Readings & Media on Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
A curated bibliography of readings, podcasts, and videos in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Feel free to suggest a title to the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Libraries and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success by The news and scholarly literature are replete with stories and articles describing the challenges that diverse individuals face in their local communities and workplaces. Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success is arranged in three parts: Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter, Equipping the Library Staff, and Voices from the Field. This book tackles these issues head on and should appeal to a broad audience interested in diversity as it relates to libraries and librarianship, including professional librarians and paraprofessional library staff. Offering best practices strategies tempered by experiences and wisdom, this book will help libraries realize a high level of inclusion.
- 9 Phrases Allies Can Say When Called Out Instead of Getting Defensive"One question I get often – especially from folks who already struggle with anxiety and dealing with conflict – is how to first respond without doing further damage. When our emotions put up a wall in front of us, it can feel like we’re cornered or trapped, and we become reactive instead of thoughtful. We can wind up rambling, making excuses, denying the impact, and even gaslighting – all in a frantic attempt to deescalate the situation. And unfortunately, we end up perpetuating the harm that prompted the call-out in the first place."
- Building a Critical Culture: How Critical Librarianship Falls Short in the Workplace.Critical librarianship, or critlib, has made its way into the mainstream of library and information science through conferences, scholarly publications, social media, and other outlets. Over the past 10 years critical library instruction specifically has continued to be a much presented and published topic. Classes and other groups that come through our libraries are opportunities for us to teach, learn, and empower. The care and critical perspectives we bring into the classroom are necessary, but are we also fostering this type of environment in the workplace? Are we doing enough to turn the critical lens on ourselves? As a woman of color in a predominantly white profession, it is difficult to not feel as though critical librarianship is performative. There is a time and place to refer to theory and another to engage in practice. Throughout this article I will illustrate that while critical pedagogy in librarianship has changed the way we teach information literacy and think of the teacher/student relationship, it’s been slower to change power relations between library colleagues. We ask our students to critically examine a resource and to see what is being left out of the conversation. It’s time to not only ask the same of us and the profession but also for us to take action. (7/27/20, CTurner from J. Eustis)
- Challenging the ‘Good Fit’ Narrative:Creating Inclusive Recruitment Practices in Academic LibrariesCunningham, Sojourna, Samantha Guss, and Jennifer Stout. “Challenging the ‘Good Fit’ Narrative: Creating Inclusive Recruitment Practices in Academic Libraries.” In Recasting the Narrative: The Proceedings of the ACRL 2019 Conference, April 10–13, 2019, Cleveland, Ohio, edited by Dawn M. Mueller, 12-21. Cleveland, Ohio: ACRL, 2019.
- From Hostile to Inclusive: Strategies for Improving the Racial Climate of Academic LibrariesAlabi, Jaena. "From Hostile to Inclusive: Strategies for Improving the Racial Climate of Academic Libraries." Library Trends, vol. 67 no. 1, 2018, p. 131-146. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/lib.2018.0029.
"Though the LIS literature addresses recruitment and retention of people of color, very few articles acknowledge that some individuals from underrepresented populations may experience the profession as chilly or even hostile due to racism, especially as it is manifested in the form of racial microaggressions. Although often delivered unconsciously, these seemingly benign exchanges convey to the recipient negative and denigrating messages about that person’s race or ethnicity. The burden of work relating to diversity and inclusion in the profession has typically been placed on people of color, but those of us who are White also have a responsibility to engage in these endeavors. This article will identify steps that White academic librarians can take to prevent and address racial microaggressions in order to become better allies to our colleagues of color." - A Holistic Approach for Inclusive Librarianship: Decentering Whiteness in Our ProfessionEspinal, Isabel, et al. "A Holistic Approach for Inclusive Librarianship: Decentering Whiteness in Our Profession." Library Trends, vol. 67 no. 1, 2018, p. 147-162. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/lib.2018.0030.
