Many library and information science scholars, as well as those in adjacent fields, publish research that would be useful to help public, academic, special, and school librarians do their jobs even better. But few practicing librarians have the time to find papers that would be relevant, let alone read them. LJ’s new column Research Briefs will summarize in plain language some key takeaways of recent research, and point to the full paper for those who want to know more. If you are a scholar or journal editor and would like your paper to be considered for inclusion, please email Lisa Peet at lpeet@mediasourceinc.com.

Despite increasingly diverse communities across the United States, library workforces—particularly among librarian positions that require MLIS degrees—tend not to reflect this diversity. As a result, they also tend to lag in their service offerings for speakers of languages other than English. Andrew A. Wakeleea (Fresno City College) and Kim M. Thompson (University of South Carolina) study library employment trends and offer suggestions for how to better foster a more inclusive workforce in their article “Spanish-speakers Preferred: How Libraries Can Make Their Workforce Better Reflect Their Communities.” When library personnel at all levels reflect the racial and linguistic realities of their communities, libraries become more welcoming spaces for a wider range of patrons, and library and information sciences becomes a more diverse and inclusive field.

Wakeleea and Thompson begin by sharing demographic trends and how they align with professional commitments and gaps in the library workforce. As of the 2020 census, Spanish is the most spoken language aside from English in the United States. The Latine community accounts for 18.7 percent of the country’s population. Though the American Library Association (ALA) holds diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, only 9.9 percent of librarians identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race. (The categorizations used by the Bureau make it hard to get accurate counts for non-degreed library workers as distinguished from other education workers.) Lack of Latine employees and limited Spanish-speaking options serve as dual barriers to Spanish-speaking Latine patrons using library services.

The professional discrepancy may be explained, in part, by barriers posed by the required MLIS degree for many library positions, especially those with higher salaries and potential for growth. Because Latine students are more likely to be first-generation college attendees, the cost of enrollment in a master’s program and the need to do unpaid work in pursuit of the degree, not to mention the comparatively low compensation after receiving it, may dissuade aspiring Latine professionals from pursuing a career in libraries.

Wakeleea and Thompson completed a content analysis of job ads to examine emerging trends in the library profession. Their study included 992 job advertisements from the ALA listserv and Indeed, for both part- and fulltime patron-facing positions. Wakeleea and Thompson examined the jobs that listed Spanish-speaking, Hispanic, or Latine/a/x specific wording (e.g., “Spanish language preferred”) to identify trends. Spanish language ability was listed as a desired skill in 7.8 percent of all of the advertisements, primarily in ads for public library positions. A stronger focus on more inclusive job ads may result in higher recruitment, and retention, of Spanish-speaking employees.

After completing this analysis, Wakeleea and Thompson offer suggestions for how to limit barriers for Spanish-speaking and Latine people who enter the library profession. This begins with hiring managers positioning speaking languages other than English as a desired skill in job ads and noting level of language proficiency to encourage fluent speakers to apply. The authors also recommend publishing salary ranges in job ads for more transparency for applicants. Wakeleea and Thompson suggest expanding MLIS coursework that would be relevant for Spanish-speaking students, as well as improving access to paid internships and scholarship possibilities. For more on this study and further suggestions, read Spanish-speakers Preferred: How Libraries Can Make Their Workforce Better Reflect Their Communities.

Wakeleea provides insight into future scholarship on this topic for LJ readers: “Our main takeaway is that libraries should take initiative, both in terms of their services and hiring practices, to speak the language of their communities. This includes highlighting language skills in job posts and throughout the hiring process to ensure that libraries can answer their community members’ questions in their native language and make more people feel included. Since presenting this paper at the ALISE 2022 Conference, we are tentatively planning a book chapter that will expand upon this topic. We also are continuing this ongoing conversation about language diversity and inclusion in our respective workplaces.”