Interview with a Graduate Student
Colleen Foy, a graduate student in the UNCG Library and Information Science program, has recently had her article, “Successful Applications of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming in Various Professional Settings: Strategies to Increase DEI in Libraries,” published in the Journal of Library Administration.
The Journal of Library Administration publishes research pertaining to the management of libraries and leadership in library organizations. The online Journal is accessible to anyone who wants to remain cognizant of emerging information as it pertains to the aforementioned subjects, and publishing in such a distinguished Journal is an amazing accomplishment.
“Being recognized means so much,” Colleen said when asked about being published. “I’m glad this journal sees this as an important contribution to librarianship.”
Recently, the Graduate School spoke with Colleen Foy about her publication, her research with DEI in library and professional settings, and her student experiences here at UNCG. She talked about everything from her background and start at UNCG to what impact she hopes that her research will have on the library industry.
Introduction
Colleen started her graduate career at UNCG in the Library and Information Science program in 2018. “Information access has been the underlying theme,” she explained, “as it should be considering everything libraries stand to do for their communities.”
Colleen told the Graduate School that she chose to pursue an advanced degree in the program because it was time to start the next chapter of her life, and she wanted to select a program that challenged her interests: “Librarianship was the easy choice for me. Once I learned about UNCG’s LIS program and faculty, I was sold!” The online program was ideal for Colleen’s lifestyle, and she appreciated the flexibility of taking one course each semester.
Her current interests can be traced all the way back to her research assignments in high school. When she went on to pursue an undergraduate degree, Colleen received a Bachelor’s in Health Promotion, and the curriculum included biological science courses such as anatomy, exercise physiology, and kinesiology. “As an undergraduate,” she said. “I was able to facilitate graded exercise testing and review related research to develop exercise prescriptions.”
The knowledge gained in her undergraduate program, such as providing information and skills, is relevant to Colleen’s graduate-level work and education. For instance, Colleen’s recent publication exemplifies an intersection of her undergraduate and graduate interests and experiences, especially in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in library settings. She tells the Graduate School that she initially wanted to research and write about existing examples of workforce diversity programs in libraries, but she discovered far more information tackling the lack of programming throughout multiple industries.
“I wanted to include a variety of industries to exemplify successful DEI practices,” she said. “With more individuals and organizations acknowledging gaps in DEI strategies, I’m hopeful revisiting the topic in future research will provide a greater return of successful approaches and reduce even more barriers for practice.”
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI in Libraries)
Colleen’s article touches on the importance of libraries as critical sources of information, literacy, and internet access to marginalized groups. For these individuals, access to resources is often restricted, and libraries are meant to exist to accommodate everyone. From her own experiences, Colleen discussed visiting libraries when she was younger and checking out books and VHS movies. But she also acknowledged that these experiences are not always accessible to everyone. “Not everyone has a walkable library, safe or accessible transportation to and from a library, or connectivity to log in to a virtual classroom,” she cautioned.
Colleen’s article also goes in-depth to discuss the issue of underrepresented workforces in library settings compared to the communities that they serve. Her focus, specifically, pertains to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in professional environments. For library professionals, this has direct implications for the communities who depend on their resources and information. It means that institutions should be representing their entire community, not just the ones professionals can identify with and understand.
“We must take the responsibility as information professionals to understand how society, not just one or a few groups, benefits from the understanding and practice of each component of DEI,” Colleen explained.
For this particular article, Colleen identifies and hones in on recruitment, retainment, and inclusion practices as starting points for library professionals on their path to inclusive DEI programs. Colleen also broadened her scope and discussed the successes of businesses and corporations in other industries that seek to strategize and strengthen their recruitment, retention, and inclusion processes. She uses the examples of multiple well-known corporations and businesses and their existing practices as models for library organizations to learn from and adapt in the future.
Colleen also emphasized the importance of approaching this topic from a multifaceted perspective as libraries seek better organizational models: “Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to acknowledge the business side of libraries in Dr. Moniz’s LIS 650: Leadership and Management in Information Organizations. It was then I decided it might make sense to see what seemingly different industries could learn from each other,” she said.
But why are there so many existing barriers to diversifying library workforces? In Colleen’s article, she discusses some of these barriers, including employee recruitment and retainment programs that fail to entice employees to remain with their employer. She also mentions the lack of promotion for career opportunities such as librarians in K-12 settings. This promotion seems to be missing at such a critical juncture: “Librarians were never highlighted on career day or during counselling sessions at schools I attended. I’m not regretful of my career path thus far, but perhaps I could’ve merged my interests sooner if librarianship were marketed more as a career option?”
