College and Research Libraries Increasing Minority Representation in Academ.ic Libraries: The Minority Librarian Intern Program at The Ohio State University Jose Diaz and Kristina Starkus In 1988, as part of The Ohio State University's campuswide affirmative action plan, the university libraries' director appointed a committee to develop an internship program for newly graduated minority librarians. A two-year pro- gram was established in 1989 to provide practical work experience in a wide variety of library settings during the first year, and the opportunity to select one area of specialization during the second year. The goal of the internship is to assist in attracting more minority librarians to academic libraries. The . internship is structured, organized, and evaluated by the Minority Librarian Intern Committee. Members represent several subject areas and diverse ethnic and professional experiences. Committee members also serve as mentors to the intern, providing support, guidance, and encouragement during the program. The internship program is one of approximately seventeen such programs in academic libraries throughout the country. Although the program is not unique, it has represented a notable attempt to increase diversity within the library system, and is part of nationwide efforts to enlist underrepresented minority librarians (i.e., African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans) to the field of academic librarianship. In this artide, the authors describe and analyze the program and offer suggestions for strategies to increase minority represen- tation in academic libraries. espite ever-increasing atten- tion to multicultural diversity, two decades of affirmative ac- tion programs have had min- imal impact on recruiting minority librarians to academic librarianship. Cliff Glaviano and R. Errol Lam cited several reasons for such a phenomenon: inadequate commitment to affirmative action programs in higher education; sparse library literature on minority re- cruitment and retention-indicating low priority interest in these topics; decreas- ing percentages of minority applicants in candidate pools; and "unequal em- ployment and promotion practices and recurrent racism and incidences of racial tension" on college campuses.1 The decreasing number of minority librarians, especially African-Americans and Hispanics, has been noted in other recent studies. Joseph A. Boisse and Con- nie V. Dowell observe that, in spite of many years of affirmative action efforts, Jose Diaz is Liz tin American/General Cataloger at 111e Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1286. Kristina Starkus is Acquisitions Librarian at Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233. 41 42 College & Research Libraries "minority librarians filled only 9.9 per- cent of all positions in the Association of Research Libraries in the United States in 1986."2 William E. Moen's and Kath- leen M. Heim's recent profile of 3,000 library school students shows that a minority composition of 6.2 percent is even less than the percentage in pre- sent academic libraries. 3•4 Ann Knight- Randall sums up the state of minority recruitment by indicating the com- position of underrepresented minority librarians in academic libraries as fol- lows: African-Americans 4.1 %, Hispan- ics 1.5 %, and Native Americans 0.2%.5 This representation of 5.8% contrasts sharply with current demographic data which indicate that these three groups comprise nearly 22% of the United States population.6 The Association of College and Re- search Libraries' Task Force on Recruit- ment of Underrepresented Minorities reported in January 1990 on efforts under way to recruit and retain minority librarians. The task force identified three causes that contributed to low recruit- ment and retention of minority academic librarians: lack of institutional commit- ment to change and accountability, per- sonal and institutional racism, and barriers to advancement and retention? The task force acknowledged that its re- port was just the initial phase in a long and difficult process and concluded with a series of recommendations presented to the Association of Col- lege and Research Libraries Board of Directors. These recommendations in- cluded strategies to increase the re- cruitment and retention of minority librarians. Chief among these sugges- tionS' is the need to establish "guide- lines for entry-level trainee internships and other academic library positions for underrepresented librarians. " 8 The need for entry-level postgraduate internships has been recognized widely by the library profession. During the past few years, internships have been a part, although a small one, of overall efforts to attract underrepresented groups to academic librarianship.9 Joyce Wright notes that these internships pro- January 1994 vide a valuable opportunity for minority graduates to obtain practical work ex- perience in academic libraries.10 This message has not gone unnoticed. Recently, the number of internships has been increasing and the goals for intern- ships have been expanding. Minority in- ternships for new graduates of library school programs now exist in at least seventeen academic libraries.11 The ma- jority of these internships are two-year commitments, with the first year offer- ing broad experience in several areas of the library and the second year focusing on one area of responsibility geared to the skills and interests of the intern.12 Some academic libraries, such as the University of California-San Diego, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and The Ohio Stat~ University, have expanded beyond postgraduate in- ternships to recruit undergraduate minority students interested in library school programs, thus adding to the number of potential minority librarians for academic positions. 