Library and Information Science Commons^™

Kick Back And Relax: Creating A Radical Sense Of Belonging In Our Libraries, Ione T. Damasco

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

Libraries are places that hold the ability to connect people from different backgrounds and life experiences. However, despite that being the goal, sometimes stories are left out, experiences aren’t told, and identities are not represented. In this keynote address, Ione Damasco shares how her library has been able to make connections across campus with partners to develop and implement programming that fosters a more inclusive campus environment and how other libraries might do the same.

Imagining A Climate Of Equity Through A Critical Theory Of Love: Using Cpar To Identify Guiding Principles That Humanize Library Work, Rachel M. Barnett, Matthew A. Witenstein

Roesch Library Staff Publications

Diversity is a core value of the American Library Association and diversity standards including cultural competencies have been adopted by the Association of College and Research Libraries. Nevertheless, academic libraries still have obstacles to overcome to embody these principles. Minorities continue to be underrepresented in the field and many encounter barriers within library cultures where cultural competency is lacking and micro aggressions are pervasive and invisible to many white colleagues. This study uses critical participatory action research to identify ways a library diversity and inclusion team can support library employees engaging in equity-minded work at a private, predominantly white Catholic …

Disrupting Diversity Narratives: Introducing Critical Conversations In Libraries, Ione T. Damasco

Roesch Library Faculty Presentations

In 2012, the Association for College and Research Libraries issued a document outlining eleven diversity standards for academic libraries to use in developing the skills and competencies that are necessary to serve diverse populations. The American Library Association lists “diversity” as one of its 11 core values.

In 2016, the Medical Library Association identified diversity and inclusion as essential values for the association, and in 2017, it appointed a Diversity Task Force to determine how to operationalize these values.

Typically, when we use the word “diversity” we refer to specific categories of identity: race, gender, ability, and sexual orientation, to …

A Phenomenological Study Of Conservative Academic Librarians, Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, Ione Damasco

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

Librarianship posits itself as a profession that strives for neutrality, particularly within customer service and information provision; however, factors such as political activity, conference programming, and disproportionate representations of specific viewpoints in the literature indicate that neutrality may be compromised. These factors may alienate librarians who do not subscribe to majority political opinions within librarianship.

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand the career experiences of academic librarians who identify as socially or politically conservative. Themes linking service provision, ethics, workplace relationships, and professional engagement emerged that demonstrate the professional impact politicized activity has on practicing librarians in all specialties.