ACRL releases Choosing to Lead: The Motivational Factors of Underrepresented Minority Librarians in Higher Education

For Immediate Release
Tue, 02/07/2017

Contact:

Erin Nevius

Content Strategist

ACRL

enevius@ala.org

CHICAGO – The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the publication of “Choosing to Lead: The Motivational Factors of Underrepresented Minority Librarians in Higher Education,” edited by Antonia P. Olivas, Ed.D. Through case studies, promising practices, and specific strategies for cultivating diversity in academic library leadership, this is a resource for both librarians of color who wish to seek leadership positions and current library leaders who want to nurture these future leaders.

Why does a person choose to lead in an environment where she or he is traditionally labeled “the minority”? Over the years, many library researchers have found that underrepresented minority librarians leave the profession for various reasons: microaggressions, discrimination, burnout, lack of opportunity. But some of these academic librarians both stay in the profession and are motivated to become leaders.

"Choosing to Lead" takes a positive inquiry approach by providing first-hand accounts of success stories, best practices, and practical advice from a collection of diverse authors. Instead of looking at academic library “failures” when it comes to diversifying the leadership workforce, this book highlights what’s going right and how to implement it across the profession—with an emphasis on building strengths and fully leveraging one’s interests, behaviors, and passions, while never ignoring or deemphasizing the prevailing challenges that exist for diverse LIS professionals who wish to advance their leadership skills.

As Mark A. Puente, director of diversity and leadership programs at the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), writes in the Foreword, “The stories offered here provide authentic and personal views, from highly diverse perspectives, about why one might pursue management or leadership positions in LIS, the challenges that people from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups face when they attempt to enter that landscape, and practical strategies for developing oneself to ensure success.”

“Choosing to Lead: The Motivational Factors of Underrepresented Minority Librarians in Higher Education” is available for purchase in print and as an ebook through the ALA Online Store; in print through Amazon.com; and by telephone order at (866) 746-7252 in the U.S. or (770) 442-8633 for international customers.

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The Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) is the higher education association for librarians. Representing nearly 11,000 academic and research librarians and interested individuals, ACRL (a division of the American Library Association) develops programs, products and services to help academic and research librarians learn, innovate and lead within the academic community. Founded in 1940, ACRL is committed to advancing learning and transforming scholarship. ACRL is on the web at acrl.org, Facebook at facebook.com/ala.acrl and Twitter at @ala_acrl.