This week’s Diversity News blog post features a book review by Dawn Amsberry
Library Services for Multicultural Patrons: Strategies for Encouraging Library Use, edited by Carol Smallwood and Kim Becnel. Scarecrow Press, 2014.
Throughout the Penn State University system, there are over 16,000 students from historically underrepresented groups, and over 8,000 international students. How can the University Libraries reach out to these students, and provide appropriate services and collections? Library Services for Multicultural Patrons: Strategies to Encourage Library Use gives practical advice and how-to instructions on developing innovative programs, outreach initiatives, and a variety of services for a multicultural population. The book targets all types of libraries, but much of the information can be applied to a large university setting, and several chapters focus specifically on academic libraries. The book is divided into seven sections that focus on partnerships, community connections, reaching students, technology, outreach, programming, and reference. The chapters, written by authors in public, academic, and school libraries around the country, discuss strategies and best practices for creating a welcoming, inclusive library environment for multicultural patrons.
The book includes several chapters on academic library services for international students that highlight a number of innovative initiatives. To address the needs of its growing population from China, librarians at the Shiffman Medical Library at Wayne State University in Detroit offered an EndNote workshop in the Chinese language, and found that their participants were more engaged with learning than in a traditional class. The library at Appalachian State University in North Carolina offers international satellite television from Asia, Arabic-speaking countries, Western Europe, and Latin America. This resources is popular with students, who can reserve viewing rooms to watch sports or news from their home countries, as well as with professors who base assignments on comparisons of media coverage from around the world. In Canada, a librarian at the University Lethbridge Library in Alberta created a brochure highlighting unique resources available to international students, such as international newspapers, resources on studying in a foreign country, and books on Canadian culture.
Other chapters describe outreach to special populations such as Native Americans, nontraditional students, and African American users. The Cline Library at Northern Arizona University, which typically serves about a thousand Native American students, developed programming to raise awareness about Native American culture, including a film series showcasing films produced by Native American directors and an exhibit in honor of Native American Heritage Month. On a more personal note, an African American librarian discusses her own experiences as a student at predominantly white universities, and as a minority librarian at Appalachian State University. She emphasizes the value of being visible and available to multicultural students, and of being willing to offer advice and assistance beyond answering typical reference questions. She and her co-author also note the important role their library’s Diversity Committee plays in promoting diversity awareness to library faculty and staff.
The books offers more tips and advice on everything from creating a multilingual DVD to practicing the “culturally relevant reference interview.” Of particular interest to academic librarians is a chapter titled “Raising Awareness in Academic Libraries with Multicultural Exhibits, Installations, and Decorations.” The authors, librarians at Syracuse University in New York, describe their partnerships with student associations in creating displays and exhibits in the library’s Learning Commons, such as their collaboration with the Chinese Student Association and an anthropology class on a display of Chinese folk art. The authors note that diversity-related exhibits in academic libraries can be controversial, sparking dialog among the student body and raising awareness of sensitive issues. Examples of controversial exhibits are an Anti-Asian Hate Crimes display at Syracuse University, and an exhibit on the political struggles in Palestine at American University Library.
The Penn State University Libraries is already very actively promoting diversity and creating a welcoming climate through programs, exhibits, services and collections. Library Services for Multicultural Patrons can spark creative new ideas, and provide practical knowledge for developing new initiatives.