This paper traces the published literature on whiteness in libraries, identifying major themes in that literature, and then highlights the importance of decentering whiteness for moving the information professions forward. Engaging a dialogic ethnographic methodology, this paper was borne of conversations between librarians of color who worked in the same predominantly white library. The salient themes from those dialogues were the many ways that adherence to whiteness in libraries has had deleterious affective and career implications for librarians of color. The authors argue that to decenter whiteness in libraries and other information centers, it is crucial to center the experiences and well-being of librarians of color; diversify the ranks of librarians through bold initiatives, significantly increasing the numbers of librarians of color; and make large-scale incisive structural change at organizational levels. The paper concludes with an invitation for all information professionals to participate in inclusiveness initiatives by moving from microaggressions to microaffections. - On "Diversity" as Anti-Racism in Library and Information Studies: A CritiqueDavid James Hudson, Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies Vol 1 No 1 (2017)
Drawing on a range of critical race and anti-colonial writing, and focusing chiefly on Anglo-Western contexts of librarianship, this paper offers a broad critique of diversity as the dominant mode of anti-racism in LIS. After outlining diversity's core tenets, I examine the ways in which the paradigm's centering of inclusion as a core anti-racist strategy has tended to inhibit meaningful treatment of racism as a structural phenomenon. - The Quest for Diversity in Library Staffing: From Awareness to ActionVinopal, Jennifer. 2016. “The Quest for Diversity in Library Staffing: From Awareness to Action.” In the Library with the Lead Pipe, January. Despite our ongoing quest for diversity and a growing number of initiatives to increase it, the demographics of the professional librarian population haven’t changed in any significant way. We are starkly lacking in diversity based on race and ethnicity (we are overwhelmingly white), age (librarianship is an aging profession), disability, economic status, educational background, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other demographic and identity markers of difference. This lack of diversity should be seen as a signal, an invitation to us to look critically at our culture, our practices, and our assumptions, and investigate what it is about ourselves and our profession that is preventing underrepresented people from being able to, or even wanting to, enter and stay. 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. In this article I consider the meaning of diversity in librarianship. Then, using the ClimateQUAL Organizational Climate and Diversity Assessment as an example, I analyze the potential problems with our data collection and analysis related to diversity and organizational culture. I conclude by suggesting some practical steps for library leadership.
- Remembering the Howard University Librarian Who Decolonized the Way Books Were CataloguedNunes, Z.C. 2018. "Remembering the Howard University Librarian Who Decolonized the Way Books Were Catalogued," Smithsonian Magazine, November 26, 2018.
Dorothy Porter challenged the racial bias in the Dewey Decimal System, putting black scholars alongside white colleagues - Responding to hate: how national and local incidents sparked action at the UNLV University LibrariesBrittany Paloma Fiedler, Rosan Mitola, James Cheng. Reference Services Review Vol. 48 No. 1, 2020 pp. 63-90 OPEN ACCESS until May 29, 2020
This paper shows that incorporating social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion requires individuals taking action. If institutions want to focus on any of these issues, they need to formally include them in their mission, vision and values as well as in department goals and individual job descriptions. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries fully supports this work, but most of the labor is done by a small number of people. Unsustainable practices can cause employee burnout and turnover resulting in less internal and external efforts to support diversity. - Soliciting Performance, Hiding Bias: Whiteness and LibrarianshipGalvan, A. 2015. “Soliciting Performance, Hiding Bias: Whiteness and Librarianship.” In the Library with the Lead Pipe, June 3, 2015.
- Struggling to Breath: Covid-19, Protest and the LIS ResponseThis article addresses institutional responses to protests and uprising in the spring and summer of 2020 after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd—all of which occurred in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It expands the previous call for libraries to take a stand for Black Lives and describes the events of 2020 (a global pandemic, multiple murders of unarmed Black people, and the consequent global protests) and responses from within library and information science, from our perspectives as women of color faculty and library professionals. We comment on how libraries are responding to current events, as well as the possibilities for panethnic solidarity. We also consider specifically how libraries and other institutions are responding to the racial uprisings through statements on social media and call for concrete action to ensure that their organizations and information practices are actively antiracist. In so doing, we update the claims and expand the appeals we made in 2017—that Black Lives Matter and that librarianship must not remain neutral.
- We Here: Speaking Our TruthBrown, Jennifer, et al. "We Here: Speaking Our Truth." Library Trends, vol. 67 no. 1, 2018, p. 163-181. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/lib.2018.0031
"...we seek to seed an honest conversation about how librarianship needs to meaningfully address systems of structural oppression in order to actualize diversity and inclusion initiatives at large. We will investigate issues of recruitment, retention, education, and mentorship within the library and information science profession through the lens of our experiences as women of color, and as early-career librarians; we will also weave relevant insights reflected from within the literature to support our narratives. Central to this work is an understanding of the barriers that people of color (POC) face in our workplaces and the profession at large; we will discuss this at length throughout. Finally, we will conclude with recommendations on how the profession, as a whole, can do better at retaining and supporting its marginalized workforce. This is a call to action for librarians at every level to hold themselves accountable for the ways in which they are complicit within systems of oppression and inequality. " - White Librarianship in Blackface: Diversity Initiatives in LISHathcock, A. 2015. “White Librarianship in Blackface: Diversity Initiatives in LIS.” In the Library with the Lead Pipe, October 7, 2015.
