Barriers to an inclusive academic library collection
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-05-2021-0018 |
| Published date | 18 August 2021 |
| Date | 18 August 2021 |
| Pages | 97-100 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Collection building & management |
| Author | Apryl C. Price |
Barriers to an inclusive academic library
collection
Apryl C. Price
Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, USA
Abstract
Purpose –Libraries still endeavor to achieve diversity in many areas, including collections. Although many barriers to realizing this goal still exist,
there are changes that can be made to improve the current situation. This paper aims to examine those barriers and discusses some ways librarians,
administrators and publishers can help build inclusive academic library collections.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper will discuss the issues that the University of North Florida’s Thomas G. Carpenter Library discovered
while trying to find ways to build a racially and ethnically diverse academic collection.
Findings –The lack of diversity in academic library collections has many causes, including inadequate institutional collection priorities, librarian
bias, heavy workloads and the dearth of diverse voices in the publishing industry.
Originality/value –Diversity, equity and inclusion are key concepts to improving how libraries operate. However, libraries have struggled to realize
this vision in many areas. This paper endeavors to identify ways academic librarians and publishers can make collections more diverse.
Keywords Diversity, Selection, Inclusion, Publishing, Collection development, Academic libraries
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
For decades the library profession has pursued the dream of a
more diverse and inclusiveenvironment, but libraries are still in
pursuit of this reality (Weber and Trujillo, 1991;Kung et al.,
2020). Even in 2021, thereare still conferences, workshops and
webinars with themes of diversity, equity and inclusion in
libraries and publishing. In recent years, there have been
countless presentations covering practices to improve staff
recruitment, instruction, collections and intercultural
competence. As Tillayand Chapman (2019) describe it:
one of the topics being discussed passionately in recent conferences, is how
can these organizations work to increase inclusion in their own organizations
and the wider community, preserve the record of oppressed peoples, and
correct past practices which suppressed the knowledge and values of
minorities.
For this reason, libraries have implemented numerous
initiatives to improve inclusion in certain areas (Weber and
Trujillo, 1991). However, although libraries have strived to
improve all aspects of diversity, there has been less focus on
general academiccollections.
Much of the content in academic libraries is written by and
about White males. According to Brook et al. (2015, p. 247),
academic librariestend to:
reflect and uphold this culture of Whiteness as seen throughout the
profession: from the people who work in libraries and the ways in which
services are offered, to how library spaces are constructed, regulated, and
occupied.
Consequently, it makes sense that thisculture of whiteness has
an impact on collection building. To overcome this
manifestation of whiteness in library resources, more needs to
be done. Deconstructing the systems that have enabled
whiteness in libraries is a crucial step in improving library
collections. The American Library Association’s (ALA; 2019)
“Diverse Collections: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of
Rights”says that “Library workers havean obligation to select,
maintain, and support access to content on subjects by diverse
authors and creators that meets—as closely as possible—the
needs, interests, and abilities of all the people the library
serves.”However, deconstructing these systems that have
encouraged whiteness in academic library collections is easier
said than done. The University of North Florida (UNF)
discovered many barriers while exploring ways to build an
inclusive collectionat the Thomas G. Carpenter Library.
Publishing
Academic libraries support the research needs and academic
programs for the institution they serve, many of which are
governed by the normalizedconcepts of whiteness (Vidal-Ortiz,
2017). On top of that, academic content is prone to include
little popular reading materials and more scholarly content.
Research and scholarly books tend to be more mysterious,
because they usually do not have a big publishing company
advertising their authorsand content as popular literature does.
Although some libraries have tried to develop auditsto gauge if
they are collecting resources that represent the perspectives of
all people in appropriate subject areas,these techniques tend to
lack development. Diversity audits have mainly been focused
on popular, children’sand young adult literature and look more
The current issue and full text archiveof this journal is available on Emerald
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9326.htm
Collection and Curation
41/3 (2022) 97–100
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326]
[DOI 10.1108/CC-05-2021-0018]
Received 31 May 2021
Revised 16 July 2021
Accepted 25 July 2021
97
To continue reading
Request your trial