Despite the benefits of diversifying workforces, efforts to rectify this problem continue to persist. Why hasn’t anything been done? Why aren’t other employers following the same tactics? For example, Colleen writes about the success of Coca-Cola and Reynolds American, Inc as potential model organizations for diversity and inclusion. Is it because these larger corporations are more likely to be held accountable?
Perhaps. But Colleen covered several reasons for the persistence of these issues and their long-term implications: “If leaders don’t have DEI as a part of their strategy around business growth and development, those goals will not be cascaded to lower levels regardless of how passionate direct and indirect reports are about these practices.”
She also pointed to accountability in organizations as another key obstacle: “Larger companies have both more money and policies in place to support their practices,” she said. “Some may argue that an organization shouldn’t have a policy in place just to recruit diverse candidates. However, any ethically driven business recognizes the need for standards, work instructions, and policies to keep them honest, drive business, and mitigate risks.”
Inclusion and Social Belonging
Colleen goes on to highlight inclusion and social belonging and the need for workforces to be more diverse to represent the communities they serve. Some of these issues are also represented at a national level, and they point to larger systemic problems in our society that must be addressed. As Colleen explained, “We all have biased views of ‘traditional’ practices based on our experiences. I believe the fear of being blamed or held accountable for this is a barrier to the acknowledgement required to make changes.”
Furthermore, the purpose of libraries is to provide unrestricted access to information and resources. However, it may be difficult to serve everyone in the community without members of certain marginalized groups represented in library workforces. In fact, some community members may feel more welcomed or more willing to approach librarians who understand them and prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives.
“It’s past time to acknowledge these shortcomings and commit to finding ways to include underrepresented people in our everyday lives – this includes expanding curriculums to incorporate historical events and theories that may explain inequities that plague marginalized groups,” Colleen said. “Everyone has gifts to offer society and we’re better people for both sharing them with and welcoming them from others.”
Colleen’s discussion is also applicable to a variety of personal and professional situations. But how can we spread these messages and bring more awareness to the rest of the community and beyond? “The first step is for libraries to offer a variety of information and embrace multiple cultures and lifestyles,” she said. “Supporting Pride Month, for instance, is an excellent start; however, no reason exists to exclude titles and authors that support the LGBTQ+ community the remaining 11 months out of the year.”
Colleen mentions several model organizations that do this in her article, and she describes how these businesses have remained committed to DEI programs. Their policies and practices are not instituted for short-term goals, but a long-term commitment that has helped bring countless benefits to the organizations discussed in detail throughout her article.
Finally, she hopes that the recommendations in her article can be applied to library settings where diversity and inclusion initiatives are severely lacking. For the critical intersection between libraries and the communities they serve, the ultimate goal of making information access easier and more manageable for everyone must also mean taking a look at the ones responsible for serving community members.
“Diversifying our workforce will only expand our capabilities and the number of people we reach and engage,” Colleen said. “This is just one of the many benefits of implementing DEI strategies in recruitment, retainment, and inclusion practices.”
Student Experiences
For current or future graduate students who might also be interested in exploring these issues, Colleen explained that the best starting point for pursuing those passions is learning more about that topic. In her own experiences, Colleen talked about one of the professors who she has learned from in the past: “Dr. Chow, who I was lucky enough to catch for LIS674 Issues and the Virtual Community before he moves on to his exciting new role at San Jose State University, recently said that the best way to learn about something is to write about it.”
Of course, outside of her research, Colleen remains busy with her family, including her two sons who are both in elementary school. She also enjoys gardening, biking, and swimming.
“I also support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Senior Services Winston-Salem by fundraising and advocating for their missions,” she said.
Lastly, in looking to the future, Colleen hopes that her research will serve as a reminder of the influential role of DEI programs in libraries: “I believe the library industry has already acknowledged their issues with diverse workforces. The next step, and my hope, is that libraries act and create solid plans and policies around this effort, “ she explained. “Only good can come out of it for the promotion of the industry and support of our communities.”
Colleen’s full article is available via NC DOCKS! For her final project this upcoming semester, she plans to study and implement “Data Visualization as a Service” in library settings.
For more interesting stories like this one, check out the rest of the Graduate School website!
