Envisioning reciprocal and sustainable HBCU-LIS pipeline partnerships. What HBCU librarians have to say
| Date | 10 April 2020 |
| Pages | 155-174 |
| Published date | 10 April 2020 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-05-2019-0038 |
| Author | Ana V. Ndumu,Tina Rollins |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,Library & information services |
Envisioning reciprocal and
sustainable HBCU-LIS
pipeline partnerships
What HBCU librarians have to say
Ana V. Ndumu
College of Information Studies, University of Maryland,
College Park, Maryland, USA, and
Tina Rollins
William R. and Norma B. Harvey Library, Hampton University,
Hampton, Virginia, USA
Abstract
Purpose –After the closing of four of the five historically Black college and university (HBCU)–based
library and information science (LIS) graduate programs (leaving only that of North Carolina Central
University), there is a need to revitalize HBCU-LISdegree program pathways to increase racial diversity in
LIS education.
Design/methodology/approach –This mixed-methods study entails survey and interview research
with HBCU librarians. The researchers explored participants’professional experiences and perspectives on
creatingpartnerships between HBCU institutions and LIS graduate programs.
Findings –Participants demonstrated substantial experience, expressed high levels of job satisfaction,
viewed pipeline programs favorably and believed that LIS can be strengthened through the inclusion of
HBCU educationalpractices and students.
Practical implications –This study provides recommendations and a model for forging culturally
competentand reciprocal HBCU–LIS degree program partnerships.
Social implications –Community-led knowledgeof HBCUs can disrupt rescue and deficiency narratives
of these institutions.Such prejudices are detrimental to HBCU-LIS degree programpartnerships.
Originality/value –Past HBCU-LISdegree program pipeline partnerships did not culminate in researchor
published best practices. This paper presents literature-derived and community-sourced guidelines along
with a modelfor future initiatives.
Keywords Diversity, Inclusion, Pedagogy, Library and information science,
Historically Black colleges and universities, Pipeline programs
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Educational pipelines, which have become popular in the post-affirmative action higher
education landscape, are designed to steer underrepresented students into undergraduate
and graduate programs (Gasmanand Nguyen, 2014). The pipeline model is often touted as a
possible remedy to the lack of racial diversity in library and information science (LIS).
The lead author wishes to thank the Council on Library and Information Resources for the Digital
Library Federation Futures Fellowship that made this research possible.
HBCU-LIS
pipeline
partnerships
155
Received4 May 2019
Revised12 December 2019
16February 2020
21February 2020
Accepted21 February 2020
Informationand Learning
Sciences
Vol.121 No. 3/4, 2020
pp. 155-174
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2398-5348
DOI 10.1108/ILS-05-2019-0038
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2398-5348.htm
Interest in these types of collaborations continues to grow among LIS stakeholders, with
some stating that the absence of students of color is because of a pipeline problem (Bourg,
2014). Indeed, there have been a number of collaborations between historically Black
colleges and universities (HBCUs)[1] and LIS graduate programs. As it stands, however,
there are no published guidelines on HBCU-LIS degree program partnerships. We address
this knowledge gapin this research study.[AQ2]
The HBCU-LIS link is hardly novel. For nearly 100 years, HBCUs have been
instrumental in educating Black librarians. The Black librarian community, though
only 8.1 per cent of the library profession, would be substantially smaller were it not
for the contributions of five HBCU library schools at Hampton University (1925-1954),
Alabama A&M University (1969-1982), the University of the District of Co lumbia
(1969-1979)[2], Clark Atlanta University (1939-2005) and North Carolina Central
University (2019) or NCCU (est. 1941). These programs provided pathways to
librarianship long before the American Library Association (ALA), and mainstream
LIS graduate degree programs included people of color. Only one HBCU-based LIS
program at NCCU remains –the significance of which should not be overlooked.
NCCU’s School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) continues to “promote
access to information for all of humanity”and recruit “underrepresented populations
and non-traditional students”(NCCU SLIS, 2019). This is not to suggest that this
program must bear the responsibility of meeting the needs of LIS students of color;
rather, this incredible opportunity should be shared. Data collected by the
Association for LIS Education substantiates that, some 75years after the founding of
NCCU’s library school, there remain 16 programs in North America that lack students
of color[3]. Stated differently, in an era of online LIS education, one-third of LIS
schools lack racial diversity.
The LIS workforce could be vibrant and racially diverse if all LIS programs were
energized in creating mechanisms for not only recruitment but also inclusion. Pipeline
programs are but one method of increasing diversity. Indeed, there have been several
successful pipeline programs through large LIS organizations. The HBCU Library Alliance
has offered mentorship and internships for undergraduate students. Also, since 1998, the
Spectrum Scholarship program has granted 1,063 master’s degree scholarships and 18
doctoral fellowships to LIS students of color.Similarly, the iSchool Inclusion Institute, or i3
Scholars program, has prepared undergraduate students from underrepresented
populations for graduate study and careers in the informationsciences. Care must be taken
to create reciprocaland responsive partnerships at the programmatic level.
Exploration and dialogue are vital first steps in nurturing long-term HBCU-LIS degree
program partnerships. This is especially the case as it relates to meeting theneeds of those
matriculating fromHBCU campuses where community and cultural identity are emphasized
(Arroyo and Gasman, 2014;Douglas, 2012; Ndumu, 2019). In light of the largely online,
solitary nature of current LIS education, these and other nuances are important
considerationswhen exploring HBCU-LIS degree program partnerships.
We aim to model the practice of exploration anddialogue by gleaning from those on the
frontline of HBCUs and LIS: HBCU librarians.Who better than HBCU librarians to provide
insight on the way forward? Our purposeis to explore promising theoretical approachesand
assemble community-sourcedrecommendations for HBCU-LIS graduate degree pipelinesor
pathways. We are interested in mechanisms for forging inter-institutional conversations
that could lead to the inclusion and empowerment of HBCU students in all aspects of the
library and informationscience field, beginning with graduate programs.
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