Inclusive Hiring Should Be Standard in My Library: So Why Isn’t It and What Can We Do About It?

Abstract

Inclusive hiring practices should be standard in academic libraries. Some libraries do it incredibly well, and others—not so much. Currently, Kennesaw State University (KSU) Library System falls closer to the “not so much” category. Some years ago, the KSU Library System had system-wide guidance, support, and documentation for search procedures, but in recent years, hiring practices became siloed into departments and units. Of late, there was very little cross-departmental or cross-unit discussion about how each search chair ran their committees, which led to vastly different candidate experiences throughout the search process. To reunite and standardize our search practices, we developed the KSU Libraries Recruitment and Retention Task Force. The purpose of this task force is to develop a candidate-focused approach to talent recruitment and establish employee-focused, consistent onboarding practices through efforts that demonstrate empathy throughout the application, hiring, and orientation processes.