Diversity Initiatives to Recruit and Retain Academic Librarians: A Systematic Review

Janice Yu Chen Kung · K-Lee Fraser · Dee Winn

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Library Science and Administration Library Science and Information Gender Diversity and Inequality

Abstract

Libraries across Canada and United States are adopting diversity initiatives to encourage inclusive library environments and services. Many policies and frameworks have a user-centered approach. However, there is little focus on encouraging diverse service providers in the library. The aim of this study is to determine the strategic approaches that academic libraries are using in their efforts to recruit and retain diverse librarians. Systematic review methodology involved searching Library & Information Science Abstracts, Library & Information Science Source, Gender Studies Database, Race Relations Abstracts, Google, and grey literature composed primarily of information from library associations’ and organizations’ websites. The primary search terms (and their variations) include diversity, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomics, academic library, librarians, recruitment, and retention. Publications were included if they were about the recruitment and/or retention strategies used by academic libraries to improve diversity among librarians. Nineteen publications and one ALA website were included in the review. All 20 publications were based in a North American context, and the interventions included targeted recruitment strategies, internship or residency programs, mentor- ship, and professional development opportunities. Using a modified version of the CASP Qualitative Checklist, the publications were critically appraised to evaluate the validity of the findings. Fifty percent of the publications included an assessment component to determine the value of the intervention. Although a number of programs exist to recruit minorities to academic librarianship, the number of visible minorities in the field has remained stagnant for decades.

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References

1991Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color 2015In Pursuit of Antiracist Social Justice: Denaturalizing Whiteness in the Academic Library 2011Diversity and LIS Education: Inclusion and the Age of Information 2012Tenure and Promotion Experiences of Academic Librarians of Color

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2021Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statements on Academic Library Websites 2021Not a token! A discussion on racial capitalism and its impact on academic librarians and libraries 2021Learning and change through diversity, equity, and inclusion professional development: Academic librarians' perspectives 2022Academic libraries and DEI initiatives: A quantitative study of employee satisfaction 2020Systematic Review Training Model for Education Librarians: A Case Study 2023Centering justice/decentering whiteness: the case for abolition in information literacy pedagogical praxis 2025Examining diversity beyond gender: Addressing inclusion gaps in LIS education and academic libraries in Pakistan 2024A Pedagogy of Care in Academic Libraries: A Framework to Increase Underrepresented Communities’ Sense of Belonging and Engagement

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