Those working in the field of library science do not currently reflect the age, class, disabilities, ethnicity, gender identity, race, sex, and sexual orientation makeup of the populations they serve.
There are efforts to provide a diverse working environment in libraries, with an eye towards ways to diversifying the status quo.
Most library and information science students do not belong to an underrepresented group and as a reaction to these research statistics, the field is creating ways to encourage more diversity in the classroom.
[3] The ALA Annual Research Diversity Grant Program is a way to encourage innovation in scholars and professionals to provide insight into how to diversify the field.
The ALA Grant is directed toward those who have valuable and original research ideas that can add to the knowledge of diversity in the field of librarianship.
[5] In library and information science graduate programs, it is also suggested by scholars that there is a lack of classes teaching students cultural competences.
If minorities do not desire to become librarians, they will not seek to obtain an MLS or MLIS and therefore will not fill high job roles in libraries.
[13][12][14] The founders of APALA included Lourdes Collantes, Suzine Har Nicolescu, Sharad Karkhanis, Conchita Pineda, Henry Chang, Betty Tsai, and Tamiye Trejo Meehan.
The National Association of Spanish Speaking Librarians in the United States, which would later be called REFORMA, was founded in 1971 by Arnulfo Trejo and Elizabeth Martinez.
[28][29] REFORMA has pushed for Spanish collections in libraries, gives out yearly scholarships, and sends out quarterly newsletters.
[36] In Nashville, Tennessee, Sandy Cohen manages the Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (LSDHH).
[45][46][47] In large academic libraries, there is less of a discrepancy; however, overall, throughout the profession, men tend to hold higher or leadership positions.
[51] There are multiple groups within the American Library Association dedicated to discussing, critiquing, and furthering gender-related and feminist issues within the profession.
[55] The ALA also has the Women & Gender Studies Section (WGSS) of its Division "Association of College & Research Libraries"; this section was formed to discuss, promote, and support women's studies collections and services in academic and research libraries.
The group dealt with sexuality, with much of the roundtable's work feminist in nature, and was concerned with issues of gender.
Scholars including Hope A. Olson, Sarah M. Pritchard and Sanford Berman have directed efforts at the problematic nature of cataloging and classification standards and schemes that are obscuring or exclusionary to marginalized groups.
The ALA Policy Manual states under B.2.1.15 Access to Library Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sexual Orientation (Old Number 53.1.15): "The American Library Association stringently and unequivocally maintains that libraries and librarians have an obligation to resist efforts that systematically exclude materials dealing with any subject matter, including sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation.
The Association also encourages librarians to proactively support the First Amendment rights of all library users, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
ALA encourages all American Library Association chapters to take active stands against all legislative or other government attempts to proscribe materials related to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression; and encourages all libraries to acquire and make available materials representative of all the people in our society.
[67] In 1919, an ALA resolution promoting equal pay and opportunities for women in librarianship was defeated by a large margin.
[69] In 1971, Effie Lee Morris became the first woman (and first black person) to serve as president of the Public Library Association.
[70] In 1972, Celeste West co-founded Booklegger Press, the first woman-owned American library publisher, with Sue Critchfield and Valerie Wheat.
[74] In 1976, the Council of the American Library Association passed a "Resolution on Racism and Sexism Awareness" during the ALA's Centennial Conference in Chicago, July 18–24.
[81] In 2022, Coleman examined equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts in libraries from an international perspective.