Developing a Diversity-Competent Workforce: The UA Libraries’ Experience

Abstract

Developing and supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve is a central value and a customerbased business decision of the University of Arizona (UA) Libraries. In response to data collected through climate surveys, the UA Libraries' Diversity Committee has been systematically working to improve the organization's climate for diversity. One activity undertaken was the development and incorporation of diversity competencies into the Libraries' hiring and training processes. This article explores the importance of a diversity-competent workforce, shares the UA Libraries' experiences in diversity competency development, and suggests why and how other libraries can engage in a similar process.

Heroes and Holidays: The Status of Diversity Initiatives at Liberal Arts College Libraries

“…15 Janice Simmons-Welburn illuminates the role that Diversity Dialogue Groups have in fostering communication and understanding among an increasingly multicultural library workforce. 16 Additional examples for recruiting librarians of diverse backgrounds include forming connections with students currently enrolled in library science programs, 17 creating library internships for undergraduate of diverse backgrounds, 18 and developing summer programs to introduce high school students to library science.…”

Community engagement, cultural competence and two Australian public libraries and Indigenous communities

“…In culturally competent practice, approaches that interfere with the cultural norms are amended. Others (Andrade and Rivera, 2013; Jaeger et al, 2011) emphasize that acquiring cultural competence is ongoing, that ‘achieving’ it is constantly open to the demand for further learning and development. Jaeger and Franklin (2007) suggest that optimally a virtuous circle, where the outcomes of each phase influence the development of the next, develops.…”

‘Cultural Competence is for Everyone’: Cultural Competence in the United States Library and Information Sector. Is It Relevant to Australian Libraries?

“…Allard, Mehra, & Qayyum 2007;Gomez, 2000;Press & Diggs-Hobson, 2005), and the American Library Association (ALA) established initiatives to embed diversity awareness in education and policy. The 'experience' phase is marked by theoretical formation (Overall's conceptual framework, 2009), which then informed practice, curriculum reform (Andrade & Rivera, 2011;Overall & Littletree, 2010), service and organisational development (Mi, 2005;Montague, 2013;Rivera, 2013). 'Reflection' engendered research into the effectiveness of education outcomes (Kumasi & Franklin Hill, 2011;Mestre, 2010), practice (Kumasi & Franklin Hill, 2011;Mestre, 2010) and further improvements to implementation (Jaeger et al, 2011;Subramaniam et al, 2012).…”

“…The cornerstone to the literature review is Overall's cultural competence framework for LIS professionals (2009). The framework is a 'simple but excellent foundation for understanding' (Andrade & Rivera, 2011, p. 699) and has been a reference point for research (Mestre, 2010;Subramaniam et al, 2012), doctoral work (Garrison, 2013), and organisational development (Andrade & Rivera, 2011;Montague, 2013;Rivera, 2013). Engagement in the debate has come from librarians across all sectors -public (e.g., Elturk, 2000;Gomez, 2000), health (Mi, 2005;Press & Diggs-Hobson, 2005), academic including law (Kreitz, 2008;Smith, 2008 as cited in Gabriel, 2013), schools q 2015 Australian Library & Information Association *Email: fiona.blackburn@act.gov.au, bozicker@yahoo.com.au.…”