With a new study out (published 8/30/2017) by Ithaka S+R on the diversity in Academic Research Libraries, discussion over the startling lack of diversity in the library field has begun again. There have already been multiple blog postings and articles about the report in places like Inside Higher Ed. (A link to the report can be found at the bottom of this post.) The whiteness of librarianship is a problem that I can see, and I've only been in the library profession for about five years. I look around at my colleagues and the majority are white, upper middle class females. I can remember my time in graduate school and encountering mostly white upper middle class females. There is quite a lack of diversity in all facets of librarianship (gender, race, ethnicity, LGBTQIAA, etc.). The question that remains: why? Some talk about the systemic biases of the library field and the failure of diversity initiatives. A great post about that can be found at In the Library with the Lead Pipe. (Can we take a second to discuss the cleverness of this name?) Others talk about the numbers - what are our actual diversity statistics? What can we do to "fix" it? They propose ten year plans to help combat the problem, such as a blog post over at Feral Librarian. All of these articles and posts are important. The lack of diversity in our field is a problem. The lack of diversity in many fields in a problem. In my opinion, we won't be able to address the problem properly until we acknowledge that we are part of the problem. A huge issue that I see happening in our field and in our discussion on diversity is perpetuating the terrible concept of "us and/vs. them" or "the other". When librarians talk about diversity in the field, it usually comes from a place of whiteness. What can WE as white people do to attract more people of color to OUR community/field? No wonder the field is so whitewashed! Our very language - something that our profession should be so much more cognizant of - perpetuates "the other" concept. The library field and librarians tout diversity as an important topic and issue - it is one of our core tenants. I have no doubt that there are many well meaning people who are working so hard to make the field truly diverse. How can we reach a true level of diversity, inclusion, and equity if people of color are continually treated as "the other" in the profession? I'm not even talking about trying to "recruit" diverse professionals. I am talking about the way "the other" manifests itself in everyday practices. Let's look at an example that I see currently happening in the library field. Many libraries that serve communities with diverse languages being spoken provide books that are written in different languages. Awesome! Great! They should have even more of them! The fact that they have these books isn't the problem. That is a step in the right direction. It's how these books are marketed to the community that continues to add to "the other" perception. Most libraries want to highlight these collections - make them easier for patrons to access and locate materials. They usually indicate them with special stickers and usually have an allocated section in the library for them. I totally understand their thinking. Guess what? By doing this, we are producing an "us vs. them" atmosphere. In our quest to be more inclusive, more diverse, more helpful for our patrons, we are doing the exact opposite. We are indicating that (in this example) those who read English belong over here and those who don't belong over there. What does this mean? It means that from a young age, libraries and librarians are seen as highlighting diversity but perpetuating whiteness. I know that some of you are currently reading this post and thinking to yourself: ACCESS. BARRIERS TO ACCESS. How does a non-English speaker access portions of the collection if they do not know how to use the library catalog or read the language to access the information in the catalog? I don't know. I do not have the answer to this question at this moment and I am sorry. I am merely using it as an example to highlight "the other" problem that I see lurking in all areas of the library field. I wonder what the library culture, and the rest of society in general, might look like if we treat every piece of our collection as a "normal" part of our collection though. Would the library field become more diverse because members of all facets of society find themselves represented and included? Would everyone view the library truly as a space for everyone, as we so often claim we are? I think that a large part of the problem is the library field is indicative of the broader issues of how diversity is treated in our society at large. All we are doing is mirroring a terrible system that currently exists. Even my own language of treating the lack of diversity as a "problem" that needs "fixing" is not sitting well with me. It keeps perpetuating "the other" mentality, and it has become so ingrained in me through my education and personal learning that I am having a hard time finding another way to discuss it without using that type of terminology. By no means am I trying to claim that I am an expert in this situation. I know that at various times of my life I have accidentally contributed to this continuing problem in the field. I am just stating some of my own observations and thoughts on the matter at hand. I'm very curious to what others think about the report and the larger topic being discussed in it.
0 Comments
The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (TAHQ) is a debut novel by Joel Dicker. If you like mystery, particularly crime dramas, then this book is for you. TAHQ is quite a lengthy tome. It, quite honestly, could have been shortened down to half the length. It dragged at parts, but the plot was always intriguing enough to keep you going. The author was clearly not an American; I mention this because there are instances in the book that would not occur because of our judicial policies and procedures and stick out like a sore thumb at times. If these sorts of divorces from reality do not alter your suspension of disbelief, then you will be all right. If implausibility in reality bothers you, I would steer clear of the novel. While there were a few flaws with TAHQ, I would recommend the title overall. The writing was well done, and the plot was very engaging. Once you get to the last hundred pages, you won't be able to put the book down. A great read for those who like twists and turns! In light of the horrible actions that occurred in Charlottesville recently, and in America over the past year or so, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about diversity in literature. Diversity means "the condition of having or being composed of differing elements". It's so important to have a diverse collection for a number of reasons. It enables people to be exposed to ideas, cultures, and thoughts that are different from their own. It also allows people who are more marginalized in society to have a voice. Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. So, I've made a list of lists of diverse books. Have any other great lists or recommendations? Add them in the comments section! Adults:
Children/Young Adult: The book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari is marketed as answering the questions of humanity's future. Where will we be going from here? What will humans be like in the future?
Readers looking to read a few hundred pages on future hypothetical worlds will be disappointed. The author spends the first two-thirds of the book discussing the past and present of humanity. The last third of the book explores possible avenues for the human species to follow. While a majority of the book does not deal with the future, it is necessary and worthwhile. The author does an excellent job of keeping the past interesting and without seeming like a boring history lesson from middle school. Harari breaks the past into different categories and then showcases the patterns that have existed throughout homo sapiens' history. He then applies those patterns to the present and uses them to foreshadow what will most likely be in store for humanity. A well written piece of non-fiction, Harari keeps readers engaged throughout each section of the lengthy tome. A recommended read, especially for those readers that are just beginning to dip their toes into the non-fiction genre. I hear the term "digital natives" tossed around frequently.
It is being used to refer to Millennials and Gen Z. The idea is that people from these generations are brought up with technology at a young age. However, this term has somehow become manipulated to also indicate that these generations are born better at technology than previous generations. It almost appears that somehow these generations have evolved as fast as technology. The thought that "digital natives", in particular students in K-12 and higher education, are any better at technology than their parents or predecessors is wrong. They are not better at it - they are just more accustomed to using it in their everyday lives. "Digital Natives" have to be taught technology skills just like every other person born before them. I was lucky to have been born in the late 80's and learned technology as it was quickly evolving. I remember my family's first home computer and the MS DOS operating system. I can still recall turning on the computer and seeing the green block flashing at me, waiting for me to type in a command and tell it what to do. I was taught basic computer skills. While computers have become more advanced since then, I understand the basic components of how they operate. When babies and toddlers are given tablets and figure out how to play games, they aren't learning crucial skills. They are learning how to push buttons until they get the response they desire. The amount of 18 year old students I have encountered the past few years who don't know how to attach a file to an e-mail, or even what a flash drive is astounds me. We are doing a disservice to our students when we don't teach them basic technology skills. We cannot forget that they aren't born with this knowledge. We learned it at one point and so must they. |
AuthorI have worked in Education my entire life moving from K-12, to a community college, to my current position at a four year. I am fascinated by weird things and information in general. Archives
November 2017
Categories
All
|