ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

INTERNER RESOURCES: Diversity Web sources in higher education

Mae N. Schreiber is associate professor of bibliography at the University of Akron and the chair of the ACRL Racial & Ethnic Diversity Committee (1998-2000), e-maii.mae1@uakron.edu; Donald R. Juedes is resource services librarian for Art History, Classics, and Philosophy at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library, e-mail: djuedes@milton.mse.jhu.edu; Elaina Norlin is assistant librarian at the University of Arizona, e-mail: enorlin@bird.library.arizona.edu; Gloria Rhodes is the multicultural outreach librarian at California State University, San Marcos, e-mail: grhodes@coyote.csusm.edu; Ethelene Whitmire is a fellow at the University of Wisconsin at Madison SLIS, email: ewhitmire@facstaff.wisc.edu

Looking at our rich cultural heritage

This article identifies Web sources that include institutional vision on diversity issues, recruitment of minority faculty, library organizations working to achieve diversity, and related issues. These Web sources are starting points for exploring diversity in higher education and looking at the rich cultural heritage of various groups. Its intended audience is faculty, librarians, students, and anyone interested in these issues. The criteria for Web inclusion are that sources be substantive and organized.

Background

Minority librarians and faculty at colleges and universities have tried to increase their numbers to reflect the diversity found in the American society.

Some barriers to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups are nonsupportive work environments, high service expectations, and publications. According to one study, “. . . with the exception of the Asian American faculty only minor progress has been made with respect to representation of minorities between 1972 and 1989” in higher education.¹

Currently the faculty breakdown from the Chronicle of Higher Education by race and ethnicity is: 91.7% White/Caucasian, 2.6% African American, 2% American Indian, 3.3% Asian American/Asian, 1% Mexican American/Chicano, 1.3% other Latino, 0.4% Puerto Rican American, and 2% other.² The numbers for minority librarians are a little more encouraging from the ALA. The breakdown of academic librarians is: 86.78% White, 5.87% African Americans, .57% American Indian/ Alaskan Native, 1.8% Hispanic, and 4.98% Asian Americans.³ Furthermore, only 9.9% of library school graduates are minorities.

How can institutions be more inclusive to reflect the changing demographics of the new millennium instead of being stuck in the 1970s as our population is now about 26% minority?

Affirmative action/race relations

These sites on affirmative action and race relations express diverse and sometimes contrasting views so we can begin the dialogue of race, affirmative action, and the underrepresentation of minorities. The Web site Whitehouse.gov is informative in its coverage of racial issues, but the site changes frequently and therefore is excluded.

• Affirmative Action and Civil Rights (University of Colorado). This site has links to affirmative action and civil rights sites, including federal court cases, a resource list, and an affirmative action review report of the President of the United States and Proposition 209. Access: http://www-libraries. Colorado. edu/ps/gov/us/affact. htm.

• The Affirmative Action and Diversity Project: A Web Page for Research. Many views on affirmative action are expressed on this site, including the changing definition of discrimination and the economics of affirmative action. This site is an academic resource and it provides scholars, students, and the interested public with j onsite articles and theoretical analyses, policy documents, current legislative updates, and an annotated bibliography of research and teaching materials. Access: http:// aad.english.ucsb.edu/.

• Race Relations Institute (Fisk University). Charles S. Johnson, founder of Fisk University Race Relations Institute, started a world dialogue on race in the 1940s. This Web site includes a race relations directory, mission, history, staff, and links to other sites on race relations. Access: http://www.fiskrri.org/.

Library or institution-related

The vision of institutions incorporating diversity issues is important in addressing the underrepresentation of minority faculty. In identifying the underrepresentation, work can begin on the solution. These sites include the vision of various institutions on diversity issues, recruitment, retention and leadership for minority librarians, library organizations working on diversity issues, and research findings for libraries and library schools to incorporate.

• AACU UM Diversityweb. This diversity Web page was developed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the University of Maryland in cooperation with Diversity Connections. It has links to colleges and universities working to integrate diversity into U.S. society. It includes the institutional vision, leadership, and systemic change, recruitment, retention, affirmative action, curriculum transformation, faculty-staff involvement, student experience and development, diversity research, evaluation, and impact. Access: http://www.inform.umd. edu/DiversityWeb/.

• American Association of University Professors. This site has links to diversity and affirmative action issues in higher education including “The Educational Value of Diversity,” “Bakke: Still Breathing, but Barely," and “Hopwood and Beyond.” Access: http:// www.aaup.org/aacntnts.htm.

• American Library Association Diversity Officer. This Web site provides information on the Diversity Officer of the ALA, including consulting, training, and facilitating diversity issues that affect the profession, workplace, and service. Access: http:// www. ala. org/diversity/index. html.

