IOPN Journals (Illinois Open Publishing Network)
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The Language of DEI: Early Career Librarians’ Perceptions of DEI Language in Job Ads
Get PDFThis paper explores the job search process for recent library and information science (LIS) graduates and early career librarians, particularly how they perceive language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in LIS job ads. Data collected through eight focus groups (n = 34) and 11 semi-structured interviews, were coded and analyzed. Researchers found that applicants lack trust in “boilerplate” DEI statements but still look for DEI information as a potential indicator of alignment with personal values. A lack of DEI information was seen as a red flag, but not a deterrent to applying for a position. And while some applicants did not look for DEI language in job ads specifically, they relied heavily on professional networks and the interview process to assess organizations’ overall commitment to DEI. Organizations should consider embedding these principles into multiple job description sections to indicate support of DEI efforts in practical and concrete terms
Professional Identity and Threats to Non-Normative Identities: Grand Challenges for LIS Education
Get PDFOne of the central aims of LIS curriculum is to socialize students into the professional identity of librarianship. However, attempts to do this often center around the identities of white workers. To effectively address the ways in which non-normative identities are targeted and threatened, LIS institutions need to identify new approaches. In this paper, we outline our empirical and participatory approach to this grand challenge, built on research with library workers. Despite the recent attacks on any consideration of identity, library education will need to continue centering the profession’s identity issues.
Looking into Mirrors and Windows: School Librarians’ Perspectives on Diverse Representation in Book Collections
Get PDFLibrarian professional standards include the development of collections with diverse representation, and the study of multicultural literature is often part of masters programs. However, there is a lack of scholarship examining what multicultural literature signifies for librarians. In addition, the current landscape surrounding libraries has jeopardized students’ access to literature, furthering a narrative that attempts to exclude specific identities and portrays librarians as irresponsible and harmful. This study aimed to build a foundation of understanding and critical insights into this problem through a survey distributed to Texas school librarians. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and content analysis to understand school librarian perspectives, assess practices, and gain insights to support the presence of multicultural literature. Rudine Sims Bishop’s metaphor of books as “mirrors and windows” was a foundation for this study. A theoretical lens informed by Critical Race Theory and Critical Information Literacy and an interpretivist approach were used to guide methods and analysis. Conclusions support a counter-narrative of school libraries related to diverse representation through four themes: librarians center students in practices and decision-making, they believe in the power of books, they compassionately curate the message they are sending students, and they know libraries can continue to improve in service to communities. 142 librarians contributed to the understanding that diverse representation in collections matters. It is recommended these librarians’ voices be considered in critically examining policies and develop equitable and just practices that explicitly show that libraries seek to include and affirm the identity and experiences of all students
Addressing anti-Black racism in library and information science curriculum: A Canadian exemplar
Get PDFThis paper explores the development of the graduate course Anti-Racism in Library and Information Science that was piloted at Western University in 2022 and 2023. The one-semester (13-week) course was designed with Black-led community organizations and students contributed to anti-racist information and memory work through experiential learning partnerships. The course used critical Library and Information Science (LIS) literature alongside Black Canadian scholarly perspectives that were grounded in anti-oppression and anti-racism frameworks. The course goals were for students to develop an understanding of how race and other structural inequities inform lived experiences and tools to support collaborative community-led projects. The LIS-tailored approach to anti-racist reflection and relationship-building can be applied more broadly to similarly question and resist problematic power structures and practices to create more consciously powerful and valuable relationships for students, librarianship, and communities
Exploring the Bounds of Cultural Competence and Intelligence in LIS Research Practices
Get PDFCulturally Competent Research in Library and Information Science (CCRLIS) is a project to develop evidence-based interventions to improve cultural competence in Library and Information Science (LIS) research, particularly in terms of applying cultural competence and cultural intelligence to research team development and the research process. Two key questions guide the research: How do researchers incorporate or consider cultural competence and cultural intelligence in research team development and throughout the research process? Which criteria do researchers recommend for developing culturally competent research?
While the transformation of practice around cultural competence and cultural intelligence has advanced in recent years, the procedures for conducting culturally competent research within LIS remain underdeveloped—a problem that not only inhibits future knowledge development but also affects practice by embedding unidentified bias within research and projects. Existing scholarship specific to cultural competence research primarily comes from healthcare, social work, and psychology (Meleis, 1996; Jacobson et al., 2005).
