A decade of doctorates : An examination of dissertations written by African american women in library and information studies, 1993-2003

Abstract

This exploratory study examines the number of African American female doctoral recipients in library and information science (LIS) and their research interests in the past ten years. It enhances understanding of what African American female Ph.D. recipients plan to contribute to the LIS field through what they have found important to study in their dissertation research. These areas of study provide insight into the participation of African American women in LIS and the amount of research focus being given to information issues related to African Americans. This paper presents these data and findings within the context of diversity in doctoral education in LIS and historical issues of the participation of African Americans in LIS education. Recommendations and areas of future research generated from findings are proposed to further explore the implications of the findings discussed in this paper and to assist graduate school administrators in refining recruitment methods that will serve to attract more African American women to the LIS field. Diversity and LIS Education A major concern in Library and Information Science (LIS) education for many years has been how to address diversity, or lack thereof, within the field. ' Quite often, the focus has been on recruiting and retaining ethnically diverse master's students in an attempt to produce a larger pool of ethnically diverse librarians. Usually, during periods of intensified recruitment, the profession as a whole will focus on MLS students.2 As a result, the diversity of LIS faculties receives less attention than other diversity issues, and the research activities of doctoral students and faculty members from underrepresented populations are rarely examined. The faculty population in LIS has remained fairly stable in its level of diversity. In the mid-1990s, for example, the percentage of African Americans in LIS faculties had not changed since the passage of the Civil Rights Act thirty years before.3 The most recent ALISE statistics indicate that the LIS professoriate continues to lack representational diversity, especially for African Americans and Latinos.4 Only 3.7% of the full-time faculty members were Latino as compared to 14.5% of the total population, and African Americans were just 5.5% of the full-time faculty, as compared to 12.1% of the population.5 Further, doctoral programs are not producing many new graduates from underrepresented populations. In 2002-2003, of the 82 LIS doctoral degrees awarded, only two were awarded to African Americans and one to a Latino.6 When examining diversity, LIS research has generally been more focused on percentages of students and faculty from underrepresented populations than teaching or research about the unique information needs and behaviors of underrepresented populations.7 Few LIS research studies have focused specifically on one population of faculty and their research interests. Studies that do address the issue of African American doctoral students typically focus on demographic trends and the educational hindrances that African Americans face.8 A search of related literature yielded no published research addressing the specific issue of dissertation topics written by African American Ph.D. candidates in LIS. By examining the titles and purpose statements contained within abstracts of dissertations produced in the last ten years by African American women at U.S. LIS programs accredited by the American Library Association, this study investigated the research interests that motivated this group of women to pursue a doctorate in LIS. This study is based on the premise that the diversity of LIS doctoral programs is a vital issue for LIS to consider, as graduates of these doctoral programs will ultimately be educating the next generations of LIS professionals and scholars and serving as directors of libraries and library systems. Historical Issues of African American Participation LIS Education As is true in all areas of American life, African Americans were at one time segregated from the mainstream in library issues and experiences. …

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