• Association of Research Libraries (ARL). ARL’s Diversity Program works with the library community to promote diverse participation in the field through recruitment, retention, and inclusive workplace efforts. Its publications share the findings from programs that identify strategies that can be adapted by libraries and library schools. This site includes Career Resources at http:// db.arl.org/careers/ index.html. It has information about job opportunities in librarianship and the leadership and career development program. Access: http://www.arl.org/diversity/index.html.

• Diversity Database. The University of Maryland’s Diversity Database is an index of multicultural, multiracial, and multigenerational diversity resources, including institutional diversity initiatives, definitions, directories, and diversity-related syllabi at colleges and universities. Access: http://www. inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/Diversity/.

• Diversity in Libraries ARL Consulting and Training Services. This site addresses diversity issues in research libraries and lists seminars, such as cross-cultural communication skills, developing a library diversity program, and recruiting, retaining, and attracting underrepresented populations to research libraries. Access: http://arl.org/diversity/ seminar.html.

• Diversity Resources Online. This is a service of the National Association for Diversity Management, the resource center for information on diversity in education, human resources, the public sector, and the society at large. It provides opportunities for professional networking, research, and global dialogue. It also includes the online journal International Journal of Diversity & Synergy. Access: http://www.nadm.org/index. htm.

• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. This unit of the ALA includes on its Web site programs at the ALA Annual Conference, a newsletter, gay-, lesbian-, and bisexual-related bibliographies, and its policies. Access.- http:// calvin.usc.edu/~trimmer/ala_hp.html.

• Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS). OLOS serves the ALA by supporting and promoting literacy and equity of information access initiatives for traditionally underserved populations. Access: http://www.ala.org/olos/.

• Office of Minorities in Higher Education (OMHE). OMHE began in 1987 to respond to the declining rates of minority participation in higher education. The Web site contains a mission statement, member directory, news releases, and the report “Does Diversity Make a Difference? Three Research Studies on Diversity in College Classrooms.” OMHE also publishes the Status Report of Minorities in Higher Education. Access: http:// www.ACENET.edu/About/programs/ Access&Equity/OMHE/home.html.

• The Ohio State University Diversity Web site. This site includes links to teaching diversity, a bibliography, tips on mentoring programs, Asian American, African American, Hispanic/Latin, and Native American sites, and sexual orientation. Access: http:// www.cob.ohio-state.edu/ -diversity/.

• Spectrum Initiative. The goal of the Spectrum Initiative is to recruit, support, and educate 50 Spectrum scholars per year and to institutionalize the Spectrum Scholarship within the ALA. Its site includes its mission, Spectrum scholarship recipients, scholarship requirements, and ways to get involved. Access: http://www.ala.org/spectrum/index. html.

Multicultural and diversity studies

These sites inform us about the different racial/ethnic groups, their cultural heritage, history, demographics, and their organizations.

• American Studies Web. This interdisciplinary information server for American Studies has a subject category, “race and ethnicity,” and links to sites including General Resources, African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies, Latino and Chicano Studies, other ethnic groups, gay and lesbian, and bisexual sources. Access: http://www.georgetown.edu/ crossroads/asw/.

• Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. Balch collects and interprets materials reflecting our nation’s multicultural heritage, including events, exhibits, fellowships, and programs. It includes unique material, such as ethnic images through comics. Access: http:// www.libertynet.org/balch/.

• Bucknell Russian Studies Web site. Ostensibly a Web site for the academic program at Bucknell University, this resource goes far beyond its role as a university page. It includes extensive information about Russian language, culture, geography, politics, history, music, current events, and much more. There is a series of Java grammar exercises that would be useful to a beginning student of the Russian language. Overall this resource is extremely useful for academic libraries serving a Russian studies program. Access: http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/ russian/.

• Census Bureau Minority Links. This census site includes links to the latest trends and data on the following groups: African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian. Access: http:// www. census .gov/pubinfo/www/hotlinks. html.

• Center for Multilingual Multicultural Research (University of Southern California). This center facilitates the research collaboration, dissemination, and professional activities of faculty, students, and others. The site includes the USC Latino and Language Minority Teacher Projects, the Ford. Foundation Minority Teacher Education Program, and the Recruiting New Teachers, Inc. and provides links to African American, Asian American, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American resources. Access: http:// www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/ cmmrhomepage.html.

• Electronic Resources on Diversity (Santa Clara University). Electronic Resources on Diversity has links with information on African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Middle Eastern Americans. Access: http://www.scu.edu/SCU/Programs/Diversity/esources. html.

• Multicultural Pavilion. The mission of this site is to provide resources for educators to explore multicultural education, to facilitate opportunities for educators to work towards self-awareness and development, and to provide forums for educators to interact and collaborate toward a critical transformative approach to multicultural education. Access: http://curry.edschool.Virginia.EDU/ go/multicultural/home.html.

