Session 1B: Women of Color’s Assets and Barriers in Leadership Positions in Academic Libraries (Work in Progress)
Event Type
Presentation
Location
U-Hall Classroom 3230
Track
Leadership
Start Date
21-7-2023 11:15 AM
End Date
21-7-2023 12:15 PM
Description
Women of color face barriers and nurture assets to becoming leaders in academic librarianship leadership. Historically, libraries were places of exclusion not only in leadership but also in library services, organization knowledge, and workforce composition (Homma, 2005; Jennings & Kinzer, 2022; Minter & Chamblee-Smith, 2018; Sierpe, 2019). Furthermore, the White population holds 76.9 % of the positions in higher education (EOS Foundation, 2021; Taylor et al., 2020). Examining all these variables together (i.e., ethnicity, gender, and higher education) reveals that White women hold 71% of all positions in academic librarianship (Schonfeld & Sweeney, 2017). Failure to understand the different barriers Women of Color encounter in their leader's journey in academic libraries increases the risks of more significant disparities and lack of professional representation in areas involved with leadership (Vinopal, 2016). Women of Color's assets and barriers in leadership positions in academic libraries are complex. There are no isolated events; thus, the examination requires systemic perspectives. Hence, the theoretical framework utilizes Critical Race Feminism (Wing, 2015). This presentation will consider various factors to explore the unique experiences of Women of Color as leaders in academic libraries. Including the systemic exclusion of libraries, the whiteness in libraries, race and gender in librarianship, the experiences of Women in academia, and the reality of Women of color in academic librarianship. This presentation is a work in progress since the author's doctoral dissertation project. Positionality: I am a White cis Latina immigrant whose existentialism has been shaped by my immigration and professional experiences in my Californian world. I am an outsider, a bilingual person who speaks English with a strong accent. I hold two passports and have educational experiences in three countries—Argentina, Spain, and the United States—all made possible by scholarships and fellowships. I carry the experience of being both a first-generation and an international student.
Outcomes
- Analyze the topic of Women of Color assets and barriers in leadership positions through the lens of Critical Race Feminism.
- Analyze the different factors of the unique experiences of Women of Color as leaders in academic libraries. Share with the community the up-and-coming work.
Session 1B: Women of Color’s Assets and Barriers in Leadership Positions in Academic Libraries (Work in Progress)
U-Hall Classroom 3230
Women of color face barriers and nurture assets to becoming leaders in academic librarianship leadership. Historically, libraries were places of exclusion not only in leadership but also in library services, organization knowledge, and workforce composition (Homma, 2005; Jennings & Kinzer, 2022; Minter & Chamblee-Smith, 2018; Sierpe, 2019). Furthermore, the White population holds 76.9 % of the positions in higher education (EOS Foundation, 2021; Taylor et al., 2020). Examining all these variables together (i.e., ethnicity, gender, and higher education) reveals that White women hold 71% of all positions in academic librarianship (Schonfeld & Sweeney, 2017). Failure to understand the different barriers Women of Color encounter in their leader's journey in academic libraries increases the risks of more significant disparities and lack of professional representation in areas involved with leadership (Vinopal, 2016). Women of Color's assets and barriers in leadership positions in academic libraries are complex. There are no isolated events; thus, the examination requires systemic perspectives. Hence, the theoretical framework utilizes Critical Race Feminism (Wing, 2015). This presentation will consider various factors to explore the unique experiences of Women of Color as leaders in academic libraries. Including the systemic exclusion of libraries, the whiteness in libraries, race and gender in librarianship, the experiences of Women in academia, and the reality of Women of color in academic librarianship. This presentation is a work in progress since the author's doctoral dissertation project. Positionality: I am a White cis Latina immigrant whose existentialism has been shaped by my immigration and professional experiences in my Californian world. I am an outsider, a bilingual person who speaks English with a strong accent. I hold two passports and have educational experiences in three countries—Argentina, Spain, and the United States—all made possible by scholarships and fellowships. I carry the experience of being both a first-generation and an international student.
Outcomes
- Analyze the topic of Women of Color assets and barriers in leadership positions through the lens of Critical Race Feminism.
- Analyze the different factors of the unique experiences of Women of Color as leaders in academic libraries. Share with the community the up-and-coming work.
