“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” – Stephen Covey

Two values that have guided me throughout my life are integrity and inclusivity. I also believe that learning and understanding cultures outside my own is important. During my time as an undergraduate student, I studied abroad at Miami University's campus in Luxembourg during my sophomore year. There, I got a chance to travel throughout Europe and Africa where I interacted with many culturally diverse people. This sparked my desire to learn more about cultures around the world. 

One does not need to travel abroad, however, to learn about other cultures. People can do this through the power of books and reading. Therefore, public libraries must have a diverse collection that contains information resources about different cultures so that (1) patrons can learn about other cultures and (2) everyone in the library’s community feels reflected in the library’s collection. I took this core belief with me when I began working in the Acquisitions Department of the Dayton (OH) Metro Library in 2019. I have since learned the importance of the Acquisitions Department in ensuring that the library’s collection contains diverse information resources.

According to the American Library Association (ALA) (2023), there have been 1,915 demands to ban library books in 2023 – a 20% increase from last year (para. 2). Now more than ever, it is essential for libraries to show the core values of integrity and inclusivity (American Library Association [ALA], 2022) in continuing to provide diverse information resources to all its patrons. Though it is not an easy feat, librarians must continue to ensure that a minority of the public does not dictate what the whole community can (or cannot) access in the library's collection. 

My core beliefs of integrity and inclusivity align with three of ALA's (2022) core competencies: (1) Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education, (2) Reference and User Services, and (3) Social Justice. The Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education ALA core competency is an important reminder to provide information resources and services to the entire community. For instance, I can use statistics and seek input from the community and learn what information resources are missing from the collection – perhaps some communities are not represented at all. Or, I can seek out continuing education opportunities such as workshops and webinars to learn how to improve the diversity of the collections I acquire materials for. This overlaps with the Reference and User Services core competency which recommends assessing collections and programs to learn what needs to be improved to meet the needs of the entire community (ALA, 2022). I also strive to be aware of my unconscious biases and utilize diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging training to learn how I can help improve the library’s collection and services. This idea is reflected in the ALA’s Social Justice core competency (ALA, 2022). 

Public libraries are a safe haven for the community. Therefore, librarians must continue showcasing integrity and inclusivity to ensure everyone in the community feels represented and seen in the library’s collection. This is an integral part of my work in Acquisitions.

References

American Library Association. (2022). Core competencies. http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/corecomp/corecompetences

American Library Association. (2023). Book ban data. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data