- Email: [email protected]
Guest editorial missing links in reaching culturally diverse students in academic libraries
Guest Editorial Missing Links in Reaching Culturally Diverse Students in Academic Libraries
I
n planning library and information services, the rule of thumb is that the services and programs should match the information needs of the clientele. This axiom applies to all library settings. However, a literature review of academic library services for culturally diverse students suggests an exception to the rule. Although these programs and services are adequately described, there appears to be little reported research on the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of culturally diverse groups with library programs and services. The literature frequently states the need for programs or extols the virtues of successful ones, often without any discussion of how that success is measured. We see conjecture much more often than we do evidence. Those articles that consider the provision of library services to culturally diverse groups in academic libraries focus on programs (e.g., bibliographic instruction) or professional recruitment strategies (e.g., partnering, mentoring, and networking).1 Rosemary R. Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, and William Caynon addressed the impact of cultural diversity in academic libraries through a presentation of various academic library profiles and case studies.2 The topics include mission statements, staffing, training, and collection development. Camila A. Alire and Frederick J. Stielow emphasized the proper role of library administrators in making the library relevant to the culturally diverse student population.3 Again, the focus is the implementation phase with suggestions concerning bibliographic instruction, recruitment of culturally diverse staff, and mentoring. Because the majority of articles describe existing programs, as opposed to reporting research findings, there is very little mention of the crucial elements needed to design effective academic library services for culturally diverse groups, namely a precise statement of the problem
coupled with a set of objectives, hypotheses, and research questions; a definition of the population group; and a linkage of the findings to the planning process and improved service delivery. Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for Enhancing Diversity, which is based on research, is a useful guide for developing programs.4 The roles of university administration, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the curriculum are examined within the context of strategies, recommendations for action, checklists, and case studies. Although the text is not specific to libraries, its value lies in the focus on strategic planning and the evaluation of successful and nonsuccessful programs.
DESIGN
The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 26, Number 3, pages 157–158
STUDY
To plan and ultimately provide effective academic library programs geared to meet the needs of a culturally diverse student population, a series of questions must be addressed in the context of a formal study. What is the purpose of the study? Is it to determine the information needs, satisfaction, or expectations of culturally diverse students? Is it to make culturally diverse students feel welcome in the library; to design an instructional program (e.g., for online searching or bibliographic instruction); or to recruit students as potential staff members? If the purpose of the study is to address the information needs, expectations, or satisfaction of culturally diverse students, a critical question must be answered: do the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of culturally diverse students differ from those of other students? If so, how? Does the library know the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of the general student population? Is that information the basis for library programming and service delivery?
IDENTIFY Cheryl A. Metoyer is Director of Information Resources, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, 110 Pequot Trail, P.O. Box 3180, Mashantucket, Connecticut 06339-3180 ⬍[email protected]⬎.
A
THE
GROUP
Academic libraries need an accurate profile of the campus’ culturally diverse population. Who are the culturally diverse students? Does the campus have data related to ethnic and racial identity? In interpreting existing data, and in collecting
May 2000 157
data, libraries need to be cognizant of the potential artificiality and subjectivity of preassigned ethnic and racial categories. Is other socioeconomic information available? The importance of this information should be apparent. For example, if the student population includes a significant number of single mothers who work off campus and go to school part time, these circumstances should impact the time, length, frequency, and location of library programs. Another consideration in library programming concerns technology. All students may not have equal access to off-campus computers. Academic libraries require precise information for feasible and meaningful program development.
RECOMMENDATIONS A well-designed research study is the basis for successful academic programming and services. When culturally diverse students are the population in question, there are a number of suggestions that aid in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the study. They are as follows: ●
●
● ●
●
●
●
●
158
Use a personal interview coupled with a questionnaire as the data collection method; In the design of the instrument, be attentive to cultural and linguistic factors, such as in the sequencing of questions; Design a strong sampling strategy; In both the planning or implementation phase, request the participation of a staff member from the appropriate cultural group; Partner with the Ethnic Studies Centers on campus and representatives from community agencies to identify potential interviewees; Provide some type of recognition or compensation for participants, including campus departments or individuals; Gather pertinent information from campus social, religious, and political organizations, including dormitories; Pretest data collection forms with culturally diverse participants; and
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
●
Schedule interviews at convenient times and locations for maximum student participation.5
CONCLUSION The culturally diverse student population may represent a significant part of the campus community. The information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of this population may or may not be significantly different enough to warrant a different set of library services, programs, or resources. Or, the differences may be very great, thereby dictating a radically different set of programs or services. It may be that, although the information needs are essentially the same for all students, the assessment may call for outreach efforts designed to introduce and encourage culturally diverse students to use the existing resources of the library. Either way, a successful program or service requires evidence and perhaps some readjustments in that program or service. The evidence, if used for planning and decision-making purposes, will dictate the character and the direction of the library’s programs or services and demonstrate the library’s commitment to its user community.
NOTES
AND
REFERENCES
1. Deborah A. Curry, Susan Griswold Blandy, & Lynne M. Martin, editors, Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Academic Libraries: Multicultural Issues (Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994). 2. Rosemary Ruhig Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, & William Caynon, Multiculturalism in Libraries (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994). 3. Camila A. Alire & Frederick J. Stielow, “Minorities and the Symbolic Potential of the Academic Library: Reinventing Tradition,” College & Research Libraries 56 (November 1995): 509 – 517. 4. Madeline Green, editor, Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for Enhancing Diversity (Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1989). 5. Cheryl Metoyer-Duran, Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Communities (Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp., 1993).
