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Li, Yanli, Maha Kumaran, Allan Cho, Valentina Ly, Suzanne Fernando, and Michael David Miller. (2022). Changes in the Library Landscape Regarding Visible Minority Librarians in Canada. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 17(4): 36–70.
Li, Yanli
Kumaran, Maha
Cho, Allan
Ly, Valentina
Fernando, Suzanne
Miller, Michael David
Objective – As a follow-up to the first 2013 survey, the Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) network conducted its second comprehensive survey in 2021. The 2021 survey gathered detailed information about the demography, education, and employment of visible minority librarians (VMLs) working in Canadian institutions. Data from the 2021 survey and the analysis presented in this paper help us better understand the current library landscape, presented alongside findings from the 2013 survey. The research results will be helpful for professional associations and library administrators to develop initiatives to support VMLs. Methods – Researchers created online survey questionnaires using Qualtrics XM in English and translated them into French. We distributed the survey invitation through relevant library association electronic mail lists and posted on ViMLoC’s website, social networking platforms, and through their electronic mail list. The survey asked if the participant was a visible minority librarian. If the response was “No,” the survey closed. Respondents indicating "Yes" were asked 36 personal and professional questions of three types: multiple-choice, yes/no, and open-ended questions. Results – One hundred and sixty-two VMLs completed the 2021 survey. Chinese remained the largest ethnic identity, but their proportion in the survey decreased from 36% in 2013 to 24% in 2021. 65% were aged between 26 and 45 years old. More than half received their library degree during the 2010s. 89% completed their library degree in Canada, a 5% increase from 2013. The majority of librarians had graduated from University of Toronto (25%), followed closely by University of British Columbia (23%), and Western University (22%). Only 3% received their library degree from a library school outside North America. 34% of librarians earned a second master’s degree and 5% had a PhD. 60% of librarians had less than 11 years of experience. Nearly half worked in academic libraries. Most were located in Ontario and British Columbia. 69% of librarians were in non-management positions with 5% being senior administrators. 25% reported a salary above $100,000. In terms of job categories, the largest group worked in Reference/Information Services (45%), followed by Instruction Services (32%), and as Liaison Librarians (31%). Those working in Acquisitions/Collection Development saw the biggest jump from 1% in 2013 to 28% in 2021. 58% of librarians sought mentoring support, of whom 54% participated in formal mentorship programs, and 48% had a visible minority mentor. Conclusion – 35% more VMLs responded to the 2021 survey compared to the 2013 survey. Changes occurred in ethnic identity, generation, where VMLs earned a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent degree, library type, geographic location, and job responsibilities. The 2021 survey also explored other aspects of the VMLs not covered in the 2013 survey, such as librarian experience, salary, management positions, and mentorship experience. The findings suggested that the professional associations and library administrators would need collaborative efforts to support VMLs.
Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 36 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Research Article Changes in the Library Landscape Regarding Visible Minority Librarians in Canada Yanli Li Business and Economics Librarian Wilfrid Laurier University Library Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Email: yli@wlu.ca Maha Kumaran Librarian Education and Music Library University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Email: Maha.Kumaran@usask.ca Allan Cho Community Engagement Librarian (Program Services) University of British Columbia Library Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Email: allan.cho@ubc.ca Valentina Ly Research Librarian University of Ottawa Library Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Email: vly@uottawa.ca Suzanne Fernando Senior Services Specialist Toronto Public Library Toronto, Ontario, Canada Email: sfernando@tpl.ca Michael David Miller Associate Librarian & Liaison Librarian for French Literature, Economics and Gender Studies McGill University Library Montréal, Québec, Canada Email: michael.david.miller@mcgill.ca Received: 16 Apr. 2022 Accepted: 25 July 2022 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 37 2022 Li, Kumaran, Cho, Ly, Fernando, & Miller. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons‐Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike License 4.0 International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the same or similar license to this one. DOI: 10.18438/eblip30151 Abstract Objective – As a follow-up to the first 2013 survey, the Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) network conducted its second comprehensive survey in 2021. The 2021 survey gathered detailed information about the demography, education, and employment of visible minority librarians (VMLs) working in Canadian institutions. Data from the 2021 survey and the analysis presented in this paper help us better understand the current library landscape, presented alongside findings from the 2013 survey. The research results will be helpful for professional associations and library administrators to develop initiatives to support VMLs. Methods – Researchers created online survey questionnaires using Qualtrics XM in English and translated them into French. We distributed the survey invitation through relevant library association electronic mail lists and posted on ViMLoC’s website, social networking platforms, and through their electronic mail list. The survey asked if the participant was a visible minority librarian. If the response was “No,” the survey closed. Respondents indicating "Yes" were asked 36 personal and professional questions of three types: multiple-choice, yes/no, and open-ended questions. Results – One hundred and sixty-two VMLs completed the 2021 survey. Chinese remained the largest ethnic identity, but their proportion in the survey decreased from 36% in 2013 to 24% in 2021. 65% were aged between 26 and 45 years old. More than half received their library degree during the 2010s. 89% completed their library degree in Canada, a 5% increase from 2013. The majority of librarians had graduated from University of Toronto (25%), followed closely by University of British Columbia (23%), and Western University (22%). Only 3% received their library degree from a library school outside North America. 