This is an original research study conducted by Shannon Simpson in 2010. The findings are still unpublished but have been reviewed for statistical significance. The researcher is open to comments and feedback and plans to publish her findings shortly. Please contact Shannon at ssimpson@towson.edu for concerns, questions, feedback, comments, etc.

1. Are We Closing One Gap While Widening Another?
Are Minority Librarians Leaving Graduate School In More Debt Than Their Non-Minority Colleagues?
Shannon R. Simpson, MLIS • Residency Librarian, Towson University
Description Survey Results Learning Outcomes Further Research
A survey on debt and scholarships for graduates of library school was • 92% of scholarships are being distributed to non-minorities • 3.79% of minorities that apply for scholarships receive none. How
conducted and analyzed in order to examine the debt load of ethnic Average Librarian Student Loan Debt* which make up 89% of the population. can this population be reached in order to close the financial gap
minority* versus non-minority library school graduates. In addition, the $35,000
between minorities and non-minorities?
number of scholarships applied for compared $34,800
$34,600
• 8% of scholarships are being distributed to minorities which
to their ultimate distribution was examined. $34,400
$34,200 make up 11% of the librarian population. • Would reaching the 3.79% of minorities with scholarships actually
close the financial gap?
$34,000
$33,800
*The term “minority” is used throughout this poster in place of “members of traditionally under-represented groups” for efficiency purposes. Here, the $33,600
term “minority” refers to all of those persons that are part of ethnically under-represented groups, or as defined by ALA’s Spectrum program as members $33,400 Scholarship Distribution
of: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander communities. The researcher
would like to acknowledge that, while this study examined a specific portion of the under-represented, the term “minority” can also be applied to a much
Non-Minority
$34,000 All Librarians
$34,100 Minorities
Total Scholarships Received by Minority Survey Participants =
204
• Does the strength of minority applicants or applications need to
broader group than those that were examined in this survey.
improve and if so, what can be done?
$34,948
Total Scholarships Received by Non-Minority Survey
*All dollar amounts have been adjusted at a compounded 8% rate and reflect dollar
amounts of 2010. 8% is an average rate of college inflation per year. Participants = 2,414.5 8%
Scholarship Applications
Background 40.00%
35.00%
92%
Percent of Survey Population
30.00%
Thanks in part to numerous diversity initiatives, the number of ethnic
25.00%
20.00%
minorities choosing to enter library school has seen slow but steady 15.00%
10.00%
increases over the past half-century. This poster reviews data collected 5.00%
0.00%
to compare the debt load of minority versus the debt-load of non- 0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+
No
Respo
nse
Average Debt Load Accumulated By Librarians in order to Attain MLIS/
minority library school graduates. In addition to examining the levelness Non-Minority 32.00% 36.82% 16.24% 6.12%
All Librarians 31.18% 35.29% 17.16% 7.06%
2.71%
2.94%
2.00%
1.96%
2.14%
2.55%
2.00%
1.87%
MLS degree
of the financial playing field between non-minority and minority
Minorities 20.45% 31.82% 25.00% 11.36% 3.79% 2.27% 4.55% 0.76%
• Minority = $34,948*
librarians, this study helps illustrate whether the amount of financial Total # of Applications
400
support made available to minority students is being out-paced by the 350
• Non-Minority = $34,000*
number of minorities entering the profession. 300
250
200
150
• Difference = $948*
100
*All dollar amounts have been adjusted at a compounded 8% rate and reflect dollar amounts of 2010. 8% is an AVERAGE rate of college inflation per year.
50
0
Percentage of surveyed minority librarians
• This study was conducted exclusively for library school graduates, but
0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+ No
Response
Non-Minority All Librarians Minorities and scholarships/grants/funding
how large is the minority population that did not finish library school
Scholarships Received specifically due to lack of funding?
60.00%
• 78.79% of all minority librarians APPLIED for 1
or more scholarships
Percent of Survey Population
50.00%
40.00% • 8% of all scholarships and library school assistance are being received
30.00%
• 67.43% of all minority librarians RECEIVED 1 by minorities. Are all, some or none of this 8% targeted specifically
20.00%
10.00% or more scholarships for minorities?
0.00%
No
0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+ Respo
nse
• 18.95% of all minority librarians RECEIVED 3 • Is there a perception in the field that minorities are receiving a great
Non-Minority 45.41% 39.53% 5.76% 1.18% 0.35% 0.35% 0.24% 7.18%
deal of scholarships and funding? If so, does this deter scholarship
Methodology or more scholarships
All Librarians 42.25% 41.08% 6.76% 1.37% 0.59% 0.49% 0.20% 7.26%
Minorities 24.24% 48.48% 13.64% 3.03% 0.76% 1.52% 0.00% 8.33%
granting agencies from awarding minorities, due to the perception
Total # Received
• 3.79% of all minority librarians that applied RECEIVED that they will get funding elsewhere? If so, what can be done in
Using the online tool, StudentVoice, a survey was distributed nationally
500
450
0 scholarships order to change this perception?
via various library-related listservs, blogs, and Facebook pages. 400
350
Statistical data was gathered from 1020 respondents. The survey was 300
250
Percentage of surveyed non-minority librarians
given “exempt” status by the researcher’s IRB department, and reflects 200
150
and scholarships/grants/funding
the latest demographic statistics of ALA and the 2000 U.S. Census. 100
50
0
0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+ No • 66.03% of all non-minority librarians APPLIED for 1
Response
Demographics Non-Minority All Librarians Minorities or more scholarships
Race or Ethnicity 2000 U.S. Census Percent of Percent of Survey
Primary Sources of Funding for Library School
Data – % of
Librarians
Population Respondents*
• 47.41% of all non-minority librarians RECEIVED 1
American Indian /
Alaska Native
Less than 1% .9% 1.86% 49.30%
45.23%
Non-Minority Minority
or more scholarships
Asian / Pacific 3% 3.7% 4.59%
Islanders 27.01%
African American /
Black
5% 12.3% 3.91% 17.08%
14.70%
10.81%
14.84%
9.50%
• 7.88% of all non-minority librarians RECEIVED 3
6.10%
or more scholarships
3.40% 0.00%
Hispanic / Latino 2% 12.5% 3.13% 1.18% 0.82% 0.00%
Caucasian / White 89% 75% 83.01%
Non-White 11% 25% 13.49%
* Respondents were given the option of checking all that apply. Roughly 5% checked
• 13.41% of all non-minority librarians that applied
more than one racial identity. 3.52% of respondents checked “Other” or “No
response.”
RECEIVED 0 scholarships