Librarians of Color Wanted: How Can MLIS Programs Increase Enrollment
Among African Americans and Latinos?
BY
Diane C. Thompson
A Special Project Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, Connecticut
August 2014
Introduction
Since the 1980s articles have been written about the underrepresentation of African
American and Latino librarians. Most of the literature focuses on the experiences of recently
graduated or currently practicing librarians. The authors address issues such as: job satisfaction,
racial discrimination in the workplace and lack of professional opportunities. While it is
important to address these issues, it is equally as important to examine the low enrollment
numbers of African Americans and Latinos in MLIS programs.
Significance and Relevance
The demographics of the United States are constantly changing and “minorities” are
quickly becoming the majority, yet MLIS programs and the library profession as a whole
continue to be predominantly white and female. In 2008-2009, 7,091 students graduated from
MLIS programs: 81% were white, 5.51% were Latino and 4.95% were African American. Of the
7,091 MLIS graduates 81.1% were women and 18.9% were men. Among women: 83.65% were
white, 5.25% were African American and 5.17% were Latino. A similar trend occurred among
men: 82.5% were white, 7% were Latino and 3.65% were African American (NCES, 2011:
Table 305).
Those numbers slightly increased in 2009-2010 with 7,448 students obtaining MLIS
degrees: 84% were white and 6.03% were Latino. African American graduates remained the
same at 4.95%. In terms of gender the percentages remained steady: 81.3% of the graduates were
women and 18.7% were men. Among women: 83.6% were white, 6% were Latino and 5.1%
were African American. For men: 82.95% were white, 6.3% were Latino and 4.4% were African
2
American (NCES, 2011: Table 304). The percentage of African American and Latino graduates
is significantly lower than that of the general population in which African Americans and Latinos
are 12.6% and 16.3% respectively (U.S. Census, 2010). Library and Information Science
educators and administrators should be concerned by these numbers and how they will impact
the future development and growth of the library profession.
It has been projected that by 2050 African Americans and Latinos will respectively make
up 15% and 30% of the population (U.S. Census 2012) making them the two fastest growing
nonwhite groups in the United States. As the demographics of the United States continue to
change, so will the demographics of library users. The results of a survey conducted by the Pew
Research Center (2013) showed that African Americans and Latinos were more likely than their
white counterparts to say that public libraries were important to them, their families and to the
community as a whole. They were also more likely than their white counterparts to find library
services such as: free internet and computer use, children’s programs, job/career resources and
research resources to be “very important”.
In regards to providing services to Latino library users, Gonzalez, Greeley & Whitney
(1980) state, “…the library needs of the Spanish-speaking community are unique in the overall
community…the Spanish-speaking community expects the same level of service—both in
English and Spanish—enjoyed by all segments of the community.” Haro (1981) lists appropriate
ethnicity, bilingual capabilities and experience with the target community as three of the qualities
to look for in a librarian working in a Latino community. These qualities speak to the need to
have Latino librarians providing service to Latino patrons and by extension also speaks to a
similar need in African American communities.
3
As the numbers prove, there are not enough African American and Latinos graduating
from MLS programs to meet the growing needs of these two communities. The question for
Library Science and Information educators and administrators is: What can be done to attract
more African Americans and Latinos to MLIS programs?
Review of the Literature
In light of such low percentages, recruitment and retention become very important factors
at both the graduate school and professional levels. Durr (2012) states, “…universities can
increase minority enrollment and retention simply by taking on additional minority staff and
encouraging mentoring relationships.” Totten (1992) sees the role of minority faculty as being
two-fold: they serve as mediators and interpreters for minority students; and they participate in
the recruitment and mentoring of new minority faculty members. Echavarra, 2000; Knowles,
1990; Olivas & Ma, 2009 strongly stress the value of mentors who are African American and
Latino. For African American and Latino MLIS students, having a faculty member or advisor
who looks like them and can talk to them about the profession is one step towards improving the
number of African Americans and Latinos entering and graduating from library school (Neely,
2005). Totten (2000) asserts that, “the importance of minority faculty members in predominantly
White institutions cannot be overemphasized.”
In addition to a more diverse MLIS faculty, a more diverse curriculum is another
significant factor in attracting more African Americans and Latinos to MLIS programs. In a
survey of 182 librarians of color, 46% stated that “monocultural curriculum” was a major barrier
in recruiting and retaining students of color in MLIS programs (Kim & Sin, 2008). Neely (1996)
4
an advocate for more culturally diverse MLIS courses, conducted an informal survey of
American Library Association (ALA) accredited library science programs and their courses. Of
the fifty institutions, only one offered a course pertaining to African Americans and five offered
courses in multicultural librarianship. Neely (2005) conducted a similar survey in 2003. Of the
fifty-three MLIS programs she surveyed, nearly 45% had no diversity courses, 28% listed two or
more diversity courses and the remaining 17% listed one course.
Providing a more diverse MLS curriculum would not only be beneficial to African American
and Latino students, but to white students as well. Haro (1981) recommends that prospective
librarians who are non-Latino and are interested in working in a Latino community, select a
library school which offers courses or programs designed to develop skills in serving the needs
of Hispanic communities or of ethnic minorities in general. Berlanga-Cortez (2000) presents four
main issues that she perceives as barriers to effectively serve the information needs of culturally
and linguistically different library users:
a. Cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication styles among library
professionals and culturally diverse groups
b. Cultural awareness of ethnic minority groups in the U.S. on the part of practitioners of
information services
c. Cultural sensitivity training for library professionals serving culturally and linguistically
diverse patrons
d. Training on the use of information technology for culturally and linguistically diverse
library users
5
MLS courses that teach future librarians about dealing with ethnically and culturally diverse
communities is the first step in eliminating these barriers.
