Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Library Faculty

Compiled/maintained by the CCL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force

Links to Other Resources

• CUNY Guidance Memo on Faculty Recruitment (Fall 2017)
• ACRL 2019 President’s Program discussion series on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (https://acrl.libguides.com/c.php?g=899144&p=6468942)
• ACRL Keeping Up with…Implicit Bias (February, 2019). http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/bias

Useful Articles

• From Hostile to Inclusive: Strategies for Improving the Racial Climate of Academic Libraries, by Jaena Alabi (Library Trends, 2018) https://muse.jhu.edu/article/706992/pdf (n.b. this issue of LIbrary Trends is focused on race/ethnicity in LIS)
• For a Black Mathematician, What It’s Like to Be the ‘Only One’, by Amy Harmon (February 18, 2019). New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/us/edray-goins-black-mathematicians.html
• Actively seeking diverse faculty, by Perry Greene. (December 12, 2018). Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2018/12/12/advice-attracting-and-retaining-diverse-faculty-members-opinion
• Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity: Members of the Association of Research Libraries Employee Demographics and Director Perspectives by Roger Schonfeld and Liam Sweeney (August 30, 2017) Ithaka S&R Report http://www.sr.ithaka.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170830-Mellon-SR-Report-Inclusion-Diversity-Equity-ARL.pdf
• The Quest for Diversity in Library Staffing: From Awareness to Action, by Jennifer Vinopal http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2016/quest-for-diversity/
• A Cure for the Common Whiteness: Diversity Recruitment, by April Hathcock https://aprilhathcock.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/a-cure-for-the-common-whiteness-diversity-recruitment/
• White Librarianship in Blackface: Diversity Initiatives in LIS, by April Hathcock http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/lis-diversity/
• Soliciting Performance, Hiding Bias: Whiteness and Librarianship, by Angela Galvan http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/soliciting-performance-hiding-bias-whiteness-and-librarianship/
• Seeking a Diverse Candidate Pool, by Angela Pashia http://angelapashia.com/seeking-a-diverse-candidate-pool/
• But Then You Have to Make it Happen, by James Williams III and Jolanda-Pieta van Arnhem http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/10487
• Why Diversity Matters, by Juleah Swanson, Ione Damasco, Isabel Gonzalez-Smith, Dracine Hodges, Todd Honma and Azusa Tanaka http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/why-diversity-matters-a-roundtable-discussion-on-racial-and-ethnic-diversity-in-librarianship/

Places to Post Job Openings

• CULIBS
• METRO
• ACRL/NY
• INALJ
• Local graduate library programs: Queens College-GSLIS, Palmer School, Pratt, St. John’s, Rutgers
• http://bcalajobs.org (Fee: $150)
• REFORMA
• CALA (Chinese American Librarians Association)
• APALA
• Spectrum Scholars listserv: [email protected]
• GLBT Roundtable of ALA: http://www.ala.org/rt/glbtrt

Additional Thoughts

• While not every college is amenable to posting faculty lines at Instructor or higher – postings for Instructor will increase number of Candidates qualified to apply for positions
• Recommend posting Open Rank – which permits hiring at either Instructor or Assistant Professor level
• Mentoring non-librarians that either work as Student Assistants or COAs that have been encouraged to join the profession. In both kinds of cases “locals” are encouraged and so the retention factor is stronger since, by and large, the geographic move is less of an issue. Mentoring for success amidst the challenges of the academy and the broad categories of –isms therein is of equal importance.
• Brooklyn College Library’s Diversity Statement: Brooklyn College is a microcosm of the ethnically rich borough of Brooklyn it serves as well as a mirror of the wide diversity in New York City itself. A vibrant, intellectually engaged community, our student body comprises individuals from 150 countries, speaking 105 different languages, many of whom are the first in their family to attend college. The College transforms lives by providing access to outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, and a vibrant general education curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences. We are an urban, public institution, proudly situated in one of the most dynamic and diverse communities in the country. We are committed to student success and to our historic mission to provide an affordable, high-quality education to students of all backgrounds. We seek to develop knowledgeable students who are engaged in the life of the college and our community, and are prepared to think critically, lead responsibly, act ethically, and contribute globally. The College and the Library are committed to enhancing and supporting a diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty, and staff. We encourage applicants who are committed to joining us in that mission
• It might be worth reaching out to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for support staff who might be interested in academic librarianship, though NYPL has a separate program.