Guest EditorialMissing Links in Reaching CulturallyDiverse Students in Academic Libraries

I n planning library and information services, the rule ofthumb is that the services and programs should matchthe information needs of the clientele. This axiom ap-

plies to all library settings. However, a literature review ofacademic library services for culturally diverse students sug-gests an exception to the rule. Although these programs andservices are adequately described, there appears to be littlereported research on the information needs, expectations, andsatisfaction of culturally diverse groups with library pro-grams and services.

The literature frequently states the need for programs orextols the virtues of successful ones, often without any dis-cussion of how that success is measured. We see conjecturemuch more often than we do evidence. Those articles thatconsider the provision of library services to culturally di-verse groups in academic libraries focus on programs (e.g.,bibliographic instruction) or professional recruitment strate-gies (e.g., partnering, mentoring, and networking).1 Rose-mary R. Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, and William Caynon ad-dressed the impact of cultural diversity in academic librariesthrough a presentation of various academic library profilesand case studies.2 The topics include mission statements,staffing, training, and collection development. Camila A.Alire and Frederick J. Stielow emphasized the proper role oflibrary administrators in making the library relevant to theculturally diverse student population.3 Again, the focus is theimplementation phase with suggestions concerning biblio-graphic instruction, recruitment of culturally diverse staff,and mentoring. Because the majority of articles describe ex-isting programs, as opposed to reporting research findings,there is very little mention of the crucial elements needed todesign effective academic library services for culturally di-verse groups, namely a precise statement of the problem

coupled with a set of objectives, hypotheses, and researchquestions; a definition of the population group; and a linkageof the findings to the planning process and improved servicedelivery.

Minorities on Campus: A Handbook for Enhancing Diver-sity, which is based on research, is a useful guide for devel-oping programs.4 The roles of university administration, fac-ulty, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as thecurriculum are examined within the context of strategies,recommendations for action, checklists, and case studies.Although the text is not specific to libraries, its value lies inthe focus on strategic planning and the evaluation of suc-cessful and nonsuccessful programs.

DESIGN A STUDY

To plan and ultimately provide effective academic libraryprograms geared to meet the needs of a culturally diversestudent population, a series of questions must be addressedin the context of a formal study. What is the purpose of thestudy? Is it to determine the information needs, satisfaction,or expectations of culturally diverse students? Is it to makeculturally diverse students feel welcome in the library; todesign an instructional program (e.g., for online searching orbibliographic instruction); or to recruit students as potentialstaff members? If the purpose of the study is to address theinformation needs, expectations, or satisfaction of culturallydiverse students, a critical question must be answered: do theinformation needs, expectations, and satisfaction of culturallydiverse students differ from those of other students? If so,how? Does the library know the information needs, expecta-tions, and satisfaction of the general student population? Isthat information the basis for library programming and ser-vice delivery?

IDENTIFY THE GROUP

Academic libraries need an accurate profile of the campus’culturally diverse population. Who are the culturally diversestudents? Does the campus have data related to ethnic andracial identity? In interpreting existing data, and in collecting

Cheryl A. Metoyer is Director of Information Resources,Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, 110Pequot Trail, P.O. Box 3180, Mashantucket, Connecticut06339-3180,CMetoyer@mptn.org..

The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 26, Number 3, pages 157–158 May 2000157

data, libraries need to be cognizant of the potential artificial-ity and subjectivity of preassigned ethnic and racial catego-ries. Is other socioeconomic information available? The im-portance of this information should be apparent. Forexample, if the student population includes a significantnumber of single mothers who work off campus and go toschool part time, these circumstances should impact thetime, length, frequency, and location of library programs.Another consideration in library programming concerns tech-nology. All students may not have equal access to off-cam-pus computers. Academic libraries require precise informa-tion for feasible and meaningful program development.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A well-designed research study is the basis for successfulacademic programming and services. When culturally di-verse students are the population in question, there are anumber of suggestions that aid in the design, implementa-tion, and evaluation of the study. They are as follows:

● Use a personal interview coupled with a questionnaire asthe data collection method;

● In the design of the instrument, be attentive to culturaland linguistic factors, such as in the sequencing of ques-tions;

● Design a strong sampling strategy;● In both the planning or implementation phase, request the

participation of a staff member from the appropriate cul-tural group;

● Partner with the Ethnic Studies Centers on campus andrepresentatives from community agencies to identify po-tential interviewees;

● Provide some type of recognition or compensation forparticipants, including campus departments or individuals;

● Gather pertinent information from campus social, reli-gious, and political organizations, including dormitories;

● Pretest data collection forms with culturally diverse par-ticipants; and

● Schedule interviews at convenient times and locations formaximum student participation.5

CONCLUSION

The culturally diverse student population may represent asignificant part of the campus community. The informationneeds, expectations, and satisfaction of this population mayor may not be significantly different enough to warrant adifferent set of library services, programs, or resources. Or,the differences may be very great, thereby dictating a radi-cally different set of programs or services. It may be that,although the information needs are essentially the same forall students, the assessment may call for outreach effortsdesigned to introduce and encourage culturally diverse stu-dents to use the existing resources of the library. Either way,a successful program or service requires evidence and per-haps some readjustments in that program or service. Theevidence, if used for planning and decision-making purposes,will dictate the character and the direction of the library’sprograms or services and demonstrate the library’s commit-ment to its user community.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. Deborah A. Curry, Susan Griswold Blandy, & Lynne M. Martin,editors,Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Academic Libraries: Mul-ticultural Issues(Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press, 1994).

2. Rosemary Ruhig Du Mont, Lois Buttlar, & William Caynon,Multiculturalism in Libraries(Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,1994).

3. Camila A. Alire & Frederick J. Stielow, “Minorities and theSymbolic Potential of the Academic Library: Reinventing Tradi-tion,” College & Research Libraries56 (November 1995): 509–517.

4. Madeline Green, editor,Minorities on Campus: A Handbook forEnhancing Diversity(Washington, D.C.: American Council onEducation, 1989).

5. Cheryl Metoyer-Duran,Gatekeepers in Ethnolinguistic Commu-nities (Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corp., 1993).

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