IDiversity and LIS Education: Student-Based Groups Promoting Cultural Competence as a Vision for the Profession

Abstract

New homegrown groups such as iDiversity call attention to the important and essential role that student-based groups play in promoting cultural competency within their own institutions and the profession at large. The iDiversity story outlines (1) how student engagement can be transformed into leadership and action by diversity focus within the curriculum, faculty guidance, and support from the information community, (2) how student organizations can inform library and information science education practice in and contribute to the cultural readiness of emerging professionals, and (3) how concentrated social approaches to subsequent gathering and sharing of information can in turn transform the information community toward a vision of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. These initiatives are presented as an informal model outlining key steps and identifying critical factors for success. Potential for replication or propagation as well as other implications for the future are discussed.