• Multicultural Publishing and Educational Catalog. Multicultural Publishing and Education Catalog provides networking and support for educators, librarians, and independent publishers who are interested in multicultural print and electronic resources. This Web site contains a news update, multicultural book distributors list, multicultural publishers and educational networks, and information about its annual conference. Access: http://www.mpec.org/.

Racial/ethnic

African Americans and related Web sitesThis section provides information on African American and related culture, organizations, and resources.⁴

• AFAS: African American Studies Librarians Section. The purpose of AFAS is to study librarianship and collection development as it progresses and relates to the African American Studies collection. It includes the executive officers, the AFAS newsletter, and conferences and programs. Access: http://www.ala.org/acrl/afas/index. html.

• Art & Life in Africa Project. This Web site, sponsored by the University of Iowa, is a treasure trove of information and graphics about African art and culture. The image databases are extraordinary, as are the Peoples Resources and the Countries Resources sections, which give extensive information about the various tribes and nations of Africa. The information is also available on CD-ROM for institutions with limited access. Access: http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/index. html.

• Black Caucus of the American Library Association. The Black Caucus of the ALA promotes the development of library and information services for African Americans and other people of African descent. The site includes its activities, publications, and scholarships. Access: http://www.bcala.org/.

• Universal Black Pages. The purpose of this site is to have a comprehensive listing of African diaspora-related Web sites. Access: http://www.ubp.com/.

Asian Americans

• Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA). The goal of this organization is to address the needs of Asian/ Pacific American Librarians and those who serve the Asian/Pacific communities. Its site includes history and purpose, membership, communications, publications, and APALA Online News. Access: http://www.uic.edu:80/ depts/lib/projects/resources/apala/.

• Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA). The CALA was formed in 1983 and has members in the U.S., Canada, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. This site include links to CALA E-Journal, CALA mail list, and Chinese-related Web sites. Access: http://www.calaweb.org/.

• UCLA Asian American Studies Center. The purpose of the center is to enrich the experience of the university and contribute to understanding the neglected history, rich cultural heritage, and present position of Asian Americans in society.

It includes accomplishments of Asian American Studies, AASC mailing list registration, UCLA’s Amerasia Journal, scholarships, graduate studies, and publications. Access: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/aasc/ index.html.

Hispanic

• Hispanic Reading Room. The Hispanic Reading Room of the Library of Congress serves as the access point for research relating to the geographical areas of the Caribbean, Latin America, and Iberia, and has a link to the Handbook of Latin American Studies—a comprehensive research site. Access: http ://lcweb. loc. gov/rr/hispanic.

• Internet Resources for Latin America. Molly Molloy of New Mexico State University Library annotates Latin American resources with brief descriptions of the content and quality of the sites. Access: http:// lib. nmsu.edu/subject/bord/laguia.

• Latin American Network Information Center. This University of Texas site provides numerous links to Latin American countries, education, libraries, and societies (some in Spanish). Access: http://www.lanic.utexas. edu.

• REFORMA. This U.S. association promotes library services to the Spanish-speaking, including information on membership, directory listing of members, chapters, general news, and scholarships. Access: http:// clnet.ucr.edu/library/reforma/.

Native Americans

• American Indian Library Association (AILA). This site includes its officers, bylaws, resources for tracing native roots, and books by and about Native Americans. Access: http://www.pitt.edu/~lmitten/ aila.html.

• American Indian Studies. This site, supervised by Troy Johnson, includes artwork, photographs, and videos reflecting the history of the Native American experience including its literature, links to Native American Indian studies, and Indians of North America, Central America, and Mexico. Access: http://www.csulb.edu/~cla/ais/.

• Index of Native American Resources on the Internet. A rich, comprehensive index of resources, including culture, history, video/film, health, artists, museums, links to tribe sites, and activists sites for Native American students, educators, and scholars. These pages are edited and links are added through e-mails from all over the world. Access: http:/ /www.hanksville.org/NAresources/.

• Native American Sites. Lisa Mitten’s goal is to provide access to the homepages of individual Native Americans and Nations, and to other sites that provide solid information about American Indians. The page is organized by the following categories: Information on Individual Native Nations, Native Organizations and Urban Indian Centers,

Tribal Colleges, Native Studies Programs, and Indian Education,

Native Media (Organizations, Journals, and Newspapers), Sources for Indian Music, Native Arts Organizations and Individuals (Artists, Performers, and Celebrities). Access: http:/ / www. pitt.edu/~lmitten/indians. html.

Notes

1. Jeffrey F. Milem and Helen S. Astin. “The Changing Composition of the Faculty: What Does It Really Mean for Diversity?” Change 25, no. 2 (March-April 1993): 21-27.
2. Chronicle of Higher Education(September 3, 1999): A20.
3. See http://www.ala.org/alaorg/ors/ racethnc.html.
4. African American culture sites listed in the January 1999 C&RL News have been excluded so as not to duplicate their work. ■