Increasingly, libraries are struggling to deal with a growing diversity in the cultural background of their patrons. Problems arising from this cultural diversity afflict all library types--school, public and academic. Library Services for Multicultural Patrons is by and for all libraries that are striving to provide multicultural services to match the growing diversity in the cultural background of patrons. The book is designed to offer helpful tips and practical advice to academic, public, and school librarians who want to better serve the multicultural groups in their communities. The contributors to the book are themselves practicing librarians and they share creative ideas for welcoming multicultural patrons into libraries and strategies for serving them more effectively. Librarians will find in these chapters tried and true tips and techniques for marketing and promotion, improving reference services for speakers of English as a second language, and enhancing programming that they can easily implement in their own libraries and communities. The chapters are divided into the following categories for ease of access: 1) Getting Organized and Finding Partners, 2) Reaching Students, 3) Community Connections, 4) Applying Technology, 6) Outreach Initiatives, 6) Programming and Events, and 7) Reference Services. Librarians of all types will be pleased to discover easy-to-implement suggestions for collaborative efforts, many rich and diverse programming ideas, strategies for improving reference services and library instruction to speakers of English as a second language, marketing and promotional tips designed to welcome multicultural patrons into the library, and much more.

This important book defines what is meant by diversity; clarifies why it is important to address issues of diversity in a professional, interpersonal, and societal context; and identifies goals related to diversity and how to go about achieving these goals.

The United States is increasingly faced with the challenge of absorbing new immigrant groups and creating a tolerance for a plurality of cultures. This work argues that, as plurality grows, libraries need to be truly representative of the pluralistic popul

Discover ways to raise staff awareness regarding diversity! Managing Multiculturalism and Diversity In the Library: Principals and Issues for Administrators is an academic guide to diversity issues such as affirmative action, career development of minorities in the library science profession, racism, and scholarship solutions to increase the diversity of people in the library and information science profession. From this manual, you will gain a deeper understanding of diversity and its implementation in your library. Scholarly and poignant, this book is recommended to academics, administrators, library professionals, and students who want to improve the diversity of libraries and the profession of library information science. In Managing Multiculturalism and Diversity In the Library, you will explore the continued need to keep diversity growing in our libraries as a learning tool to boost the creativity and broaden the knowledge base of libraries as a whole. This informative guide provides you with studies on the diversification efforts of Australia, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom, showing you how each nation differently defines diversity, yet values diversity with an agenda that accepts and encourages cultural differences. You will find suggestions on how to bring in the talents of traditionally excluded groups into your library and examine affirmative action and its dismantling from different angles. Managing Multiculturalism and Diversity In the Library illustrates the importance of cultural diversity in contrast to a melting pot that does not allow for distinct flavors. Some pertinent areas of diversity that you will read about are: raising staff awareness of diversity through training seminars a diversity program focused closely on your library’s missions and strategic plans integrating diversity into every aspect of the library activities looking to colleges and universities as the leaders of cross-cultural understanding American Library Association and the diversity agenda Managing Multiculturalism and Diversity In the Library is an enlightening and helpful resource to foster multicultural understanding and to plan a diversity agenda that is right for your library organization. From this book, you will find many interesting and informative methods on creating a culturally pluralistic library.

This important book is one of the first in the field to explore the myriad issues surrounding racial and ethnic diversity in academic libraries. It triggers thought, discussion, and understanding to guide readers as they take action to resolve diversity issues in their own institutions. After an overview of the state of diversity in academic libraries, the book addresses training, mentoring, and supervision; building diversity collections; access to diversity materials; electronic and print reference sources for multicultural subjects; and work with racially and ethnically diverse student populations. Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Academic Libraries will increase readers’awareness of the these and other issues and help them respond to the challenges of diversity. Authors, writing from a variety of perspectives, define and elaborate on the concepts of “diversity” and “multiculturalism” and discuss how libraries and librarians are dealing with questions surrounding these concepts. Full of insight and helpful suggestions, chapters examine: the effects of affirmative action and the future for librarians of color how best to incorporate multicultural issues into library education and bibliographic instruction programs methods for developing multicultural collections the validity of Library of Congress subject headings for cataloging diversity materials racism within the library profession Academic librarians and library professionals, academic faculty, and graduate students in the field of library and information science will find Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Academic Libraries an enlightening and informative guide. While specifically targeting academic libraries, the book is also helpful in other types of libraries, including public and school libraries.

Managing Cultural Change in Public Libraries argues that changes to library Strategies and Systems can lead to transformations in library Structures that can, in turn, shape and determine Organisational Culture. Drawing on Management theories, as well as the ideas of Marx and Maslow, the authors present an ambitious Analytical Framework that can be used to better understand, support and enable cultural change in public libraries. The volume argues for radical – but sustainable – transformations in public libraries that require significant changes to Strategies, Structures, Systems and, most importantly, Organisational Culture. These changes will enable Traditional Libraries to reach out beyond their current active patrons to engage with new customer groups and will also enable Traditional Libraries to evolve into Community-Led Libraries, and Community-Led Libraries to become Needs-Based Libraries. Public libraries must be meaningful and relevant to the communities they serve. For this to happen, the authors argue, all sections of the local community must be actively involved in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of library services. This book demonstrates how to make these changes happen, acting as a blueprint and road map for organisational change and putting ideas into action through a series of case studies. Managing Cultural Change in Public Libraries will be of particular interest to academics and advanced students engaged in the study of library and information science. It should also be essential reading for practitioners and policymakers and all those who believe that communities should be involved and engaged in the planning, design, delivery, and evaluation of library services.

Addresses some of the latest developments in the marketing and management of libraries worldwide, recognizing the challenges to meet local needs in a global, information society. Describes successful programs designed to promote libraries within a community, nation, or academic community.

This book explores everyday lived experiences of multiculturalism in the contemporary world. Drawing on place-based case studies, contributions focus on encounters and interactions across cultural difference in super-diverse cities to explore what it means to inhabit multiculturalism in our everyday lives.

A qualitative and quantitative assessment and research study of the paths and experiences of librarians whose duties include serving diverse cultures. Through surveys, interviews, and evaluation of documents, the author explores issues and challenges raised by the results of the research study. Mestre provides recommendations for improvements to curricula and training at Library Schools, for libraries seeking someone to fill positions such as diversity librarian positions, for follow-up training and support after librarians are hired and for how to strengthen diversity efforts. Also included are two chapters that provide guidance for getting started as a liaison for diversity and cross-cultural efforts in academic libraries. This book is the first such research study in academic librarianship.