The document addresses various forms of racism faced by students and staff of color in educational institutions, highlighting the need for more diversity and an acknowledgment of institutional racism. It presents statistics on the racial composition of library and information workers, emphasizes the existence of microaggressions, and discusses the concept of the library as a welcoming space. The document also encourages individuals in the sector to be proactive in advocating for change and promoting inclusivity.

1. “From harassment in
classrooms to a lack of mental
health provision, a Eurocentric
curriculum and an outrageous
BAME attainment gap, every
day students and staff of
colour experience
interpersonal and institutional
racism.”
Mona Mounir; student union Welfare
and Liberation Officer, Goldsmiths,
2019.

2. Diversity in HE libraries:
working towards best practice
Jennifer Bayjoo
Diversity in Libraries of the North (DILON)
@epicbayj @libdiverse
Leeds Beckett University

3. What are we talking about?
Race and society
Library sector
DILON
What will you do?
What you can do

5. 3 in 5 BAME people say someone has
confused them with another person of
the same ethnicity
Minorities were more than twice as
likely to have encountered abuse or
rudeness from a stranger in the last
week.
57% of minorities saying they felt they
had to work harder to succeed in Britain
because of their ethnicity
Revealed: the stark evidence of everyday racial bias in Britain. The Guardian 02/12/18

6. Where are you
from?
Microagressions
aren’t real
Don’t be so
angry
He’s just being
nice
I have black
friends
We need more
men

7. Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie,
Americanah

8. Library sector
96.7% of library and
information workers
identify as white
(CILIP Mapping the workforce project)
https://archive.cilip.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/executive_summary_nov_2015-
5_a4web_0.pdf

9. Library sector
• 96.7% of library and information workers
identify as white (CILIP Mapping the workforce
project)
• 87% in USA (ALA)
• 93% in Leeds Beckett LLI (from HR, Summer 2018)
• 77.9% UK academic staff (HESA 16/17)
• 87.5% identifying as white (UK Labour Force Survey
statistics)

11. (White)

12. The library as a
‘nice’ space

13. 40+% have
experienced racial
discrimination at
work
SCONUL 2018 survey

14. “Our education systems must
first acknowledge institutional
racism and white privilege,
otherwise they will fail. A
failure to acknowledge racism
results in a failure to act upon
it and to instigate change.”
Professor Kalwant Bhopal, 2018.
Towards a post-racial society: how to make universities more inclusive. The Guardian (2018)

15. Institutional culture?
• Lack of staff awareness around diversity
• Inclusion/isolation
• Racist abuse and microagressions
• Institutional racism
• Stereotypes and implicit bias

16. Diversity in Libraries
of the North (DILON)
Est. April 2018

17. Achievements so far

18. Hurdles

19. What are
universitie
s and
libraries
doing
about it?

20. • Race (and gender etc.) groups, forums
• Equality and Diversity committee
• Equality & Diversity framework/strategy
• Library groups
• Why is my curriculum white?
• Race Equality Charter mark
• Recruitment
• Unconscious bias training
• Targeted programmes for progression

21. What you could do?
Speak up
Question teams, policies and practice
Who is at the table?
Look into policies, committees and
strategies
Listen and amplify
Educate yourself
Believe!

22. Be an ACTIVE ally
https://libdiverse.wordpress.com/2018/06/11/so-
you-want-to-be-an-ally/
By Natalia Gordon

23. “If you are disgusted by what you see, and if you
feel the fire coursing through your veins, then it's
up to you. You don't have to be the leader of a
global movement or a household name. It can be
as small scale as chipping away at the warped
power relations in your workplace. It can be
passing on knowledge and skills to those who
wouldn't access them otherwise. It can be
creative. It can be informal. It can be your job.
It doesn't matter what it is, as long as you're doing
something.”
― Reni Eddo-Lodge, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About
Race

24. Over to you!
What can we do as a sector?
What does your workplace do?
Who can help?
What will you do?
Any questions?

25. All images copyright free from unsplash.com

26. Diversity in Libraries of
the North (DILON)
libdiverse.wordpress.com/about-us/
libdiverse@gmail.com
@libdiverse
@epicbayj