Including the Voices of Librarians of Color in Reference and Information Services Research

Librarians of color make up a small proportion of information professionals, but their perspectives should still be included in theory and best practices. This study seeks to create an inclusive understanding of reference and information service (RIS) by exploring the experience of RIS for librarian...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Reference and user services quarterly 2017-12, Vol.57 (2), p.104-114
Main Authors: VanScoy, Amy, Bright, Kawanna
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Appreciation
Best Practices
Color
Community Relations
Demographic aspects
Discourse Analysis
Ethnic Groups
Ethnicity
FEATURE
Grounded Theory
Information professionals
Information Scientists
Information Seeking
Information services
Information services industry
Job Skills
Learning
Librarians
Libraries
Library Personnel
Literature Reviews
Minority & ethnic groups
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Online reference work
Phenomenology
Professional Education
Professional Training
Qualitative research
Reference services
Reference services (Libraries)
Teaching Methods
User Needs (Information)
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Summary:Librarians of color make up a small proportion of information professionals, but their perspectives should still be included in theory and best practices. This study seeks to create an inclusive understanding of reference and information service (RIS) by exploring the experience of RIS for librarians of color. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the experience of RIS for eight librarians of color, from various ethnic groups and types of libraries, is analyzed. Five themes of experience emerged from the analysis: uniqueness and difference; broad range of professional skills; messiness and beauty of the human interaction; working in a web of outside forces; and learning, growth, and change. In relation to prior research, findings show that these librarians of color experience reference and information work as multifaceted and user-focused, in common with librarians in general. However, they have unique experiences of reference and information services work because of microaggressions and discrimination and because of their focus on serving as a role model or mentor.
ISSN:1094-9054
2163-5242
1094-9054
DOI:10.5860/rusq.57.2.6527