DiversityBy

Shelley ChitwoodLeslie Christianson

Diversity-What is it? Webster’s Dictionary definition Professional definition ALA definition

Diversity--ALA Key Action Area

Strength of nation is diversity Shift in ethnic balance Respect

Diversity--Facets

Need for more diversity in collections, staff, and patrons

Diversity needed in public, academic, and school libraries

Diversity--Statistics-LibrariansAcademic1998

Public1998

School1994

AmericanIndian/Alaskan native

.57 .25 1

Asian/ PacificIslander

4.98 3.93 1

Black 5.87 6.33 6Hispanic 1.8 2.95 2White 86.78 86.55 90

Female 67.99 78.91 92Male 32.01 21.09 8

Diversity--Statistics-Public Library Patrons

1998 Breakdown of Patrons done by ALA:

Women 53%Men 47%

White 85%Black 10%Hispanic 2%NativeAmerican 1%

Diversity-Facets (continued) Barriers

Funding Organizational motivation Education Feelings that racism and discrimination

eradicated

Multiculturalism

Diversity-ALA’s Position Fundamental value Equal rights Mission--Promote Leadership and

Education

Diversity-Other GroupsACRL AILA APALA ASALH BCALA CIC

Diversity-Other Groups (continued)

HSA IMLS LFF LC LGBT Reforma

WORKS CITEDAbdullahi, I, Josey, E.J. (2002). Why diversity in American Libraries. Library Management 23(1/2):10-16. In Emerald Library (database online). Available from http://pinkerton.emeraldinsight.com. Accessed 1 February 02.

American Library Association. The Voice of America’s Libraries: ALA American Library Association. 2002. Internet on-line http://www.ala.org [28 January 2002]

Balderrama, Sandra R. (2000). This trend called diversity. Library Trends 49(1):194-214. In ProQuest (database online). Available from http://www.il.proquest.com. Accessed 1 February 02.

Burd, Barbara, private interview held at Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va., January 2002

Lynch, Mary Jo. (1998). Racial and ethic diversity among librarians: a status report. American Libraries [journal on-line]; available from http://www.ala.org/alaorg/ors/racetnc.html; internet; accessed 3 February 2002.

McCook, Kathleen de la Peña. (Summer 2000). Ethnic diversity in library and information science. Library Trends 49.1 [journal on-line]; available from http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/puboff/catalog/trends/49_1.html; internet; accessed 1 February 2002.

Schmidt, Alvin. (1997). The menace of multiculturalism: Trojan horse in America. Westport: Praeger, 1997.

Varvek, Bernard. (2000). Is the American public library part of everyone’s life? American Libraries 31: 60-64.

Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language. 2nd ed. United States: The World Publishing Company, 1980.

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