34% of librarians earned a second master’s degree and 5% had a PhD. 60% of librarians had less than 11 years of experience. Nearly half worked in academic libraries. Most were located in Ontario and British Columbia. 69% of librarians were in non-management positions with 5% being senior administrators. 25% reported a salary above $100,000. In terms of job categories, the largest group worked in Reference/Information Services (45%), followed by Instruction Services (32%), and as Liaison Librarians (31%). Those working in Acquisitions/Collection Development saw the biggest jump from 1% in 2013 to 28% in 2021. 58% of librarians sought mentoring support, of whom 54% participated in formal mentorship programs, and 48% had a visible minority mentor. Conclusion – 35% more VMLs responded to the 2021 survey compared to the 2013 survey. Changes occurred in ethnic identity, generation, where VMLs earned a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent degree, library type, geographic location, and job responsibilities. The 2021 survey also explored other aspects of the VMLs not covered in the 2013 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 38 survey, such as librarian experience, salary, management positions, and mentorship experience. The findings suggested that the professional associations and library administrators would need collaborative efforts to support VMLs. Introduction For decades there has been an awareness and recognition that the library workforce does not reflect the diversity of the population in Canada (CAPAL, 2019; Jennings & Kinzer, 2022). The Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) network formed in December 2011 to connect, engage, and support racialized librarians in the country (ViMLoC, n.d.). In 2013, on behalf of ViMLoC, Maha Kumaran and Heather Cai (2015) conducted the first survey of its kind (referred to as the “2013 survey”) to gather statistical information on Canadian visible minority librarians (VMLs). The 2013 survey assessed VMLs' educational qualifications and employment details to help identify their needs, challenges, and barriers within the profession. Besides this foundational survey, there remains very little information of this kind on racialized librarians across different institutions in Canada. When implementing the 2013 survey, ViMLoC had planned to repeat its survey to better understand the changes in the library workforce over time. As such, the authors designed and administered a redux survey in English and in French between January and March 2021 (referred to as the “2021 survey”). The 2021 survey investigated two aspects: 1) similar demographic questions as the previous survey; and 2) additional questions that sought to explore the experiences of VMLs in the workplace. This paper focuses on the results from 162 respondents of the 2021 survey and compares results, where applicable, to the 2013 survey (Kumaran & Cai, 2015). For questions that are not covered in the 2013 survey, findings will be compared to other studies as appropriate. This research will help VMLs understand how their position in the library landscape has changed over the years. Recommendations provided will help professional associations and library administrators continue to develop initiatives to advocate for VMLs, which in turn will contribute to the promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Literature Review The literature review for this article focuses on many topics in librarianship such as racial diversity, lack of minorities in leadership positions, salary inconsistencies, and mentorship. While the major focus of the literature review is from a Canadian context, some papers from the United States are cited to provide a broader context for racial diversity in librarianship. In the literature, the terms “visible minority librarians”, “librarians of colour”, “racialized librarians”, and “ethnic minority librarians” are one of many terms to refer to the population of interest (Kandiuk, 2014; Kumaran, 2012; Kumaran & Cai, 2015; Kung et al., 2020). A scarcity of professional literature on and by VMLs in a Canadian context continues to persist, even years after the initial ViMLoC study, with a notable absence of publications in French. Demographics The data on racialized library professionals has been sparse for much of the history of Canadian libraries, although it has gradually increased. Kumaran and Cai’s (2015) “Identifying the Visible Minority Librarians in Canada: A National Survey” is one of the most comprehensive studies of diversity in Canadian libraries. More research from census surveys has been released since then. The Canadian Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 39 Association of Professional Academic Librarians (CAPAL) conducted censuses in 2016 and 2018. Though limited to academic libraries in Canada, the CAPAL censuses built a comprehensive demographic picture of the profession of academic librarianship by collecting data about librarians working in colleges and university libraries. In 2021, the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) (n.d.) released a Diversity and Inclusion Survey to gather baseline data on the composition of personnel in 21 CARL libraries, to gauge employee feedback on current EDI initiatives, and to establish a set of benchmarks against which to evaluate and measure the impact of their EDI strategies and practices. Recruitment and Retention Beyond just the demographics of diverse librarians in the field is an emerging body of literature about diversity within the scope of racism in libraries. In Kung, Fraser, and Winn’s (2020) systematic review, the authors found that despite a number of approaches used to recruit minorities in academic libraries, the number of visible minorities in the field has remained stagnant for decades. Their research indicated an established body of literature that defined diversity, with race, ethnicity, gender, and class identified as the most frequently used dimensions. The authors found an increased number of publications on diversity in librarianship in the 2000s, drawing more attention to the topic over the past twenty years than prior to that time. In particular, residencies, internships, and mentorship were the major interventions for recruitment and retention, but residency programs existed in an American context, and not so much within the Canadian context. The papers analyzed in the study mostly focused on recruitment and retention for early career librarians, but less so about advancement of more senior librarians. Leadership