I
n planning library and information services, the rule of thumb is that the services and programs should match the information needs of the clientele. This axiom applies to all library settings. However, a literature review of academic library services for culturally diverse students suggests an exception to the rule. Although these programs and services are adequately described, there appears to be little reported research on the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of culturally diverse groups with library programs and services. The literature frequently states the need for programs or extols the virtues of successful ones, often without any discussion of how that success is measured. We see conjecture much more often than we do evidence. Those articles that consider the provision of library services to culturally diverse groups in academic libraries focus on programs (e.g., bibliographic instruction) or professional recruitment strategies (e.g., partnering, mentoring, and networking).1 Rosemary R. Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, and William Caynon addressed the impact of cultural diversity in academic libraries through a presentation of various academic library profiles and case studies.2 The topics include mission statements, staffing, training, and collection development. Camila A. Alire and Frederick J. Stielow emphasized the proper role of library administrators in making the library relevant to the culturally diverse student population.3 Again, the focus is the implementation phase with suggestions concerning bibliographic instruction, recruitment of culturally diverse staff, and mentoring. Because the majority of articles describe existing programs, as opposed to reporting research findings, there is very little mention of the crucial elements needed to design effective academic library services for culturally diverse groups, namely a precise statement of the problem
coupled with a set of objectives, hypotheses, and research questions; a definition of the population group; and a linkage of the findings to the planning process and improved service delivery. Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for Enhancing Diversity, which is based on research, is a useful guide for developing programs.4 The roles of university administration, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as the curriculum are examined within the context of strategies, recommendations for action, checklists, and case studies. Although the text is not specific to libraries, its value lies in the focus on strategic planning and the evaluation of successful and nonsuccessful programs.
DESIGN
The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 26, Number 3, pages 157–158
STUDY
To plan and ultimately provide effective academic library programs geared to meet the needs of a culturally diverse student population, a series of questions must be addressed in the context of a formal study. What is the purpose of the study? Is it to determine the information needs, satisfaction, or expectations of culturally diverse students? Is it to make culturally diverse students feel welcome in the library; to design an instructional program (e.g., for online searching or bibliographic instruction); or to recruit students as potential staff members? If the purpose of the study is to address the information needs, expectations, or satisfaction of culturally diverse students, a critical question must be answered: do the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of culturally diverse students differ from those of other students? If so, how? Does the library know the information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of the general student population? Is that information the basis for library programming and service delivery?
IDENTIFY Cheryl A. Metoyer is Director of Information Resources, Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, 110 Pequot Trail, P.O. Box 3180, Mashantucket, Connecticut 06339-3180 ⬍[email protected]⬎.
A
THE
GROUP
Academic libraries need an accurate profile of the campus’ culturally diverse population. Who are the culturally diverse students? Does the campus have data related to ethnic and racial identity? In interpreting existing data, and in collecting
May 2000 157
data, libraries need to be cognizant of the potential artificiality and subjectivity of preassigned ethnic and racial categories. Is other socioeconomic information available? The importance of this information should be apparent. For example, if the student population includes a significant number of single mothers who work off campus and go to school part time, these circumstances should impact the time, length, frequency, and location of library programs. Another consideration in library programming concerns technology. All students may not have equal access to off-campus computers. Academic libraries require precise information for feasible and meaningful program development.
RECOMMENDATIONS A well-designed research study is the basis for successful academic programming and services. When culturally diverse students are the population in question, there are a number of suggestions that aid in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the study. They are as follows: ●
●
● ●
●
●
●
●
158
Use a personal interview coupled with a questionnaire as the data collection method; In the design of the instrument, be attentive to cultural and linguistic factors, such as in the sequencing of questions; Design a strong sampling strategy; In both the planning or implementation phase, request the participation of a staff member from the appropriate cultural group; Partner with the Ethnic Studies Centers on campus and representatives from community agencies to identify potential interviewees; Provide some type of recognition or compensation for participants, including campus departments or individuals; Gather pertinent information from campus social, religious, and political organizations, including dormitories; Pretest data collection forms with culturally diverse participants; and
The Journal of Academic Librarianship
●
Schedule interviews at convenient times and locations for maximum student participation.5
CONCLUSION The culturally diverse student population may represent a significant part of the campus community. The information needs, expectations, and satisfaction of this population may or may not be significantly different enough to warrant a different set of library services, programs, or resources. Or, the differences may be very great, thereby dictating a radically different set of programs or services. It may be that, although the information needs are essentially the same for all students, the assessment may call for outreach efforts designed to introduce and encourage culturally diverse students to use the existing resources of the library. Either way, a successful program or service requires evidence and perhaps some readjustments in that program or service. The evidence, if used for planning and decision-making purposes, will dictate the character and the direction of the library’s programs or services and demonstrate the library’s commitment to its user community.
NOTES
AND
REFERENCES
1. Deborah A. Curry, Susan Griswold Blandy, & Lynne M. Martin, editors, Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Academic Libraries: Multicultural Issues (Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994). 2. Rosemary Ruhig Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, & William Caynon, Multiculturalism in Libraries (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994). 3. Camila A. Alire & Frederick J. Stielow, “Minorities and the Symbolic Potential of the Academic Library: Reinventing Tradition,” College & Research Libraries 56 (November 1995): 509 – 517. 4. Madeline Green, editor, Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for Enhancing Diversity (Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1989). 5. Cheryl Metoyer-Duran, Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Communities (Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp., 1993).