Collection Audits

Introduction

"A diverse collection should contain content by and about a wide array of people and cultures to authentically reflect a variety of ideas, information, stories, and experiences." - Academic Library Association, Diverse Collections: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights

To meet the needs of their users, library collections must be diverse and inclusive. According to the American Library Association, developing a diverse and inclusive collection includes:

• selecting content in multiple formats;

• considering resources from self-published, independent, small, and local producers;

• seeking content created by and representative of marginalized and underrepresented groups;

• evaluating how diverse collection resources are cataloged, labeled, and displayed;

• including content in all of the languages used in the community that the library serves, when possible; and

• providing resources in formats that meet the needs of users with disabilities.

To that end, collections must be continuously audited to ensure that marginalized communities are represented. The sources below provide strategies and philosophies of collections audits rooted in representation.

Source: “Services to People with Disabilities: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,” adopted January 28, 2009, by the ALA Council under the title "Services to Persons with Disabilities"; amended June 26, 2018. 

This toolkit is organized by the amount of time you have to commit to the source or the level of engagement you would like to have with the material: Little Time (Get Started), Medium Time (Learn More), Lots of Time (Take Action) and alphabetically by resource title within those categories.

We welcome suggestions for additions to the toolkit. 

Little Time (Get Started)

• Ciszek, M. P., & Young, C. L. (2010). Diversity collection assessment in large academic libraries. Collection Building, 29(4), 154-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604951011088899

• Diversity Auditing 101: How to Evaluate Your Collection by Karen Jensen, School Library Journal.
  This article defines diversity audits, gives very basic information about how to do one, and includes some useful advice before beginning one.

• Mortensen, A. (2019). Measuring Diversity in the Collection. Library Journal, 144(4), 28–30.

• Proctor, J. (2020). Representation in the Collection: Assessing Coverage of LGBTQ Content in an Academic Library Collection. Collection Management, 45(3), 223–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2019.1708835

• Stone, S. M. (2020). Whose Play Scripts Are Being Published? A Diversity Audit of One Library’s Collection in Conversation with the Broader Play Publishing World. Collection Management, 45(4), 304–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2020.1715314 

• Emerson, M. E., & Lehman, L. G. (2022). Who Are We Missing? Conducting a Diversity Audit in a Liberal Arts College Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 48(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2022.102517
  The toolkit used in this article is linked below under Take Action

Medium Time (Learn More)

• Cultures of Collecting: Sustaining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Collection Development with speakers Roxanne Backowski, Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty, and Scarlet Galvan - 90 minute ACRL webinar recording

• How Academic Libraries Are Bringing Diversity Equity and Inclusion to Their Campuses with presenters Christine Machado-Dillon, Beck Imamota, Ariel Marbury, and Jeff Cola - 60 minute CHOICE Media webinar recording
  From buying books by marginalized authors to supporting academic DEI initiatives, academic libraries have always reflected a university’s mission through their diverse and inclusive collections. Presenters share best practices for building diverse collections and strategies to measure the success of your DEI collection. 

• Jahnke, L., Tanaka, K., & Palazzolo, C. (2022). Ideology, Policy, and Practice: Structural Barriers to Collections Diversity in Research and College Libraries. College & Research Libraries, 83(2), 166. doi:https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.83.2.166

• Practical Steps towards Diversifying Collections with speakers Elizabeth McClenny, Summer Durant, Curtis Kendrick, Helen McManus, and Chela Scott Weber - 50 minute OCLC panel discussion recording
  Many institutions want to do more to support diverse library and archival collections that better serve and reflect traditionally underrepresented communities. These plans can center around providing materials that serve more inclusive needs or hosting content authored by more diverse creators. In either case, getting started requires more than just good intentions. 

Lots of Time (Take Action)

• Filling in the Gaps: A Diversity Audit Toolkit from Tredway Library
  This toolkit includes documents and spreadsheets that will assist you in conducting a diversity audit at your institution. 

• Diversity Audit: A Practical Guide by Kelsey Bogan, blog
  This is a 3 part blog series of detailed instructions for conducting a diversity audit. Following these instructions and conducting your own audit based on them will constitute a sizable (but scalable!) project.

• From Diversity to Inclusion: How to Audit your Collection and Why by Kymberlee Powe
  This site includes the slides and recording from Ms. Powe’s presentation about diversity audits. She also shares her diversity audit template as a download, giving you an important tool to conduct your own diversity audit. 

• Ohio Collection Analysis Initiative
  This grant-funded resource provided by the State Library of Ohio is freely available to staff in all types of libraries in Ohio. It provides unlimited access to a Collection Analysis Toolkit with personalized support available. This tool is focused on children's and young adult materials, and will walk users through the steps of completing a diversity audit of those collections. Users will receive a custom Implementation Plan that provides detailed statistics about your current collection and guides you in making decisions for next steps.