Culturally competent research seeks to recognize and validate diverse cultural perspectives. It prioritizes community engagement, respect for cultural protocols, and the incorporation of local epistemologies into research methods. Decolonizing pedagogies emphasize critical reflection on positionality—acknowledging the researcher’s power and privilege in the knowledge-production process. Culturally competent research similarly requires self-awareness and reflexivity, particularly in how researchers engage with communities that have been historically marginalized. CCRLIS seeks to bridge this gap by equipping researchers with tools and strategies to conduct culturally competent research that respects and accounts for the cultural diversity of study populations
Sharing, Elevating, and Decolonizing: Centering Underrepresented Student Voices
Get PDFYour Voices: Learning, Listening, and Sharing (Your Voices) was a 2022-2023 project designed to create student-centered spaces where underrepresented students in library and information science (LIS) and applied data science could share their stories, support one another, and learn from professionals with similar experiences in navigating equity, diversity, and inclusion. Grounded in decolonizing pedagogies, the project sought to disrupt traditional hierarchies in LIS education by centering student voices, valuing lived experiences as legitimate knowledge, and fostering reciprocal learning. By creating spaces where students could collectively reflect, engage in peer mentoring, and challenge dominant knowledge structures, Your Voices was a catalyst for inclusive learning, fostering equitable knowledge-sharing and empowering underrepresented students to assert their voices in LIS and data science spaces. The initiative consisted of three core elements—community learning spaces, e-newsletters, and webinars—each implemented four times throughout the project’s lifecycle.
While Your Voices successfully created spaces for students to connect and exchange ideas, there remained a need for more student-driven, technology-enhanced, and asynchronous platforms to accommodate diverse learning preferences and time constraints. This led to the development of the next iteration: Students: Amplifying Your Voices (SAYV) for 2024-2025. SAYV builds on the foundational goals of Your Voices while expanding its reach through digital tools and interactive platforms that promote ongoing engagement. The initiative prioritizes:
Community-driven learning spaces: These serve as virtual environments where students can freely exchange ideas and experiences, fostering collective knowledge production beyond traditional classroom structures.
A dedicated Discord server channel: This space allows students to engage in discussions, share resources, and build peer networks outside of institutional settings, reflecting decolonizing pedagogical values of accessibility and collaboration.
A student-led podcast series: By centering student voices through storytelling, the podcast format offers a powerful way to challenge dominant LIS narratives, elevate underrepresented perspectives, and provide educators with valuable content to integrate into their teaching.
By creating these digital and asynchronous opportunities, SAYV enables students to not only share and document their own experiences but also contribute to a growing body of alternative knowledge sources within LIS. The use of podcasts, for example, provides an avenue for students to engage with course material on their own terms, reinforcing the idea that meaningful learning occurs outside of the traditional academic setting.
Decolonizing pedagogies push back against the historical dominance of knowledge systems in LIS education, advocating instead for inclusive, student-centered learning environments. The shift toward participatory and student-driven learning spaces aligns with the broader goals of decolonization, which emphasize the recognition of multiple ways of knowing, the redistribution of power in learning environments, and community engagement and reciprocity. Traditional LIS curricula often privilege Western frameworks and perspectives. Your Voices and SAYV actively disrupt this by incorporating diverse student perspectives and narratives as valid forms of knowledge. By prioritizing student-led storytelling, mentorship, and peer engagement, these initiatives challenge hierarchical structures where knowledge is traditionally transmitted from faculty to students. Decolonizing pedagogies emphasize learning that is not just for academic enrichment but also for community benefit. Both Your Voices and SAYV aim to equip students with the resources, skills, and confidence to contribute meaningfully to the LIS field and advocate for equity.
The core objectives of SAYV include:
Creating student-centered spaces that encourage dialogue and knowledge-sharing among underrepresented students.
Providing storytelling opportunities through podcasts and digital media that educators and the LIS community can integrate into their teaching and professional development.
Fostering knowledge exchange by sharing relevant news, research, and experiences, encouraging students to become active participants in shaping the profession.
By acknowledging and uplifting student contributions, sharing their stories, asking critical questions, and normalizing the presence of underrepresented voices, these projects help build authentic relationships and trust among historically marginalized identities. Importantly, SAYV also emphasizes the celebration of student achievements, recognizing that joy and success should be as central to LIS education as discussions of systemic barriers. This approach encourages educators to incorporate affirmative storytelling, community-building exercises, and reflective learning practices into their pedagogy. For LIS educators, the principles underlying Your Voices and SAYV offer tangible strategies for integrating decolonizing pedagogies into their curricula. For example, we can leverage storytelling as a teaching tool. Encouraging students to share their lived experiences—through podcasts, reflective writing, or oral history projects—can provide richer, more diverse perspectives in LIS education. In addition, adopting student-led and participatory learning models can enhance engagement and knowledge retention. Tools like Discord or asynchronous media allow students to engage at their own pace, creating more inclusive learning environments.
This session will highlight the Best Practices Guide developed through Your Voices, discuss the current SAYV project, and invite participants to explore the following questions:
What student-centered spaces exist for underrepresented students to engage in open dialogue and knowledge-sharing?
How can storytelling—through podcasts or other asynchronous formats—be leveraged to make voices feel more natural, personable, and impactful?
In what ways can LIS educators incorporate such student-centered projects in their teaching practices to help decolonize pedagogies?
How can LIS programs encourage students to build meaningful networks and disrupt exclusionary practices within the profession?