- LibVoicesHear from librarians of color speak to the fullness of their careers including successes, challenges, and achievements. How do they do it? Join us to find out more about their #LibVoices.
- Fix My LibraryHosted by Kaetrena Davis Kendrick and La Loria Konata, explores issues pertinent to libraries, examining the broader implications, and offering our Fix for your library.
- Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success by ISBN: 9781538114384Publication Date: 2019-07-24The news and scholarly literature are replete with stories and articles describing the challenges that diverse individuals face in their local communities and workplaces. Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success is arranged in three parts: Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter, Equipping the Library Staff, and Voices from the Field. This book tackles these issues head on and should appeal to a broad audience interested in diversity as it relates to libraries and librarianship, including professional librarians and paraprofessional library staff. Offering best practices strategies tempered by experiences and wisdom, this book will help libraries realize a high level of inclusion.
Perspectives on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Libraries by Call Number: UMass Amherst Du Bois General Collection Z711.8 .P465 2023ISBN: 9781668472552Publication Date: 2023In recent years, there has been an increased urgency and appeal to examine the impacts of systemic racism in all parts of society, and the field of library and information science is no exception. To actively combat enabling and perpetuating structural racism and white supremacy, libraries across the globe are addressing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) by investing resources, creating initiatives, and engaging in reflection and deep questioning. Perspectives on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Libraries examines how JEDI initiatives and actions have been incorporated into all aspects of librarianship and various types of libraries. The book serves as a collection of exemplary cases across all settings of librarianship to showcase how this work is being implemented and to provide commentary on implications and future opportunities for growth. Covering key topics such as community, ethics, and inclusive spaces, this premier reference source is ideal for administrators, policymakers, academicians, researchers, scholars, practitioners, librarians, instructors, and students.
The Power of Language/El Poder de la Palabra by Call Number: Z711.8 .R44 2000ISBN: 1563089459Publication Date: 2001-10-15Focusing on promoting Spanish-language and Latino-oriented services and resources in libraries, this selection of 20 papers was compiled at the Second REFORMA National Conference by experts in the field. The work covers a wide range of thought-provoking ideas, issues in Latino library services, leadership, practical applications, programs, and bibliographical resources. Great for librarians, library staff, and managers who have an obligation to provide quality library services to the U.S. Latino community. For the first time, an authoritative compendium of collective thought and experience has been created to form a powerful standard for Spanish-language-oriented library services. This selection of 20 papers is the one resource to turn to when it comes to establishing or revising your current library policies and collection development guidelines as well as creating an empowering vision for the future. An indispensable tool for librarians, library staff, faculty and students of library science, and everyone who has an obligation to provide quality library services to speakers of Spanish!
Pushing the Margins by Call Number: Z682.4.M56 P87 2018ISBN: 9781634000529Publication Date: 2018-06-01Using intersectionality as a framework, this edited collection explores the experiences of women of color in library and information science (LIS). With roots in black feminism and critical race theory, intersectionality studies the ways in which multiple social and cultural identities impact individual experience. Libraries and archives idealistically portray themselves as egalitarian and neutral entities that provide information equally to everyone, yet these institutions often reflect and perpetuate societal racism, sexism, and additional forms of oppression. Women of color who work in LIS are often placed in the position of balancing the ideal of the library and archive providing good customer service and being an unbiased environment with the lived reality of receiving microaggressions and other forms of harassment on a daily basis from both colleagues and patrons. This book examines how lived experiences of social identities affect women of color and their work in LIS.
Supporting Trans People in Libraries by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2019Designed to provide practical information to library workers of all types, this book offers specific strategies for supporting trans people in their libraries. As trans people (including those on the nonbinary spectrum) start to feel safer expressing their identities in public, libraries are making an effort to show that they welcome people of all gender identities. Yet there are many potential barriers to actively supporting trans people, including lack of knowledge about the needs of the trans community and lack of funding or institutional support. This book, written entirely by trans library workers, is designed to dismantle some of these barriers. Supporting Trans People in Libraries is relevant for library workers of any background and position. People with little knowledge about trans identities can start with the opening introductory chapters, while those looking for guidance on a specific situation--such as adding all-gender restrooms, interacting respectfully with trans coworkers, deciding what information to require on library card applications, writing inclusive job postings, making collection development decisions, and more--can jump to a particular chapter. For each topic, there are sections on easy fixes, best practices, and example language. Readers can easily adapt the information to benefit their libraries and communities in concrete ways. Provides introductory information on trans people, community needs, and preferred language Offers specific best practices for creating inclusive library environments for trans patrons and employees Includes resources and suggestions for long-term support of trans people in libraries Suggests inclusive language for various scenarios (e.g., sharing pronouns and writing job descriptions)
- Antiracism Toolkit for AlliesThe truth is...that even progressive white spaces perpetuate white supremacy culture in ways that are hard to identify without intentionality and hard work. The first of these toolkits is intended to help white people recognize their biases and advantages and confront and address white supremacy culture within their organizations.
