National Diversity in Libraries Conference

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Other librarians spoke specifically about the challenge of minority recruitment to the profession, which is a widespread concern. Irene Hoffman and Artemis Kirk, from Georgetown University, gave a status report on a new grant-funded program to provide scholarships and work placement for minority students in D.C. libraries. Several major research libraries, including the Library of Congress, have agreed to fund one-year guaranteed positions for students who complete the Georgetown program. Applications are being collected this summer for the first year of scholarship funding-if the program is successful, it could well provide a model for other library systems across the country.

Steven Fullwood, of the New York Public Library and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, approached the problem of diversity in collections. As curator of the Black Gay and Lesbian Archive, he has collected a wide array of ephemeral materials published by or relating to queer African-American writers, and is in the process of creating a finding aid and database to make these items more accessible. There are several archives of gay and lesbian writings across the country (for instance, the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, the Human Sexuality Collection at Cornell University, and the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives in Los Angeles), but Fullwood was unaware of any archives specifically devoted to African-American queer writers. While the project is still in its infancy, he hopes to see it develop into a major repository and research collection hosted by the Schomburg Center in New York City.

Access to digital and electronic resources is a major issue for libraries across the country. For libraries with small staffs, few financial resources, and technology-hungry students, getting everyone plugged in equitably can be a serious trial. Librarians from the Frederick Douglass Library at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), a Historically Black University, discussed how they are approaching the problem of the "digital divide." It was interesting to see how similar many of these solutions are to our own, here at the UO-essentially, UMES depends on quality employees to do their jobs with creativity and dedication. For the librarians, this often means working above and beyond the call of duty: mastering and implementing new technologies, teaching multiple classes, working one-on-one with students.

The crunch in academic collections, which need to maintain traditional and core items while also expanding to include new voices and perspectives, is a major concern for librarians who care about serving diverse research goals. Two librarians from San Diego University discussed strategies for stretching collections budgets to support research in ethnic and gender studies. Budget-sharing, communication between departments, professional development of librarians, and consortial arrangements were all proposed as ways of lightening the library's load. The conversation following the presentation was animated and practical, with many librarians sharing tales of financial woe or triumph, as well as tips for making the most of limited budgets.

The conference's closing address was given by Francine Henderson, Administrator of the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African-American Culture & History (AARL). The AARL is a special branch of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, dedicated to supporting research into African-American topics, just as the Schomburg Center is for the New York Public Library. Henderson's talk ranged from her early experiences as a visiting librarian in Botswana, through to her tenure at the AARL. Her view of diversity in libraries was pragmatic, energetic, and optimistic.

Atlanta was a terrific venue for the conference, and I took a couple of days afterward to explore town with a friend. We visited The King Center-the MLK memorial center established by Coretta Scott King-and also the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, run by the National Park Service. Both sites are located on Auburn Avenue, in the historically African-American Sweet Auburn district, close to the AARL and to Ebenezer Church, where King's funeral was held. We visited the AARL (which, sadly, has closed stacks) and wandered through the Sweet Auburn street fair, which happened to fall on the weekend following the conference. It was sweltering hot, the street was packed, and we had the chance to get up close and personal with some great Southern barbecue.

Traveling halfway (or more) across the country to get a better handle on diversity may seem excessive, but the conference was a terrific experience that I couldn't have had anywhere else. Now that I'm back home, I'm thinking more about the world outside the library, and about how we can connect with it. The Library Diversity Committee is planning a film presentation and potluck event for August, and we're hoping to host more speakers from different countries and backgrounds. If you have suggestions for activities or events, please let us know!