Colour blind: Investigating the racial bias of virtual reference services in English academic libraries

Hamer, Sally

doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102416

Cited by 11 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…This method is particularly important when attitude and behavior variability are measured on sensitive variables, such as race or ethnicity, because service providers may monitor their discriminatory behavior more closely if they believe the study is related to gender, race, or ethnicity (Bushman and Bonacci, 2004). Thus, the use of names perceived to be of a particular race or ethnicity is a common method to examine possible bias (Bertrand and Duflo, 2017) and specifically in virtual reference services by librarians (Hamer, 2021;Shachaf et al, 2008). The names used were Emily Baker (White female), Latoya Jones (Black female), Todd Kelly (White male) and Tyrone Jackson (Black male).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Why do our findings differ from prior research? Of the other studies that examined email reference service equality, only one took place in American academic libraries (Shachaf and Horowitz, 2006), while the others were in American public services (Giulietti et al, 2019) or English academic libraries (Hamer, 2021). It is possible there are differences between American and English academic library services, as well as American public and academic services.…”

Section: Variations By Racementioning

confidence: 99%

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Gender and racial bias in email reference services

Vladoiu,

Fichman,

Liu

2023

RSR

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PurposeThis article examines if there is evidence of racial or gender bias in email reference services in American public and academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two-by-two study design and an unobtrusive data collection, the authors conducted two studies in which the authors sent 1,960 email requests to 505 academic and public libraries. Requests in both studies differed in the perceived identity of the user as indicated by their name, and the counterbalanced method was utilized to control for intervening variables. Based on content analysis of the responses, the authors examined the statistical significance of the differences by race, gender and race by gender.FindingsOverall, the authors found equitable service to users regardless of their race and gender; at times, however, there was evidence of favorable service to the White female in academic and public libraries and to the Black male in academic libraries.Originality/valueThere is little research into potential bias in email reference services in both academic and public libraries in the United States of America. Yet, following the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020, there has been an increased focus on racial equality in library services and the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics was modified accordingly. The authors' study makes significant contributions to the increasing body of research on racial and gender equality in online library services.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Variations By Racementioning

confidence: 99%

Gender and racial bias in email reference services

Vladoiu,

Fichman,

Liu

2023

RSR

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“…This method is particularly important when attitude and behavior variability are measured on sensitive variables, such as ethnicity, because service providers may monitor their discriminatory behavior more closely if they believe the study is related to gender, race, or ethnicity (Bushman & Bonacci, 2004). Thus, the use of names perceived to be of a particular ethnicity is a common method to examine possible bias (Bertrand & Mullainathan, 2004) and specifically in virtual reference services by librarians (Hamer, 2021; Shachaf et al, 2008). The names used were Emily Baker (female Caucasian), Latoya Jones (female African American), Todd Kelly (male Caucasian), and Tyrone Jackson (male African American).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Results from prior research on online discrimination in library services in the USA are mixed (Shachaf & Horowitz, 2006; Shachaf et al, 2008), and there is a lack of empirical research for over a decade. However, not only has recent evidence of bias in library reference practices in the UK been documented (Hamer, 2021), evidence of bias in American public services, including public libraries, toward African Americans was documented (Giulietti et al, 2019). It has also been documented that gender impacts online services, where female are more likely to be discriminated against (Schiffrin et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Virtual Reference Services Color and Gender Blind? Service Equality Revisited

Vladoiu

Fichman

2022

Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Tech

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Following the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020, there has been an increased focus on racial equality in library services, including recent modifications of the ALA Code of Ethics. Online library services may eliminate race‐based service discrimination by obscuring the racial identity of the patron. However, racial assumptions based on patrons' names can lead to online discrimination. While prior research shows mixed results, we examine if there is evidence of racial bias in virtual reference in American academic libraries. Initial findings based on content analysis of 946 responses from 255 libraries suggest that Tyrone Jackson received better service than others did.

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“…Additionally, a user-experience focused analysis would benefit from an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion lenses. Hamer's (2021) study on racial bias in virtual reference services highlights the difference in service level for individuals with racially diverse names. With the results of our study supporting the strong usage of this service internationally, an understanding and assessment of how our operators are currently serving these students would be beneficial.…”

Section: Next Stepsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning from a Distance

Mondésir

Schoner-Saunders

2023

ACMLA Bulletin

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With the onslaught of the global COVID19 pandemic, universities were forced to quickly pivot to exclusively remote and virtual service options. To further complicate the situation, many international student populations at these institutions were forced to study remotely in their home countries due to the pandemic and visa restrictions. In Canada and Ontario, International students make up a major revenue source for post-secondary institutions, making the need to find viable solutions to continue to serve these populations essential to their financial stability.The Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) runs a shared virtual reference service called Ask a Librarian (Ask). This paper assessed the global pandemic's impact through a comparative study of the service before, during, and after the pandemic's height. Using IP addresses, this study evaluated the impact of geographical location on the user’s access to virtual library resources, as well as identified any barriers, shifts, or trends in the service. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of education and remote learning indefinitely. The hope of this study is to assess the overall success and pitfalls of our current virtual reference services and suggest future improvement areas.

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Colour blind: Investigating the racial bias of virtual reference services in English academic libraries

Cited by 11 publications

References 52 publications

Gender and racial bias in email reference services

Gender and racial bias in email reference services

Are Virtual Reference Services Color and Gender Blind? Service Equality Revisited

Learning from a Distance

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