13 The program provides the opportunity for a newly graduated minority librarian to gain practical, hands-on experience in an academic library and enriches the intern's prospects for permanent participation in the library profession. In an attempt to increase minority rep- resentation in the library profession, The Ohio State University Libraries has re- newed its efforts to bring recent minority library graduates into academic librari- anship. To date, its most successful en- deavor has been the creation of a two-year post master's internship in- tended for recently graduated minority librarians. The program provides the op- portunity for a newly graduated minor- ity librarian to gain practical, hands-on experience in an academic library and enriches the intern's prospects for per- manent participation in the library pro- fession. In addition, the internship is seen as an effective way to increase rep- resentation of minority librarians in the university's libraries. In the following sections, the authors will document the first two years of the university's program, beginning with the initial plan- ning stages and ending with the comple- tion of a successful two-year cycle. GETTING STARTED In order to build a strong and success- ful foundation for the program, a dy- namic hands-on committee was formed to plan and coordinate the internship. Called the Minority Librarian Intern Committee, it was initially composed of five library faculty and staff repre- senting a cross section of library depart- ments and areas, including technical services, public services, departmental (branch) libraries, and administrative services. The committee later expanded to include the university libraries' first in- tern. In addition, four of the six committee members belong to an underrepresented minority group. In coordination with department and section heads, the committee devised a two-year schedule that met the intern's desire to learn while retaining enough flexibility to accommodate sudden changes and unforeseen difficulties. Once constituted, the committee quickly defined its goals and objectives: to structure and plan a two-year intern- ship program for recently graduated minority librarians, conduct a nation- wide search, recruit the successful candi- date, coordinate all activities of the program, serve as guide and mentor for the intern, and finally, evaluate the over- all effectiveness of the program and rec- ommend changes and improvements. PROG~BACKGROUND An internship program was not new to the university libraries. One was es- tablished in 1961 as part of the libraries' commitment to assisting new librari- ans.14 Although not a minority intern- Increasing Minority Representation 43 ship, this program continued success- fully until1971, when it ended because of budgetary constraints. The committee benefited from the experience of Celi- anna Wilson, former personnel librarian; Lewis C. Branscomb, then director of university libraries and supporter of the intern concept; and Jay Ladd, assistant director, department and undergraduate libraries, who provided continuity be- tween the earlier program and the development of the current minority in- tern program. The principles of the in- tern program have endured in the current program, "to help the beginning librarian develop and contribute faster and more effectively to library service." 15 PUBUCITY AND RECRUITMENT OFTHEINTERN The committee's charge was clear: to prepare a position description that was faithful to the university libraries' goals and objectives and subsequently to reach the university libraries' target audience through announcements in li- brary and educational journals. These publications included those geared toward underrepresented minorities, such as Black Issues in Higher Education, Black Caucus Newsletter, Reforma Newslet- ter, and American Indian Libraries. In addi- tion, letters were mailed to libraries of all American Library Association-accredited programs and to libraries of over one hundred historically black colleges. Mter the application deadline, the committee began the difficult process of selecting three among the many highly qualified candidates for on-site inter- views. A comprehensive day-long inter- view was scheduled in order to assess each candidate's educational back- ground, interest in the program, com- mitment to academic librarianship, and professional goals. · Upon selection of its intern, the committee prepared a comprehensive schedule that would provide a thorough exposure and logical structure to the in- tern's library assignments. 