Academic Library Leadership

Binh P Le

doi:10.23974/ijol.2021.vol6.1.184

Abstract

Nearly 80% of American librarians are women. Similarly, the majority of American librarians are White; people of color – e.g., African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latino Americans – represent a small percentage of the U.S. library work-force. Throughout history, library leadership positions, regardless of the type of library (e.g., academic, public, or special), have been held by White males. This library leadership landscape was significantly altered following the enactment of a number of progressive laws and affirmative action programs, starting with the passage of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The problem, however, is that not every underrepresented group benefits from these laws and programs (hereafter policies). In fact, based on the present study, it appears that these policies have done little to help increase the number of people of color who are library directors in some of America’s largest and most prestigious academic libraries.

Highlights

Throughout history, library leadership positions, regardless of the type of library, have been held by White males. This library leadership landscape was significantly altered following the enactment of a number of progressive laws and affirmative action programs, starting with the passage of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
In trying to protect and to level the playing field for women and underrepresented groups in the workplace, including higher education, the U.S Congress enacted a number of significant laws (e.g., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972) starting in the mid-1960s
Social movements and progressive governmental policies have significantly altered some aspects of the landscape of U.S library leadership

Summary

Introduction

In trying to protect and to level the playing field for women and underrepresented groups in the workplace, including higher education, the U.S Congress enacted a number of significant laws (e.g., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972) starting in the mid-1960s. The federal government established a series of affirmative action programs shortly afterward These policies have had many profound impacts on multiple aspects of American society. With regard to the library profession, for example, one effect of the implementation of these policies is that the number of women academic library directors has increased significantly (e.g., Hollis, 1999; Deyrup, 2004). Many of these academic library directors, especially those in large academic libraries, are better compensated than their counterparts (e.g., deans) at the same institutions. This paper is an attempt to look at whether these policies have helped to increase the number of minority library

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Conclusion