Those working in the field of library science do not currently reflect the age, class, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity, race, sex, and sexual orientation makeup of the populations they serve. There are efforts to provide a diverse working environment in libraries, with an eye towards ways to diversifying the status quo.
United States
Statistics The majority of librarians working in the U.S. are female, between the ages of 55–64, and Caucasian. A 2014 study by the American Library Association of research done from 2009 to 2010 shows that 98,273 of credentialed librarians were female while 20,393 were male. 15,335 of the total 111,666 were 35 and younger and only 6,222 were 65 or older. 104,393 were white; 6,160 African American, 3,260 Asian/Pacific Islander; 185 Native American including Alaskan; 1,008 of two or more races, and 3,661 Latino. (ALA).
In 2022 the paper "A Statistical Essay on Diversity in the Library Professions Compared to Other Occupations in the United States of America" traced the historical narrative spotlighting initiatives by the American Library Association and the establishment of ethnic professional library associations from the early 20th century.Buchel, O. & Coleman, A. (2022). "A Statistical Essay on Diversity in the Library Professions Compared to Other Occupations in the United States of America." Library Trends. Vol. 71, No. 2, pp. 303-337.
Strategies
Scholarships and grants To help change the lack of diversity in library jobs in the U.S., more scholarships and grants are emerging. Most library and information science students do not belong to an underrepresented group and as a reaction to these research statistics, the field is creating ways to encourage more diversity in the classroom.
ALA Annual Research Diversity Grant Program The ALA Annual Research Diversity Grant Program is a way to encourage innovation in scholars and professionals to provide insight into how to diversify the field. The ALA Grant is directed toward those who have valuable and original research ideas that can add to the knowledge of diversity in the field of librarianship. The program awards up to three individuals once a year with a grant of $2,500 each. The applicants have submission guidelines, are given a timeline, and are shown the evaluation process online.
Cultural competencies One way to nurture cultural diversity in the library field is with cultural competencies. Scholars recommend defining skills needed to serve and work with others who belong to different cultures. It is suggested that these definitions be posted in job listings and be referred to when promoting and giving raises. In library and information science graduate programs, it is also suggested by scholars that there is a lack of classes teaching students cultural competences. It is important for more classes to teach about diversity and measure the outcomes.
Recruitment Another strategy is to create interest in the field of library and information science from a young age. If minorities do not desire to become librarians, they will not seek to obtain an MLS or MLIS and therefore will not fill high job roles in libraries. A recommended solutions are to create a great experience for all racial groups early on in life. This may inspire more young children to become interested in this field.
Resources ALA Office for Diversity
The Office for Diversity is a sector of the American Library Association whose purpose is to aid libraries in providing a diverse workforce, gathering data, and teaching others about the issue of diversity related to the field of library and information science.
Race and ethnicity-related resources American Indian Library Association
The American Indian Library Association (AILA) was created in 1979. It publishes a newsletter twice a year and educates individuals and groups about Indian culture.
Asian Pacific American Librarians Association
The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), also known as the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association,Yamashita, Kenneth A.(2000), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association— A History of APALA and Its Founders, Library Trends 49 (1) 2000: Ethnic Diversity in Library and Information Science, pg. 91 is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA) formed to "address the needs of Asian/Pacific American librarians and those who serve Asian/Pacific American communities." APALA was the successor to the Asian American Librarians Caucus (AALC), a discussion group within the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services that focused on providing library service to minority communities and on supporting minority librarians. APALA was established in 1980, was incorporated in 1981, and became part of the ALA in 1982. The founders of APALA included Lourdes Collantes, Suzine Har Nicolescu, Sharad Karkhanis, Conchita Pineda, Henry Chang, Betty Tsai, and Tamiye Trejo Meehan.
Black Caucus of the American Library Association
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, founded in 1970, promotes not only library services that can be enjoyed by the African American community but also the emergence of African American librarians and library professionals. By joining the association, patrons have access to newsletters, the entirety of their website, and networking boards.
