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The Spectrum of the Future Conference held this week in Louisville Kentucky was sponsored by the Kentucky Library Association, the Kentucky School Media Association, the Southeastern Library Association as well as the ARL National Diversity in Libraries Conference. This combination resulted in a beautiful blend of cultures not seen at any other Southeastern Library conference. Of course this was also the first one that featured my middle name on display WANDA KAY; a very southern tradition. I had breakfast with Debbie Noland and several conversations with fellow ZSR staffer Rachel Khune, now Stinehelfer(?) who recently joined the UNC-G crew as HR librarian. The prevailing conference theme focused on strategies for achieving diversity while avoiding diversity related recruitment stumbling blocks and pitfalls. Sessions were either singing the praises for how well we did it or showcased the pathways to failure.

My opening session featured the University of North Carolina at Wilmington sharing how they forged the path to “Shaping Institutional Change: an Assessment of Diversity Programming at a Comprehensive University Library.” While I appreciated their efforts, I really didn’t quite get their approach. The institution began by incorporating diversity statements within their strategic plan. Perhaps it was the Library’s strategic initiative that seemed a little off key. They began by asking staff to voluntarily participate in a testing instrument entitled a Diversity Awareness Profile. Of the 44 member UNCW library staff only 32 agreed to take the test. To me having a fourth of your staff opt not to participate, showed a lack of commitment. That coupled with the fact that after implementing programs designed to increase awareness, another fourth of the staff choose not to take the post test. I’m not exactly sure how to read this either. The programs they offered as awareness initiatives are activities we incorporate as a part of our daily operations. There list of activities included pot lunch lunches, programs featuring minority keynoters, technology training sessions, National Library Workers Day lunch, and taking staff photos. UNCW has twice the student population we have here at Wake; 11,793 with only 44 full time staff of which 21 are librarians.

UNC-G librarians were eager to share their news concerning their inaugural resident minority librarian. Their presentation on the “Role of Library Education in Increasing Diversity” featured Dean Bazirjian revealing details surrounding their first diversity resident and LIS professor Dr. Chow discussing demographic numbers for the school. Each emphasized the need to increase minority enrollment within the LIS school at the same rate as the rest of the school which now boast a 25% minority population. They may have come close to falling into one of the mentioned pitfalls. Their presentation included a picture of their resident and spoke of how proud they were of him. Probably pretty close to tokenism. This was followed by displaying yet another picture of there only other African American Librarian in his new role as Diversity Coordinator. If the slide presentation featured pictures of all the staff and the campus etc. then showcasing their photos would in my opinion have been more acceptable. Diversity discussions seem so complicated at times. I guess it’s hard to know what’s right and wrong, a thin line to walk at times, however diversity related initiatives are a necessary pain and UNC-G‘s efforts are to be commended.

“Invited But Not Included” focused on yet another dilemma experienced by some minority librarians. Yes we have our one but don’t let him/her speak or think out loud. So the young energetic librarian is crushed when his/her ideas are laughed at, ignored and not welcomed at the table. Presenter Tracie Hall asked that we not mention the names of those librarians who shared their sad stories of events that occurred while working the Reference desk, while serving on committees and while functioning as the solo minority librarian. Patrons would actually go around minority librarians to a student assistant or simply ask to speak with the librarian on duty. Others shared the heart-break of not having their ideas listened to or being asked to serve on every search committee so the library would look inclusive. Some were asked to serve too much on every diversity related initiative on their campuses. Libraries are in some cases only concerned about the appearance of having some semblance of representation within their staff, not real inclusion at the table.

I could hardly wait to attend the session OCLC sponsored on “Fostering Inclusion: Best Practices and Lessons Learned at OCLC.” Personally I have never seen any evidence that OCLC valued inclusion or diversity. I can’t recall ever seeing persons of color featured within the brochures they’ve produced, featured as keynoters for any major presentation given at ALA or even working their exhibit booths. So I was eager to see where this inclusion was occurring. Nance-Spayde, OCLC Vice President for Corporate Human Resources began the session quoting a line from Dr. Martin Luther King; I look confidently to the day when all who work for a living will be one, with no thought to their separateness. OCLC has a 15% minority population of workers. They have a President’s Inclusion Council tasked with identifying cases of discrimination, promoting innovation, improving awareness and cultural competence, serving as the eyes and ears of the President and recommending and implementing groups, programs and policies. I couldn’t resist it any longer, I had to ask what percentage of the 15% held positions in upper management and her answer was just as I expected zero! She was however quick to say OCLC recognizes this as a major problem and is working on it. Among OCLC best practices are an inclusion incentive. If you attend awareness programs you can earn a 10 to 15% bonus. If you refer a minority as an applicant that makes the interviewed pool, that’s good for $1,000 and if that person ends up getting hired that’s good for another $1,000. Can you believe she turned to the audience and asked if we had similar programs at our libraries. When you see me you can tell me how many hands went up from the audience.

“Early Recruiting: the University Library Diversity Fellowship for Undergraduate Students.” Indiana University, Purdue University uses a fellowship program to add color to their library student workforce and to familiarize them with a variety of librarianship career paths. A service oriented project is also included which generally results in creating a more welcoming environment within the library. I think we could adopt a similar program here for our students.

Though the program listed her as being from Mercer University, Macon Georgia the name sounded too familiar. Had she taken another job in yet another state. I was relieved to find it a mere typographical error, for Iyanna Sims rightful employer remains A& T State University. Iyanna teamed up with Shaundra Walker correctly affiliated with Mercer University to discuss “Perceptions of African American Undergraduates Toward Academic Librarianship as a Career Choice.” Surveys were distributed to students enrolled in two library instruction classes offered at A&T. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the students’ knowledge of the field as a potential career. Interestingly enough when asked to rank the top ten careers, librarianship came in last with doctor, lawyer, teacher taking the top three spots, Though librarianship came last, it barely surpassed social worker and business manager who A&T stats show are popular fields of study for African American students. Attendees encouraged the presenters to expand this study and if nothing else it will plant the seed.

This was overall a great conference. I was a little unprepared for I should have brought along copies of our Systems Librarian posting. I am learning as I go. And the idea of joint partnerships with Library schools, high schools and undergraduate students are all appealing to me. If this topic interest you also, let’s talk.

Wanda