Librarian Recruitment
Press Kit
With three states and the District of Columbia already "majority minority" and Texas well on its way, America's libraries are adding multilingual materials and services in response to shifting demographics.
Still missing in most libraries, however, is library staff that looks like and speaks like the diverse populations they serve. Of the roughly 4,000 library master's degrees awarded in 2001-2002, only 5 percent went to African Americans, 3.6 percent to Hispanics, 2.8 percent to Asian/Pacific Islanders and .5 percent to American Indians. The American Library Association (ALA) is committed to changing this landscape.
Thanks to a new $928,000 grant, the ALA is almost doubling the number of scholarships available to graduate school candidates of color. Sixty scholarships of $6,500 will be available each year for the next three years through the ALA's Spectrum Initiative.
Based on 2000 Census data, the number of librarians reaching retirement age will double in 2005 to 2009 over the previous five years, and the decade beginning in 2010 will see 45 percent of today's librarians reach age 65. Librarianship is a growing field with a need for increased cultural and ethnic diversity. Now is the time to recruit and change the face of the profession.
"I chose librarianship because I knew I could make a difference," said Spectrum Scholar Toni Olivas. A December 2001 study from e-global library found that 84 percent of librarians chose the profession to help people and serve the public, and 80 percent reported being very satisfied with their career choice.
For more information on these diverse librarians and the growing job opportunities in librarianship, please read on.
Latest Press Releases:
New librarians reject stereotypes, embody nation's diversity
Resources:
For additional information please contact Larra Clark, Media Relations Manager, lclark@ala.org or 312-280-5043.
Last updated 12/04
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