A library serves a multitude of communities, a variety of people with different backgrounds like race, ethnicity, class, genders, age, and abilities. Everyone has their different beliefs, norms, and values and when they come together in a place like the library you can see these cultures coexisting and intersecting. It is important to have library staff that come from diverse backgrounds that represent members in your community so that patrons see themselves reflected in the people that will help them. By having representation or someone they can relate to on some common ground, trust can be built, needs can be met with accuracy, and community members can feel comfortable enough to engage.
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The video, Multnomah County Library: Creating conditions for equity to flourish (ALA, 2019), we viewed for our class material is a perfect example of how historically library staff have been caucasian females, which makes it difficult for patrons from diverse backgrounds to connect and relate to the staff. One cannot change one’s race, ethnicity, or age but one can become culturally literate and adopt cross cultural communication skills. Someone’s culture can influence how they think about information, how they interact with another person, and what they prioritize. When helping a patron it is important for a librarian to get to the heart of what it is that that person is seeking and deliver that information in a way that the patron understands and fit their needs. We use umbrella terms for people’s cultures. For example, we use Hispanic and Latino as umbrella terms for certain groups of people, but a person who identifies as Mexican will have a completely different experience and perspective than a person who is Cuban. Socioeconomic factors also play into their beliefs, values, norms, and expectations. What might mean one thing to you might mean something else entirely to someone across the desk.
Reference
American Library Association. (2019, June 17). Multnomah County Library: Creating conditions for equity to flourish. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGlxh-zc0Y
@marleneroblesortiz This:
“By having representation or someone they can relate to on some common ground, trust can be built, needs can be met with accuracy, and community members can feel comfortable enough to engage.”
This sums it all up so well. A person visiting the library should be met with a warm welcome by a relatable staff member…ready to listen with empathy and eager to assist.