Academic Libraries and Minority Users
This paper began with the goal of exploring studies on how academic libraries serve “minority” students, defined at the outset of the research process as traditional American ethnic and racial minorities (those who were not non-Hispanic Caucasians). However, in the course of researching this paper, the scope of the notion of “minority” expanded quite a bit, for scholars utilized a number of definitions of the terms “minority” and “diversity,” including populations such as international students, graduate students, returning students, transfer students, distance learners, and gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered students. Therefore, this paper will include the findings of research on each of these various “minority” groups, not just non-Caucasian Americans.
According to Shachaf and Snyder (2007), racial and ethnic minorities are increasingly utilizing academic library services, as they enter colleges and universities in greater numbers. As the presence of minority students and faculty/staff grows, it is important that academic libraries understand how best to serve them to effectively meet their informational needs, in order to help them succeed in their scholarly pursuits.
Shachaf and Snyder (2007) studied the similarities and differences between digital reference behavior of black and white students at a university serving approximately 20,000 graduate students. They noted that such studies of minority behavior in libraries is rare. They also stated that studies show, in general, minority students use academic libraries more frequently than white students, when it comes to undergraduates. Shachaf and Snyder hypothesized that more research on the information-seeking behavior of minority students might shed some light on the differences in academic performance that has been much-studied, concerning minorities and whites.
Shachaf and Snyder (2007) studied the content of 47 e-mail reference transactions initiated by black students, and 47 initiated by whites. They found that blacks and whites sent similar numbers of messages, each, to the reference librarians – slightly more on the part of blacks (10.5 versus 7.5), but this difference was not statistically significant. However, in follow-up e-mails, blacks were much more likely than whites to ask further questions seeking help. The types of questions asked by each racial group also differed significantly. Whites were more likely to ask technical questions, while blacks asked more topical and “known item” questions. While the general content/style of messages and rate of misspellings and typos was approximately equal between the two groups, blacks were more likely to use grammatical errors in their correspondence. Blacks were also more likely to display “excessive gratitude” in their e-mails.
The differences in digital reference usage raise questions. For example, Shachaf and Snyder (2007) wonder whether blacks have greater difficulty using remote reference services, thereby prompting them to ask more questions. Or, perhaps they are more satisfied with their initial experience than are white students, and therefore seek increased use of the service. Perhaps black students have greater information needs that must be addressed by academic libraries. Or perhaps their initial requests represent a “testing of the waters” as they fear discrimination (which they have habitually faced), and once they receive help from librarians that do not discriminate, they open up more with further questions. However, this begs the question of whether the students realized their race would be discernible despite receiving reference help via e-mail rather than in person.
Overall, Shachaf and Snyder (2007) declare that “gaining a better understanding of the differences and similarities between diverse user groups will help librarians address the needs of these diverse user populations. It also has the potential to improve library services to these user groups, and consequently to improve their academic achievement” (p. 366). They call for more study of minority information needs and user behavior.
One type of important “minority” student is international students, many of whom are of other races than Caucasian. (Asians represent about 58 percent of international students, according to Wang and Frank [2002].) In addition to being racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, they face unique cultural challenges. Wang and Frank declare, “As the number and diversity of international students continue to grow on campuses, the need to understand and to work effectively with this population becomes more important for academic librarians who are responsible for providing effective information services to all students” (p. 208).
One challenge facing international students may be their lack of familiarity with the structure and policies of American libraries. They may come from countries where access to books is restricted. They also may lack technological skills, which would hamper them in searching electronic databases. International students, due to language barriers, may not ask for help when they need it, or indicate that they understand the help provided by the librarian even when they do not (a form of “saving face” for both the scholar and the librarian). They may also have lower levels of information literacy than most American students. Finally, international students often communicate differently, so even if there is not a verbal language barrier, nonverbal communication signals may hamper effective interactions with librarians.
Wang and Frank (2002) suggest a number of strategies for academic librarians to pursue to improve the services they provide to international students and help these students succeed. One suggestion is open houses for international students to familiarize them with how American academic libraries operate, and formal orientations related to specific concerns of international students. Another idea is to focus on improving the information literacy and technological skills of international students through outreach efforts. Cooperating with other departments on campus that assist international students is also an option. Wang and Frank advise academic librarians to become more familiar with cross-cultural communication and learning styles, and to undergo sensitivity training. Active listening – which is a must for all transactions – is also important. Wang and Frank also suggest hiring library staff that represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, to increase awareness of diversity and make international students feel more comfortable.