Chinese American Librarians Association, also known as 華人圖書館員協會
The Mid-West Chinese American Librarians Association began on March 31, 1973, founded by Dr. Tze-Chung Li and Dorothy Li, as a regional organization in Illinois. Then in 1974 the Chinese Librarians Association was founded in California. In 1976, the Mid-West Chinese American Librarians Association expanded to a national organization as the Chinese American Librarians Association. In 1983 the Chinese American Librarians Association and the Chinese Librarians Association were merged into one organization, under the name Chinese American Librarians Association (in English) and the Chinese Librarians Association's Chinese name (華人圖書館員協會). This one organization has members not only in America but in China, Hong Kong, Canada, and more. The organization promotes the Chinese culture through the outlet of libraries and communicates with others in the profession of librarianship.
HBCU Library Alliance
The HBCU Library Alliance is a consortium of libraries at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Founded in 2002 by deans and directors of libraries at HBCUs, the consortium comprises over 100 member organizations. The alliance specifically represents the organizations included in the White House HBCU Initiative. In 2019 the HBCU Library Alliance entered into a national partnership with the Council on Library and Information Resources.
REFORMA
REFORMA is the American national library association to promote library and information services to Latino and the Spanish speaking. The National Association of Spanish Speaking Librarians in the United States, which would later be called REFORMA, was founded in 1971 by Arnulfo Trejo and Elizabeth Martinez.Güereña, Salvador, and Edward Erazo. “Latinos and Librarianship: Ethnic Diversity in Library and Information Science.” Library Trends 49, no. 1 (2000): 138–81.Elizabeth Martinez. California Library Hall of Fame. In 1983, the name was changed to REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking, to better reflect the goal of the association. It is now known as REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, or just REFORMA. REFORMA has pushed for Spanish collections in libraries, gives out yearly scholarships, and sends out quarterly newsletters. One of REFORMA‘s main goals is to recruit Latinos into professional positions of the library.
Joint Council of Librarians of Color
The Joint Council of Librarians of Color (JCLC, Inc.) was founded in June 2015 as an organization “that advocates for and addresses the common needs of the American Library Association ethnic affiliates.“ These ethnic affiliates include: the American Indian Library Association, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the Chinese American Librarians Association (also known as 華人圖書館員協會), and REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.
American deafness issues The American Library Association has stated that disabled people belong to a minority that is often overlooked and underrepresented by people in the library, and the Deaf community belongs in this minority group. The ALA’s Library Bill of Rights preamble states that "all libraries are forums for information and ideas" and as such libraries need to remove the physical and technological barriers which in turn would allow persons with disabilities full access to the resources available.
One notable American activist in the library community working toward accessibility for the deaf was Alice Lougee Hagemeyer, herself deaf. In 1974 she created Deaf Awareness Week, later called Deaf Heritage Week, in which programs about deaf culture are held in libraries. In 1980 she founded the unit now known as the Library Service to People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Forum, which is a unit within the American Library Association.
In 2006 the American Library Association and the National Association of the Deaf declared that they would recognize March 13 to April 15 as National Deaf History Month.
Deaf services at libraries The library at Gallaudet University, the only deaf liberal arts university in the United States, was founded in 1876. The library's collection has grown from a small number of reference books to the world's largest collection of deaf-related materials, with over 234,000 books and thousands of other materials in different formats. The collection is so large that the library had to create a hybrid classification system based on the Dewey Decimal Classification System in order to make cataloging and location within the library easier for both library staff and users. The library also houses the university's archives, which holds some of the oldest deaf-related books and documents in the world.
One notable American activist in the library community working toward accessibility for the deaf was Alice Lougee Hagemeyer, herself deaf. In 1974 she created Deaf Awareness Week, later called Deaf Heritage Week, in which programs about deaf culture are held in libraries.
In Nashville, Tennessee, Sandy Cohen manages the Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (LSDHH). The program was created in 1979 in response to information accessibility issues for the deaf in the Nashville area. Originally, the only service provided was the news via a teletypewriter or TTY, but today, the program has expanded to serving the entire state of Tennessee by providing all different types of information and material on deafness, deaf culture, and information for family members of deaf people, as well as a historical and reference collection.
Women and librarianship