Experience Success

摘要

As higher education grows increasingly more aware of the need to diversify its workforce, academic libraries are developing new strategies to lower barriers in hiring and retain librarians from a wide range of backgrounds. A recent membership survey of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) revealed that 83 percent of respondents identified as Caucasian. In response, the organization is developing the ACRL Diversity Alliance, an initiative uniting academic libraries that share "a commitment to increase the hiring pipeline of qualified, talented individuals from under-represented racial and ethnic groups." Participating institutions commit to creating one or more diverse residency positions within the library, as well as to agree to serve as a resource to other participating institutions, offer professional development support, and provide a salary commensurate with that of equivalent entry-level professionals. The alliance also enables a cohort network that helps residents share ideas, resources, and experiences.