16 In coordina- tion with department and section heads, the committee devised a two-year schedule that met the intern's desire to 44 College & Research Libraries learn while retaining enough flexibility to accommodate sudden changes and unforeseen difficulties. The schedule consisted of a first year that would give the intern a general overview of the li- brary's entire operation, and a second year in which the intern would special- ize in his or her area of interest. The role of the committee did not end upon selection of an intern. Prior to the intern's beginning work in each depart- ment, the chairperson of the committee met with department heads to establish guidelines and to request a schedule of the intern's activities. Evaluation reports from department heads were requested, and committee members used these re- ports to restructure and improve work- ing experiences. After joining the committee, the intern provided regular feedback and ideas for further refining the program. Since the internship was a new program, committee members also served as information sources for other library employees, explaining the pro- gram and addressing questions and con- cerns. In addition, committee members served as guides and informal mentors for the intern; the chairperson of the committee served as the intern's pri- mary mentor. FIRST YEAR During the first year the intern re- ceives an opportunity to acquire practi- cal experience in a variety of library settings. The intern has a chance to work in all technical services departments (Cataloging, Acquisition, and Preserva- tion), public services (Information Serv- ices, Circulation, Special Collections, and Language and Area Studies), the Automation Office, Collection Develop- ment, and twenty-one departmental (branch) libraries. The intern also fulfills a practicum in one of the departmental libraries. Special assignments, such as the compilation of subject bibliogra- phies, may also be completed during the first year. During this first year the intern also experiences the day-to-day administra- tion of a large and complex academic library system. Specifically, the intern is January 1994 encouraged to attend and participate in a wide variety of departmental and com- mittee meetings. The committee believes that the intern's attendance at these meetings will lead to an understanding of the decision-making process and problem-solving patterns. As a regular member of The Ohio State University Library faculty, the intern is also ap- pointed to the committee and to addi- tional committee work. Minority internship programs are not intended to be a ready-made answer to the current problems of increasing minority librarians in academic libraries. There is no substitute for individual achievement and, concomitantly, institutional commitment to excellence. Additional opportunities for pro- fessional growth are made available throughout the first year. The intern re- ceives financial support to attend local, regional, and national meetings and con- ferences, including the midwinter and the annual American Library Associa- tion conferences. In addition, there are opportunities to attend various in- structional sessions on automation and electronic database searching, to meet colleagues in the field, and to learn about broader issues that affect librarians at other institutions. At the conclusion of the first year, the intern writes a report of his or her experiences and the com- mittee members write an evaluation of the program. SECOND YEAR The second year of the internship is spent in an area of specialization of the intern's choosing. The Libraries' first in- tern chose to work in a departmental li- brary, the Human Ecology Library, where she served as an assistant to the head of that library and, later, as acting head. The valuable training and managerial ex- perience acquired from this position led to the eventual employment of the intern as the permanent head of that library. EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM Although the university libraries ex- perienced success with its first intern, the overall success of any newly insti- tuted program is difficult to measure. A recently concluded survey reveals that the Association of Research Libraries, which supports minority internships, noted that their programs "had not had ~ime to ~e successful as yet." 17 Minority mternshtp programs are not intended to be a ready-made answer to the current problems of increasing minority librari- ans in academic libraries. There is no substitute for individual achievement and, concomitantly, institutional com- mitment to excellence. Conclusions about the internship program's degree of success cannot be drawn from the ex- perience of two years; however, the tire- less efforts of The Ohio State University Libraries' faculty and staff have con- tributed to getting the program off to a good start and have helped both the in- tern and the committee to achieve most of their goals and objectives successfully. It would be premature to imply that the success of one internship program has changed the future outlook of minorities attempting to enter academic librarian- ship. However, the positive results of the first internship have been very en- C_?uraging and have led to the participa- tion of two minority librarians for the next two-year cycle. CONCLUSION Academic libraries have been in- ':olve?