In between American-born ethnic and racial minorities and newly arrived international college students are those foreign-born students who came to this country at a relatively young age, thus receiving much primary or at least secondary education in the United States. Benesch considers the challenges of this population, termed by many “Generation 1.5” to distinguish them from first-generation and second-generation immigrants – they are in many ways in the middle. Although Benesch does not deal with academic libraries in particular, she mentions that many Generation 1.5 members experience racism in school, including college (since many are non-white), and discrimination based on their language ability, which may not follow the rules of standard English. One way in which Benesch suggests assisting this group of students on college campuses is having multilingual and multicultural events in which the spotlight can be shone on this in-between population to share its particular struggles. This is the type of activity for which an academic library would be ideally suited.
Switzer (2008) argues that the definition of a “diverse” student population should transcend American racial and ethnic minorities, and even foreign-born or international students, but should also include nontraditional students such as graduate students (who may be returning after a period away from academe), older “returning” students, transfer students, distance learners, “at-risk” students, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender students. Her library, Kresge Library at Oakland University in Michigan, has reached out to all these “minority” populations in a variety of ways, including through the hiring of an outreach librarian. The goal is not just to make the library a more welcoming place for all students, but to help student achievement and retention rates, for Switzer states that research shows that minorities who use the library more regularly are more likely to stay in school.
Switzer (2008) notes that American racial and ethnic minority students who have a negative racial experience at the library are more likely to report negative attitudes toward the library. Therefore, this could be a serious barrier. Thus, Switzer encourages diversity sensitivity training for library staff. Kresge Library has also sought to create positive experiences for minority students through the development of an African-American women’s book club.
Switzer (2008) echoes Wang and Frank’s (2002) observation that international students may come from countries that lack public libraries or at least those with open stacks, they may lack technological skills, and students from different cultures have different learning and communication styles. Switzer calls upon library staff to develop greater cultural sensitivity and awareness, and to address technical issues in instruction sessions and workshops. Switzer states that Kresge Library commonly holds one-on-one research sessions with international students to make them more comfortable with the library and its technology.
Technology is also an issue for many graduate, returning, and transfer students, as well as some distance learners and at-risk students, according to Switzer (2008). These concerns should be addressed with workshops and other initiatives. For example, Kresge Library utilizes online tutorials for distance learners. Library staff also attend graduate student open houses with laptop computers to demonstrate the library’s technological offerings. For at-risk students who may struggle with issues such as writing, a writing center has been opened in the library, and students are encouraged to consult with librarians for one-on-one assistance in researching their term papers when needed.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students also figure into Kresge Library’s diversity plans, states Switzer (2008). A book club related to their needs has been developed, and the library has also sponsored the showing of films on gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender issues (e.g., a documentary about the murder of the transgendered Teena Brandon).
Switzer (2008) argues that greater diversity in hiring practices is needed at Kresge Library, as well as academic libraries in general. Minority users feel more comfortable when they can relate to staff members who are more like themselves. Kresge sends job postings to diversity-related newsgroups, and promotes positions to minorities at conferences, workshops, and other events. In addition, the library is working to establish partnerships with heavily minority Wayne State University and local high schools with large numbers of minority populations, to cultivate future generations’ interest in the library profession.
Switzer (2008) notes that Kresge Library has taken an active role in participating in diversity-related events, including campus-wide events such as African American Celebration and Welcome Week, and has sponsored its own activities, such as a panel discussion on race relations after the death of Rosa Parks.
Participants in events such as race-relations panels and book clubs at Kresge have stated that their views of the library have changed for the better and they tend to use it more often, according to Switzer (2008). Switzer states that such positive attitudes are key, for, as previously mentioned, greater use of the library helps the achievement and retention of students, particularly minorities.
If graduate students are to be considered a type of “minority” student, Kenney (2009) explores ways academic libraries can help contribute to their success. Kenney, of Cornell University’s library, states that there is a large rate of attrition in graduate programs, particularly when it comes to PhD students. Dropout rates are higher among women and minorities, according to Kenney. Kenney calls for academic libraries to study the reasons for attrition (or taking an unduly long time to complete a dissertation), and ways the library can potentially help keep these students in school and working toward their degrees. For example, libraries may be able to identify at what point in the academic program students are vulnerable to dropping out (e.g., at the time of comprehensive exams, at the time of writing the dissertation, etc.) and offer services aimed at easing student anxieties and showing them how they might continue in their programs. Kenney writes, “A change for the better could go a long way to reaffirming the continuing relevance of a research library to the academy and one of its key constituencies” (p. 486).