- SPEC Kit 356: Diversity and Inclusion (September 2017)Anaya, Toni, and Charlene Maxey-Harris. for Association of Research Libraries. This SPEC Kit gathers information about current recruitment and retention strategies that aim to increase the number of minority librarians in research libraries, staff development programs that foster an inclusive workplace and climate, how diversity programs have changed, and how libraries assess these efforts. It includes examples of diversity goals, visions, and statements, committee charges, mentoring programs, research resources, and job descriptions.
- Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity: Members of the Association of Research Libraries Employee Demographics and Director PerspectivesITHAKA report August 30, 2017 The library community considers diversity to be a core value. But, the academic library sector has struggled with addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion. One key shortcoming has been in its efforts to ensure representative numbers of library employees of color. In contrast to what we found with gender, positions become increasingly homogenous with respect to race and ethnicity as they become more senior.
Neurodiversity is a relatively new way to think about neurological differences – because of natural variation in the human genome brain differences are normal. For kids with learning and thinking differences, the concept of neurodiversity can help them (and their parents) frame their challenges as differences, rather than as deficits. There’s growing awareness in libraries of how to best reach kids with neurological differences like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD, but what about when those kids become adults? Join Lori Uria from Neurodiversity Matters Idaho to learn about neurodiversity, how libraries can increase their understanding of the needs of neurodiverse patrons, develop workplaces friendly to neurodiverse employees, and ensure libraries are welcoming spaces to everyone in their community.
- Advancing Racial Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Symposium"a dynamic and engaging 3-day online gathering with diverse voices committed to prioritizing how libraries, and other organizations, can look at how they are advancing racial equity and inclusion in the workplace.
In addition to over ten hours of panel presentations, the symposium included self-care sessions at the beginning and end of each day, virtual networking opportunities, and a World Café for individuals to assess and discuss where their organizations are in their workplace racial equity journey." (Reported on Webjunction) - AUGUSTA BAKER DIVERSITY LECTURE SERIESOnline lectures. Part of a Children, Libraries and Literacy Initiative of University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science, honoring Augusta Braxton Baker, a beloved children’s librarian and storyteller who made South Carolina her home after a 37-year career at the New York Public Library.
- Change the Subject: a documentary about lables, libraries and activismChange the Subject shares the story of a group of college students, who from their first days at Dartmouth College, were committed to advancing and promoting the rights and dignity of undocumented peoples. In partnership with staff at Dartmouth, these students – now alumni – produced a film to capture their singular effort at confronting an instance of anti-immigrant sentiment in their library catalog. Their advocacy took them all the way from Baker-Berry Library to the halls of Congress, showing how an instance of campus activism entered the national spotlight, and how a cataloging term became a flashpoint in the immigration debate on Capitol Hill.
- Building a Diversity Plan - Strategic Planning for DiversityCreating a diversity plan for your library is one of the most important actions we can take to ensure that diversity and inclusion become integral to the way our institutions function, both internally and externally.
- Disrupting Whiteness in Libraries and Librarianship: A Reading ListThis bibliography contains citations and links (when available) to resources focused on race, racism, and disrupting whiteness and white supremacy in libraries. Particular emphasis is placed on the field of library and information science and librarianship as a profession.
- Diversity Standards: Cultural Competency for Academic LibrariesThe standards are intended to emphasize the need and obligation to serve and advocate for racial and ethnically diverse constituencies. As such, they are intended to apply to all libraries supporting academic programs at institutions of higher education. To achieve diversity in substance as well as in form, libraries have to open their arms to all perspectives and experiences. That requires competency in matters of cultural pluralism that are not intuitive and must be learned, like any other essential skill.
- we here: a supportive community for BIPOC library and archive workersWe Here seeks to provide a safe and supportive community for Black and Indigenous folks, and People of Color (BIPOC) in library and information science professions and educational programs and to recognize, discuss, and intervene in systemic social issues that have plagued these professions both historically and continue through present time