- in the recruitment of minority hbranans for over twenty years, with limited success. In fact, there appears to be a decrease in the number of minority students entering the library profession. Curtis Kendrick et al., point out that "while the proportion of minorities is expected to continue to grow over the next few decades, the proportion of minority librarians is decreasing ... the profession is not doing an adequate job of attracting minority students to pursue Increasing Minority Representation 45 careers in librarianship." 18 Academic li- braries continue to be staffed over- whelmingly by white employees while society is rapidly becoming more plural- istic and culturally diverse. It is clear that, despite decades of affirmative ac- tion programs, the old ways of recruiting minority librarians to academic librari- anship have been only marginally successful. New initiatives are needed to address the demographic changes in the work force so that academic libraries can truly represent an increasingly diverse population. It is clear that, despite decades of affirmative action programs, the old ways of recruiting minority librarians to academic librarianship have been only marginally successful. The Ohio State University Libraries has assumed a leadership role in recru- iting minority librarians by strongly supporting the minority internship pro- gram. The commitment includes the direc- tor, who secures sufficient funding for the program, the department heads who help organize the intern's daily schedule, and the staff who train and supervise the in- tern's activities. All those involved in this endeavor hope that internship programs throughout the country will have a posi- tive effect on increasing the number of minority librarians in academic libraries. Theauthorsfirmlybelievethat,inaddition to recruiting minority librarians, libraries must go beyond the purely intellectual commitment to this goal by providing op- portunities for professional advance- ~ent . in o~der to re~ain minority hbranans. Fmally, as rmnority intern- ship programs continue to increase, there is a need to share information about various programs, to evaluate their structure and training experiences, and to collect follow-up data on the long- term effectiveness of minority internship programs in attaining their goals. 46 College & Research Libraries January 1994 REFERENCES AND NOTES 1. Cliff Glaviano and R. Errol Lam, "Academic Libraries and Affirmative Action: Ap- proaching Cultural Diversity in the 1990s," College & Research Libraries 51(Nov. 1990): 513. 2. Joseph A. Boisse and Connie V. Dowell, "Increasing Minority Librarians in Academic Research Libraries," Library Journal112 (Apr. 1987): 52. 3. The minority composition is 3.7% African Americans, 0.8% Hispanics, and 0.6% Native Americans. 4. William E. Moen and Kathleen M. Heim, "The Class of 1988: Librarians for the New Millennium," American Libraries 19 (Nov. 1990): 860. 5. Ann Knight-Randall, "Minority Recruitment in Librarianship," in William E. Moen and Kathleen M. Heim, eds., Librarians for the New Millennium (Chicago: ALA/Office of Library Personnel Resources, 1988), 18 . 6. 1990 Census of Population and Housing. Summary Tape File 1A. East North Central Division [computer file] Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Data User Services Division (1991-computer laser optical disk). 7. Janice Beaudin, and others, "Recruiting the Underrepresented to Academic Libraries," College & Research Libraries News 51 (Dec. 1990): 1016. 8. Ibid, 1018. 9. Margo C. Trumpeter and Paul Gherman, "A Post Master's Degree Internship Pro- gram," Library Journal105(June 1980): 1366; and "LC Invites Nominations for Intern- ship Program," Library of Congress Information Bulletin (Jan. 1976). 10. Joyce Wright, "Recruitment and Retention of Minorities in Academic Libraries: A Plan of Action for the 1990s," Illinois Libraries 72(Nov. 1990): 621. 11. Cornell University, Cleveland State University, Duke University, Emory University, Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), The Ohio State University, Simmons College, State University of New York-Albany, State University of New York-Buffalo, University of California-San Diego, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Delaware, University of Iowa, Urliversity of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the University of Pittsburgh. 12. SPEC Kit No. 167, "Minority Recruitment and Retention in ARL Libraries," Office of Management Studies, ARL Washington, D.C. (Sept. 1990). 13. Tami Echavarria, "Minority Recruitment: A Success Story," College & Research Libraries News 11 (Nov. 1990): 962. 14. Celianna Wilson, "Professional Internship: A Program Proposal," Library Journal188 (Apr. 1963): 2201. 15. "A Proposal to Establish an Internship for Black Librarians," The Ohio State University Libraries' internal report (Dec. 1987). 16. Committee efforts were rewarded with the selection of Ms. Leta Hendricks, whose background proved to be ideal for the position of minority intern. A recent library school graduate, Ms. Hendricks' education included a B.A. from Western Illinois University and master's degrees in library and information science (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) and Afro-American Studies (Atlanta University). 17. Otis A. Chandley, "Addressing Cultural Diversity in Academic and Research Librar- ies," College & Research Libraries 53 (May 1992): 206. 18. Curtis Kendrick and others, "Minority Internships/Scholarships in Library and Infor- mation Science," College & Research Libraries News 11 (Nov. 1990): 965.