Title of Study: New Librarians of Color and Library Diversity Initiatives

Principal Investigator: Kawanna Bright, NCSU Libraries; Raleigh, NC

Co-Investigator: Pambanisha King, Auburn University Libraries; Auburn, AL

Co-Investigator: Deborah Lilton, Vanderbilt University Libraries; Nashville, TN

Purpose

The purpose of this survey is to attempt to determine what impact diversity initiatives in academic libraries have on the new librarians of color who participate in them. For the purpose of this survey diversity initiatives include but are not limited to library diversity committees, leadership and training institutes, scholarship programs, and post-master’s residency, fellowship and internship programs - programs all related to issue of the recruitment and retention of librarians of color into academic librarianship. This survey is open to all librarians of color who have at any time in their career worked in an academic library. This survey will allow these librarians to describe their experiences (both positive and negative) with these diversity initiatives and how these programs and experiences have affected their careers. This survey is an opportunity for the program participants to share their knowledge of these types of programs from their perspective rather than the perspective of those who administer the programs.

Participation

Participation in this study is voluntary. You have the right to be a part of this study, to choose not to participate or to stop participating at any time. Your responses are not required and you may exit the survey at any time by using the link in the upper-right-hand corner. You are not guaranteed any personal benefits from being in this study. If you do not understand something in this form it is your right to ask the researcher for clarification or more information. You may print a copy of this consent form for your own records. If at any time you have questions about your participation, do not hesitate to contact the researcher(s) named above.

We expect the survey to take between 15 and 25 minutes to complete depending on your range of experiences. The survey includes a few demographic questions followed by a series of yes/no questions that may also ask you for your opinion or for more details if you reply “yes” to a particular question. At no time will you be asked for any personally identifying information (including your name, e-mail or mailing address, telephone number, institution or city of employment). Some questions will not pertain to you, and you will not need to provide more than a “no” response to them.

Use of Data Collected

The researchers will use your responses to aid in the evaluation and improvement of programs designed to recruit and retain librarians of color. Your responses will offer insight into the true benefits and any negative aspects of these programs. Though no program will be identified by name in this study, most programs share common formats and face the issues that this study will identify. Though this study may not directly benefit all participants who complete the survey, it may benefit some participants who are still fairly new to the field and eligible to participate in retention programs in the near future. The results of this study will be most beneficial to the new librarians of color yet to be recruited to the field.

The information gathered will be presented at the upcoming National Diversity in Libraries Conference, scheduled to take place in October 2008. As all data is being collected anonymously there will be no way for anyone to distinguish your responses from any other participants responses during the conference or in any subsequent publications based on this study.

If you have questions at any time about the study or the procedures, you may contact the researchers, Kawanna Bright, at NCSU Libraries, Box 7111, Raleigh, NC 27695-7111, kmbright@ncsu.edu (919/513-2603); Pambanisha King, at RBD Library, Auburn, AL 36849, kingpam@auburn.edu (334/844-1745); or Deborah Lilton, at Jean and Alexander Heard Library, 419 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37240, deborah.lilton@vanderbilt.edu (615/322-7100).

If you feel you have not been treated according to the descriptions in this form, or your rights as a participant in research have been violated during the course of this project, you may contact: Dr. David Kaber, Chair of the NCSU IRB for the Use of Human Subjects in Research Committee, Box 7514, NCSU Campus (919/515-3086) or Mr. Matthew Ronning, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Research Administration, Box 7514, NCSU Campus (919/513-2148)

Informed Consent

I understand that by clicking on the “Next” button below to proceed to the survey implies that I have read and understand the above information; that I have printed out a copy of this information for my own records (if I have chosen to retain a copy); and that I am agreeing to participate in this study with the understanding that I may withdraw at any time by clicking the “Exit this survey” link found in the upper right-hand corner of the survey.