Strategies for serving the underserved

CHICAGO — Underserved populations frequently do not have access to a library—or they may even be unaware that they have an information need. How can we as a profession effectively reach them? Geared to both graduate and undergraduate LIS students as well as current library workers, “Serving the Underserved: Strategies for Inclusive Community Engagement,” published by ALA Neal-Schuman, focuses on needs and services outside the library walls. Noted authorities such as Paul T. Jaeger, Ana Ndumu, Helen Chou, Bharat Mehra, Jeanie Austin, Emily Jacobson, Julie Hersberger, Carrie Scott Banks, Barbara Klipper, JJ Pionke, Nicole Dalmer, and Vanessa Kitzie outline fresh approaches to how libraries can think about and effectively reach underserved populations. Edited by Catharine Bomhold, this text provides contextual information on historically underserved populations as defined by the ALA Office for Diversity, Outreach, and Literacy Services (ODLOS), explores information use behaviors for these groups, and presents examples of successful strategies and programs. Readers will:

• understand the history, background, and demographics of ALA-identified underserved population groups, which include refugees and immigrants, rural or isolated communities, historically disadvantaged racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQAI+ teens, people with mental health challenges, and those experiencing homelessness;
• find ideas from real-world practice for effectively serving those population groups in their community;
• learn about concepts such as Reijo Savolainen's everyday life information seeking (ELIS) and Elfreda Chatman's small world lives and life in the round, theories that consider how a person's circumstances affect their information needs, searching habits, and information authorities;
• see why misconceptions, stereotypes, and implicit biases about underserved populations can act as barriers to people accessing the information they need;
• be introduced to the concept of the “community information liaison,” a librarian who addresses information-seeking of their community outside of the library walls; and
• have information about support organizations and additional resources for further learning.

Examination copies are available for instructors who are interested in adopting this title for course use.

Dr. Bomhold is an associate professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has taught graduate classes in LIS for over twenty years and has taught a class on serving marginalized patrons for 12 years. She is the coauthor of “Twice Upon a Time: A Guide to Fractured, Altered, and Retold Folk and Fairy Tales” and “Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It!: Subject Access to the Best How-To Guides for Children and Teens,” as well as numerous scholarly articles on information seeking.

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