Representing a more traditional view of minority as American racial and ethnic minorities (those of non-European descent), Pendergast and Gray (1995) argue that libraries, including academic libraries, have been slow to develop their collections to include information about the health of minority populations. They state, “with the upsurge in diversity and multicultural discussions in academia, this topic now becomes an item on which collection development librarians in the health sciences should focus their attention” (p. 23). Pendergast and Gray offer a bibliography of potential resources for academic health sciences libraries that focus on what they call “people of color” (p. 24). In this way, academic libraries can better serve a diverse population.
Love (2009) reiterates research presented by other scholars in this paper that the use of university libraries is positively correlated to retention of minority students, who have lower retention levels than white students. She writes, “By focusing specifically on our role in academic preparedness, librarians could then consider have [sic] an impact on the equalization of retention rates” (p. 5). Love also notes the library’s role in furthering students’ academic success. She calls for partnerships between academic libraries and campus Minority Student Affairs programs to help the library reach out to minority students. Love outlines how the University of Illinois library, in 2001, hired a diversity librarian, who through the Office of Minority Student Affairs, established ties with academic summer programs for minority students including the Ronald E. McNairs Scholars Program, the Summer Research Opportunities Program (both aiming to encourage minority undergraduates to become graduate students), and Upward Bound (which targets minority high-schoolers, to prepare them for their first year of college). The diversity librarian offered library tours to student participants, workshops on research, and consultations on reference via e-mail, phone, and face-to-face visits during office hours.
Fry (2009) considers the special needs of community college students, many of whom are racial and ethnic minorities (she cites a study that found 31 percent of community college students identified themselves as minorities). Perhaps in part because of their ethnic and racial background (due to the nation’s social and economic inequalities), the majority of community college students are academically and socioeconomically in the lower half of their high school classes. This is largely why they choose community colleges rather than attempting to enroll in traditional four-year colleges and universities, according to Fry. Diversity has steadily increased at community colleges. Fifteen percent speak English as a second language, more than 10 percent have a disability, and 42 percent participate in remedial courses, states Fry. Community colleges also contain a number of senior citizen learners, creating “age diversity.”
Fry (2009) states that although researchers differ, some have found that community college students often enter the institution without much information literacy or basic research skills. Therefore, academic libraries at community colleges can help reach out to new students and teach them the basics of how to conduct research, how to utilize library technology, etc. This is especially important considering Fry’s contention that many community college students enter without much knowledge of how academic libraries work or their relevance to the students’ coursework, and large numbers never use the library while in school (and those who do rarely consult librarians for help). Another important consideration is that many community college students attend classes from locations other than the traditional campus, meaning the library must reach out from its “brick and mortar” foundation and connect with these students in other ways, i.e., online. This is similar to Swizer’s (2008) observation that distance learners are “minority” students who need special consideration of their needs.
One nontraditional way in which librarians from various institutions, including academic libraries, can potentially help the interests of minority populations is through serving as volunteers for a group called Radical Reference, a librarians’ organization committed to furthering social justice through providing reference service to activists and journalists (Morrone and Friedman, 2009). This is an activity that RR members engage in solely on their spare time, and the group takes a Leftist position – but does not limit reference citations to Leftist literature. The best possible sources are used to answer reference questions, according to Morrone and Friedman.
This paper brings together a vast array of student groups under the umbrella term “minority,” based on the results of where the research for this project led. It is important for academic libraries to consider the perspectives of all non-traditional or “diverse” students when aiming to serve the campus community. The library can help make or break a college student’s academic career, and the library should do all it can to ensure success. This fulfills the library’s role in the university’s mission to educate its students. More importantly, it is just the right thing to do.
References
Benesch, S. (2008). “Generation 1.5” and its discourses of partiality: a critical analysis. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 7, 294-311.
Fry, L. (2009). Information behavior of community college students: a survey of literature. Community & Junior College Libraries, 15, 39-50.
Kenney, A.R. (2009). Thought happens: what should the library do about it? Journal of Library Administration, 49, 481-193.
Love, E. (2009). A simple step: integrating library reference and instruction into previously established academic programs for minority students. The Reference Librarian, 50, 4-13.
Morrone, M., & Friedman, L. (2009). Radical reference: socially responsible librarianship collaborating with community. The Reference Librarian, 50, 371-396.
Pendergast, N., & Gray, S. (1995). A core collection on minority health: resources about people of color. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 14(4), 23-43.
Shachaf, P., & Snyder, M. (2007, May). The relationship between cultural diversity and user needs in virtual reference services. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 33(3), 361-367.
Switzer, A. (2008). Redefining diversity: creating an inclusive academic library through diversity initiatives. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 15(3), 280-300.
Wang, J., & Frank, D.G. (2002). Cross-cultural communication: implications for effective information services in academic libraries. Libraries and the Academy, 2(2), 207-216.
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