We will invite attendees—including students, educators, and others—to contribute experiences and best practices for initiating similar efforts in their own institutions and organizations. By engaging with these questions, we aim to collectively reimagine LIS education as an inclusive, participatory, and socially just learning environment. Through projects like Your Voices and SAYV, LIS educators gain concrete strategies to challenge knowledge hierarchies, integrate student-led learning, and foster culturally responsive teaching. By embracing student agency, digital tools, and alternative knowledge-sharing methods, we can transform LIS education into a field that truly values and amplifies the diverse voices of all students
Curiosity, Empathy, and Care: The Valuable Mindset in LIS Education
Get PDFDecolonizing Library and Information Science (LIS) education is essential to challenging the Western-centric frameworks dominating the field. While this work has focused on critiquing and revising curriculum and knowledge systems, we argue that decolonization in LIS begins with a fundamental shift in the attitudes and values upheld in the classroom. Rather than solely emphasizing technical skills and merit-based performance, decolonization calls for a refocus on humanity. This paper explores how three values, curiosity, empathy, and care, can be integrated in the classroom. By centering these values, LIS education equips future professionals to better navigate the complexities of diversity, challenge colonial legacies, and advocate for justice and equity in their practice. As a result, the LIS learning environment not only addresses the practice of the field, it also cultivates a sense of collective responsibility, empathy, and ethical engagement with the diverse communities and knowledge systems that shape our world
Disruptive Partnerships:: Collaborating with Students to Create Empowering Learning Experiences in Information Studies
Get PDFFaculty at Purdue University\u27s School of Information Studies have developed pedagogical approaches aiming to disrupt traditional power dynamics, centering students’ voices in the construction of learning experiences. The paper describes three educational programs developed at Purdue leveraging a students as partners (SaP) approach, where faculty and students co-design learning experiences. The programs include: 1) Students Partners for Information Research and Literacy (SPIRaL), a two-semester undergraduate research program in which students investigate societal information challenges, 2) Partners for Algorithmic Literacy (PAL), a six-week program in which partners integrate artificial intelligence into coursework, and 3) Information Studies Research Accelerator (ISRA), a first-year living-learning community introducing students to information studies research. Existing and ongoing studies are underway to examine learning benefits of pedagogical partnership in information studies curricula. Partnership in course design is a promising avenue for LIS educators to begin decolonizing classroom hierarchies, creating curricula shaped by students’ lives
Seeking Wellness: International Students\u27 Mental Health Information Behavior
Get PDFInternational students face stress when adapting to new cultural and academic environments, making them more vulnerable to mental health challenges compared to domestic peers (Acquah & Commins, 2018; Glass & Westmont, 2014; Mulyadi et al., 2024; Spanhel et al., 2021). While existing literature has examined general health information behavior and mental health conditions of international students, limited research has focused specifically on how international students seek, evaluate, and use mental health-related information. Moreover, there is a lack of theoretical work connecting international students’ mental health needs to their information behavior patterns.
In response to the growing concern for international student wellbeing (Alaklabi et al., 2021; Kivelä et al., 2024), this study will investigate their mental health information behavior. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986) and social capital theory, this study will employ an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. In the quantitative phase, a survey will be used to measure mental health status and mental health information behavior. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to analyze quantitative data by assessing the relationship between mental health conditions and information behavior, identifying influencing factors, and comparing information source preferences. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews will be conducted to gain deeper insights, and thematic analysis will be used to identify recurring themes. Triangulation will be applied to increase credibility.
This study will enhance the understanding of international students\u27 mental health information behavior and provide implications for universities, libraries, and health providers to deliver inclusive and culturally sensitive mental health support
The Current Portrait of Library and Information Science Doctoral Students in the USA: Our Resources for Future Information Professionals
Get PDFAccording to the ALISE Statistical Report (ALISE, 2021), 31 schools offered LIS doctoral programs in the USA, but only 26 schools provided information on their current doctoral students on the school website. Another two schools were added from the list gathered by Sugimoto et al. (2009) on their attempt to portray the LIS doctoral education landscape from 1930-2007. A manual web-scraping was employed following Thota and Ramez (2021) by searching for publicly available data of doctoral students enrolled in LIS programs in the USA. A sampling frame was created from the information published on the LIS school websites, including doctoral students’ full names, affiliations, profile pages, email contacts, genders, and research areas. The Airtable platform was used to create a dashboard of doctoral student profiles, where all personal identifiable information was removed prior to inputting the data into the platform. Then, the dashboard serves as an input for the work-in-progress poster, displaying a portrait of 218 doctoral students from five schools located in four regional areas (Midwest, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest). The majority of doctoral students are female (63.8%), and the three top areas of research grouped by the ALISE research taxonomy are data science, human-computer interaction & design, and information technologies. The study aims to provide a valuable resource for the future information professional talent pool. The findings from the study can serve as an input for ALISE to use, maintain and continually update this talent pool to create a supportive culture for identity development of information professionals