Brooke et al., 2015, p. 268.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n References<\/b><\/p>\n Adkins, C., & Espinal, I. (2004). <\/span>The Diversity Mandate. Library Journal, 129 <\/span><\/i>(7), 52-54. ALA. (n.d.). <\/span>Spectrum Scholarship Program: An Initiative of ALA\u2019s Office for Diversity,\u00a0 Literacy & Outreach Services. <\/span><\/i>http:\/\/www.ala.org\/advocacy\/spectrum<\/span><\/a> ALA. (2004). <\/span>Core Values of Librarianship.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.ala.org\/advocacy\/intfreedom\/corevalues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ALA. (2012). <\/span>Diversity Standards: Cultural Competency for Academic Libraries. <\/span><\/i>http:\/\/www.ala.org\/acrl\/standards\/diversity<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alabi, J. (2015a). Racial Microaggressions in Academic Libraries: Results of a Survey of a Minority and Non-visible Minority Librarians. <\/span>The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41 <\/span><\/i>(1), 47-53. <\/span>http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1016\/j.acalib.2014.10.008<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Alabi, J. (2015b). \u201cThis Actually Happened\u201d: An Analysis of Librarians\u2019 Responses to a\u00a0 Survey About Racial Microaggressions. <\/span>The Journal of Library Administration, 55 <\/span><\/i>(3), 179-191. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/01930826.2015.1034040<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alabi, J. (2018). From Hostile to Inclusive: Strategies for Improving the Racial Climate of\u00a0 Academic Libraries. <\/span>Library Trends, 67 <\/span><\/i>(1), p. 131-146. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1353\/lib.2018.0029<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alire (1997). Ethnic Populations: A Model for Statewide Service. <\/span>American Libraries, 28 <\/span><\/i>(10), 38-41.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alire, C.A. (2001). Diversity and Leadership. <\/span>Journal of Library Administration, 32 <\/span><\/i>(3\/4),\u00a0 99-144. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1300\/J111v32n03_07<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Balderama, S.R. (2000). This Trend Called Diversity. <\/span>Library Trends, 49 <\/span><\/i>(1), 194-214.<\/span><\/p>\n Brooke, F., Ellenwood, D., & Lazzaro, A.E. (2015). In Pursuit of Antiracist Social Justice:\u00a0 Denaturalizing Whiteness in the Academic Library. <\/span>Library Trends, 64 <\/span><\/i>(2),\u00a0 246-284. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1353\/lib.2015.0048<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Brown, M.E. (2015). Invisible Debility: Attitudes Towards the Underrepresented in\u00a0 Library Workplaces. <\/span>Public Library Quarterly, 34 <\/span><\/i>(2), 124-133.<\/span> https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/01616846.2015.1036707<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2019). <\/span>Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population\u00a0 Survey. <\/span><\/i>https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/cps\/cpsaat11.htm<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Collins, A. (2018). Language, Power, and Oppression in the LIS Diversity Void. <\/span>Library\u00a0 Trends, 67 <\/span><\/i>(1), 39-51. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1353\/lib.2018.0024<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cooke, N.A. (2017). <\/span>Information Services to Diverse Populations: Developing Culturally\u00a0 Competent Library Professionals. <\/span><\/i>Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited.\u00a0 Damasco, I.T., & Hodges, D. (2012). Tenure and Promotion Experiences of Academic\u00a0 Librarians of Color. <\/span>College & Research Libraries 73 <\/span><\/i>(3), 279-301.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Espinal, I., Sutherland, T., & Roh, C. (2018). A Holistic Approach for Inclusive\u00a0 Librarianship: Decentering Whiteness in Our Profession. <\/span>Library Trends, 67 <\/span><\/i>(1),\u00a0 147-162. <\/span>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1353\/lib.2018.0030<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, No. 14\u2013981 (2016).\u00a0 https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/opinions\/15pdf\/14-981_4g15.pdf<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Galvin, A. (2015). Soliciting Performance, Hiding Bias: Whiteness and Librarianship. <\/span>In\u00a0 the Library with the Lead Pipe: An Open Access, Open Peer Review Journal. <\/span><\/i>http:\/\/www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org\/2015\/soliciting-performance-hiding bias-whiteness-and-librarianship\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Gandhi, S. (2000). Cultural Diversity and Libraries: Reaching the Goal. <\/span>Current Studies\u00a0 in Librarianship, 24 <\/span><\/i>(1\/2), 55-65.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Griffin, K. A., Pifer, M. J., Humphrey, J. R., & Hazelwood, A. M. (2011). (Re)defining <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Departure: Exploring Black professors\u2019 Experiences With and Responses to <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Racism and Racial Climate. <\/span>
\n<\/b> Libraries would benefit from a succession planning strategy aimed at advancing\u00a0 the careers of capable and qualified librarians of colour. For a succession plan to achieve these goals however, those in charge of doing the planning need to be culturally\u00a0 competent. ALA\u2019s Diversity Standards (2012) defines cultural competence as: \u201cA\u00a0 congruent set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable a person or group to work\u00a0 effectively in cross-cultural situations\u201d (Definitions, para. 1). Workforce Diversity\u00a0 (Standard 7) is one of the eleven standards listed. According to Standard 7: \u201c<\/span>Librarians <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and library staff shall support and advocate for recruitment, admissions, hiring, and <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>retention efforts in libraries, library associations, and LIS programs to increase diversity <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and ensure continued diversity in the profession\u201d (ALA Diversity Standards, 2012, para. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>7). For \u201ccontinued diversity\u201d to be achieved, librarians of colour must be retained by their organizations. As such, it is important to give librarians of colour incentives (ie.<\/span> career advancement) to stay with their employers.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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