Cuesta (1990) points out that the Latino population is growing in many states not known
previously for significant concentrations of Latinos. States such Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts,
Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Washington have
showed population growth exceeding 100%. This dispersion has serious implications for
librarians. She states, “We can no longer afford to view services to the Spanish-speaking
population as a concern of libraries only within specific geographic areas.” This statement also
holds true for MLS programs.
Research Methods
The purpose of this project is to explore an avenue for attracting African Americans and Latinos
to library school. The research will focus on the websites of ALA-accredited library schools as a
recruitment vehicle.
In reviewing the websites, the research focus will be on two areas that were chosen as the ones
most likely to attract the interest of potential African American and Latino students:
1. Photographs.
a.
Are there photographs of faculty and students?
b. What do the photographs tell potential African American and Latino students about the
demographics of the program?
6
2. Course listings.
a. Are there courses that focus specifically on African Americans and Latinos or are courses
more broadly focused on “multiculturalism”?
b. How many courses are there and are they required or electives?
In collecting data based on the above-listed questions it is the intention of this project to create a
profile that will highlight strengths and weaknesses of library school websites and gauge their
potential effectiveness as a means of recruitment.
Conclusion
Outreach is a term that comes up frequently in the literature looking at the relationship
between public libraries and the Latino community. One aspect that is strongly emphasized is
getting to know the members of the community. There are many ways to do this including
participating in community events, making presentations at Latino service organizations and
marketing the library’s services and collections in Spanish language newspapers or television
(Ocon, 2000). In order increase enrollment of African Americans and Latinos in MLIS
programs, Library and Information Science educators and administrators might to follow the
example of public libraries and try outreach programs. With the wealth of social media that is
available, reaching out through Facebook or Twitter might be very beneficial.
7
References
Berlanga-Cortez, G (200). Cross-cultural communication: identifying barriers to information
retrieval with culturally and linguistically different library patrons. In S. Guerena (Ed.),
Library service to Latinos: An anthology (pp. 51-60). Jefferson, NC: MacFarland & Co.,
Inc. Publishers.
Cuesta, Y. J. (1990). From Survival to Sophistication. Library Journal, 115(9), 26-28.
Durr, A. (2012). Going the distance: supporting African American Library and Information
Science students. In A. Jackson, J. Jefferson & A. Nosakhere (Eds.), The 21s-century Black
librarian in America: issues and challenges (pp. 157-160). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press,
Inc.
Echavarria, T. (2000). Recruiting Latinos to librarianship: A continuing need. In S. Guerena
(Ed.), Library service to Latinos: An anthology (pp. 18-27). Jefferson, NC: MacFarland &
Co., Inc. Publishers.
Gonzalez, M., Greeley, B., & Whitney, S. (1980). Assessing the Library Needs of the Spanishspeaking. Library Journal, 105(7), 786
Haro, R.P. (1981). Developing library and information services for Americans of Hispanic
origin. Metuchen, NJ: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Kim, K., & Sin, S. (2008). Increasing ethnic diversity in LIS: Strategies suggested by librarians
of color. Library Quarterly, 78(2), 153-177. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/528887
8
Knowles, E. (1990). How to attract ethnic minorities to the profession. Special Libraries,
81(2),141-145.
Neely, T. (1996). The Jackie Robinson of library science. In T. Neely & K. Abif (Eds.), In our
own voices: The changing face of librarianship (pp.164-189). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow
Press, Inc.
Neely, T. (2005). Minority student recruitment in LIS education: New profiles for success. In M.
Wheeler (Ed.), Unfinished business: Race, equity, and diversity in library and information
science education (pp. 93-117). Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc.
Ocon, B (2000). Effective outreach strategies to the Latino community: a paradigm for public
libraries. In S. Guerena (Ed.), Library service to Latinos: An anthology (pp. 183-193).
Jefferson, NC: MacFarland & Co., Inc. Publishers.
Olivas, A., & Ma, R. (2009). Increasing retention rates in minority librarians through mentoring.
Electronic Journal of Academic & Special Librarianship, 10(3) Retrieved from
http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v 10n03/olivas_ao1.html
Pew Research Center. (2013). Library services in the digital age. Washington, DC: Author.
Retrieved from http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/01/22/library-services/
Totten, H. (2000). Ethnic diversity in library schools: Completing the education cycle. Texas
Library Journal, 76(1), 16-19.
U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census Briefs. The Black Population: 2010. Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf
9
U.S. Census Bureau. 2010 Census Briefs. The Hispanic Population: 2010. Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf
U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). Facts for Feature. Black (African-American) History Month.
Retrieved from
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb
12-ff01.html
U.S. Census Bureau. (2012) Facts for Features. Hispanic Heritage Month. Retrieved from
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb1
2-ff19.html
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated
Postsecondary Systems (IPEDS). (2011). Table 305 Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_305.asp
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Integrated
Postsecondary Systems (IPEDS). (2011). Table 304 Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_304.asp
10