ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


December 1991 / 739

Racial and ethnic diversity: Information exchange

B y  S usana H in o jo sa

Chair, ACRL Racial and Ethnic Diversity Committee

• The ACRL Racial and Ethnic Diversity 
Committee’s proposal for a program at ACRL’s 
Sixth National Conference was selected and has 
been scheduled for Monday, April 13,10:30 a.m.- 
12:30 p.m. We’re very pleased to have the program 
approved and hope that it will be very much on 
target on the issues of racism and diversity within 
the profession. The program, “Racial and Ethnic 
Diversity in Academic Libraries: The Win Win 
Proposition,” will consist of a series of tables/mini­
workshops on different topics. The topics to date 
include: cultural awareness training, affirmative 
action, institutional racism, recruitment, library 
school curriculum, and advancement and reten­
tion. Leaders at each table will present information 
and materials that have proven to be successful— 
reports, procedures, programs— and will focus the 
discussion and exchange of information. The pro­
gram planning committee is very interested in 
adding to its list of successful library programs on 
the above topics and receiving any materials that 
have been developed. Please share this information 
with us. Contact: Susana Hinojosa, Moffitt Under­
graduate Library, U.C. Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 
94720.

• The ALA Office for Research and Statistics 
(ORS) has recently published Survey o f  ALA Mem­
bers Holding Elected and/or Appointed Positions in 
1988-89, Final Report. This report is a result of the 
recommendations of the ALA Minority Concerns 
Membership Survey Advisory Group to survey 
members holding positions during the ALA pro­
gram year 1988-89 to obtain data on ALA leader­
ship, the involvement of minority librarians in ALA 
leadership, and the involvement of ALA leaders in 
ALA’s minority activities and concerns. Responsi­
bility for the survey was assigned to the Office for 
Library Outreach Services (OLOS) and the survey 
was completed by ORS upon the departure of the 
OLOS director. The Racial and Ethnic Diversity 
Committee has received copies of the survey since 
this work closely follows a similar survey conducted 
by the committee within ACRL sections and com­
mittees. A copy of the survey is available upon

request from OLOS, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chi­
cago, IL 60611.

• The Ad Hoc Committee on LAUC Regional 
Workshops on Cultural Diversity in Libraries re­
port, “The Many Voices o f Diversity,” was submit­
ted for discussion at LAUC (Librarians Association 
of the University of California) meetings at all UC 
campuses scheduled this fall. Reference copies 
have been made available at key reference sites at 
all UC libraries. The report includes a description of 
the Ad Hoc Committee’s action plan: preliminary 
survey of existing ethnic-focused collections and 
services within UC; drafting issue papers on major 
critical areas; conducting a workshop for librarians 
focusing on the issue papers and the principal 
recommendations formulated by the committee. 
These recommendations, in addition to a recom­
mendation on the establishment of a permanent 
systemwide committee to deal with issues of cul­
tural diversity within the university’s libraries, cover: 
collections; access; reference; bibliographic instruc­
tion; and recruitment, advancement, and retention. 
Requests regarding future availability of the ap­
proximately 45-page report can be sent to: Richard 
Chabran, Chicano Studies Research Library, 54 
Haines Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

• At Oakland University, the Kresge Library’s 
Committee on Racial and Cultural Diversity has 
recently formulated “The University Library Plan 
to Increase Awareness, Understanding and Accep­
tance of Racial and Cultural Diversity.” The plan 
outlines future activities such as: consultation with 
staff and officers of the Student Congress Office 
and other student organizations to identify prob­
lems faced by minority students using the library; a 
presentation by Charles Ransom, diversity librarian 
at the University of Michigan to the library staff; 
contact with other academic libraries active in 
diversity issues; staff training through workshops 
and videos; and presentation of library exhibits that 
increase cultural and racial awareness. For further 
information contact: Indra David, Associate Dean, 
Kresge Library, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 
48309-4401; bitnet: David@Oakland.Bitnet. ■  ■