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People of color who choose careers in higher education may encounter microaggressions, marginalization, and other unpleasant situations. This narrative shares the experiences and perspectives of one African-American academic's experiences with the intent of encouraging academic professionals from underrepresented populations to persevere.

It is widely understood that effective children's and youth librarians must be innovative, aware of current/popular trends, and able to build rapport with young patrons. However, more emphasis must be placed on the fact that it is essential for these librarians to be prepared to identify and meet the needs of a patron population that is becoming increasingly diverse. The annotated resource list provided here shares resources that support children's/youth services librarians in developing and strengthening skills of cultural competence defined as "a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency or among professionals and enable that system, agency or those professions to work effectively in cross-cultural situations" (Cross et al. 1989, 7). Further, the annotated listing of materials serves to increase practitioners' acquisition of equity literacy defined as "the knowledge and skills that enable us to recognize, respond to, and redress conditions that deny some students access to educational and other opportunities enjoyed by their peers" (Gorski 2014).

The programs and services offered at school libraries will be accessed by K-12 students with a range of physical and cognitive abilities. School librarians must be equipped to address the information-seeking needs of all patrons, including those with special needs. An electronic survey was conducted to collect data from school librarians working in central New York State school districts; the purpose of the survey was to identify the strengths this group of school library professionals brought to the task of providing services to students with special needs. This paper shares the answers to five research questions and presents opportunities for improvement. Study results indicate that the respondents showed strength in several of the examined areas. Results also reveal practices that school librarians might implement to increase and improve library services for students with special needs. (Contains 2 tables, 3 figures and 3 footnotes.)

In order to provide culturally responsive instruction to all students, school library professionals need to recognize the various discourses around cultural competence that exist in the field of library and information science (LIS) and understand the broader meanings that are attached to these discourses. This study presents an evaluation of the underlying ideologies that are embedded in the textual responses of a group of LIS students reporting on their perceived levels of cultural competence preparation. The results reveal that there are dominant and competing discourses around cultural competence in the LIS field, which are important to make visible. The paper concludes with a discussion of how this kind of discourse analysis might inform pedagogies in the school library in ways that uniquely benefit historically marginalized students., Introduction The notion that all students deserve quality educational experiences is a popular discourse that reflects a broader ideology about the value and importance of education to one's life success. [...]

Purpose - This chapter examines the depth to which considerations of diversity and inclusion have been internalized within the educational programs, professions, and institutions of library and information science. Methodology/approach - Drawing upon the authors’ parallel careers as scholars and educators focused on the diversity and the inclusiveness of the field, this chapter uses the findings from their individual and collaborative studies over the past 10 years to explore the roles of diversity and inclusion in the field. Findings - This chapter details a list of key issues of diversity and inclusion that remain insufficiently addressed in the field and the ways in which educators, professionals, and institutions can work together to confront these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide culturally responsive instruction to all students, school library professionals need to recognize the various discourses around cultural competence that exist in the field of library and information science (US) and understand the broader meanings that are attached to these discourses. This study presents an evaluation of the underlying ideologies that are embedded in the textual responses of a group of US students reporting on their perceived levels of cultural competence preparation. The results reveal that there are dominant and competing discourses around cultural competence in the US field, which are important to make visible. The paper concludes with a discussion of how this kind of discourse analysis might inform pedagogies in the school library in ways that uniquely benefit historically marginalized students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The School of Information Studies at Syracuse University has long been an innovator in library and information science education, including the establishment of the field's first Web-based with limited residencies library and information science distance learning program in 1993. This article describes Syracuse's school library education (both distance and campus-based) in terms of developing student competence through a competency-based curriculum, bringing research into the classroom, and the use of technology for teaching and learning; fostering creativity through inquiry and "scholarship in action"; and building a community of inquiry among school library faculty, students, and practitioners through the use of social media and a variety of inclusive techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The programs and services offered at school libraries will be accessed by K-12 students with a range of physical and cognitive abilities. School librarians must be equipped to address the information-seeking needs of all patrons, including those with special needs. An electronic survey was conducted to collect data from school librarians working in central New York State school districts; the purpose of the survey was to identify the strengths this group of school library professionals brought to the task of providing services to students with special needs. This paper shares the answers to five research questions and presents opportunities for improvement. Study results indicate that the respondents showed strength in several of the examined areas. Results also reveal practices that school librarians might implement to increase and improve library services for students with special needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]