Although the literature is somewhat limited, there are three areas to highlight from the literature that relate to our paper: leadership, mentorship, and salary. The recently published CARL Diversity Census and Inclusion Survey revealed that racialized library staff were underrepresented in senior leader and other managerial roles (CCDI, 2022). Kumaran’s (2012) Leadership in Libraries focused on ethnic-minority librarians and is one of the more comprehensive texts targeting strategies for success. Written primarily for first-generation immigrant librarians, Kumaran explored the major cultural differences affecting leadership from mainly Asian and African cultures in the context of White mainstream libraries, including cultural adaptation and language issues. Hines’ (2019) research focused on academic librarians and further explored how current leadership development opportunities reinforced the existing biased structures within libraries. Using the lens of critical race theory, Hines offered tools to better describe and understand the problems so that they could be addressed meaningfully, chiefly through a restructuring of both the mechanics and the curriculum of leadership development training. Salaries Salary has been understudied for library professionals in Canada, not to mention for VMLs. While CAPAL’s 2016 and 2018 censuses of academic librarians gathered visible minority status, ethnic identity, and salary information, their summary reports did not include any analysis of the relationship between salary and race (CAPAL, 2016; CAPAL, 2019). The survey conducted by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (2019) provided average academic librarian salaries by gender, age, region, and institution, but not by race. The 8Rs Practitioner Survey in 2014 had microdata on salary and visible minority status for CARL librarians (Delong et al., 2015a). Using a subset of those microdata, Li (2021) Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 40 used multiple regression models to study demographic, job, and labour market factors that affected CARL librarians’ salaries. A significant pay gap was identified between VMLs and non-VMLs. Mentorship Mentorship has proven to be one of the most significant factors contributing to a librarian’s career success in Canada (Harrington & Marshall, 2014; Law, 2001; Oud, 2008). Mentoring can be provided in formal and informal formats (Damasco & Hodges, 2012; Mackinnon & Shepley, 2014). Particularly, for VMLs who face challenges entering the Canadian job market and adapting to the workplace climate and culture, getting mentoring support is essential (Kandiuk, 2014; Kumaran & Cai, 2015). Kung, Fraser, and Winn (2020) found that mentorship was used at academic libraries for retention of VMLs, but there was an overall lack of focus on mid- to late- career VMLs. As mentioned in Kumaran & Cai’s (2015) study, this absence of professional literature by minority librarians could have many causes: [librarians] are in positions that do not require them to publish; lack of training in writing academic papers, especially if they are first generation minority librarians; lack of support for writing for publication; lack of time or funding; not having a dedicated minority-focused Canadian library journal that allows them to voice their thoughts; and perhaps fear of bringing attention to themselves” (p.111) Being in a position that does not require publication is particularly true for Quebec academic librarians in Francophone colleges and universities where they do not yet hold academic status or an equivalent/parallel to academic status. This does not mean discussions like these are not happening in French; they simply are not being distributed via professional and academic publications. There is also a gap in the literature where librarians are not writing about minority librarians. Based on data from the 2021 survey focusing on VMLs, this research will contribute to filling the gap. A future study on the motivations for such lack of writing could be extremely beneficial to the current body of Canadian minority librarian research. Methods Building on the 12 questions from the 2013 survey, wording for seven of the original questions was updated for clarity or to reflect changes to the profession, and 24 additional questions were added to the 2021 survey. An online survey questionnaire was created using Qualtrics XM (see Appendix). The entire survey was sent to the 2021 survey research team and ViMLoC committee members for a pilot test before they were released to the target audience. After ethics approvals from the authors’ respective institutions, the English language survey was made available between January 21, 2021 and February 28, 2021. It was a nation-wide survey with participation from VMLs working in Canadian institutions. The online survey invitation was sent to VMLs through relevant library association electronic mail lists, such as CARL, CAPAL, and provincial library associations. The invitation was also posted on ViMLoC’s website, three social networking platforms (Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn), and through their electronic mail list. When the English survey was distributed, the research team received inquiries about the availability of a French version of the survey. To help get information from French racialized minority librarians and to fill the gap in the work of ViMLoC, the research team decided to do a French version. One team member translated the English survey to French and circulated it amongst Québecois library associations and other networks between March 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 41 The 2021 survey provided a definition of visible minorities from the Canadian Employment Equity Act: “Persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour” (Government of Canada, 2021). The participants were asked to identify if they were a visible minority librarian. If the response was “No,” the survey closed. The rest of the survey consisted of personal and professional questions of three types: multiple-choice, yes/no, and open-ended. Specifically, there were six questions about demographic information, 10 questions about education, and 20 questions about employment. For details of the questionnaire, see the Appendix. For the purpose of this research, we analyzed microdata on these librarians. We conducted cross-tabulation and chi-square analyses for in-depth examinations of the relationships between some variables, including employment type and career stage, type of mentorship and perceptions of the helpfulness of mentorship in librarians’ career development, and the visible minority status of mentors and perceptions of their helpfulness for mentees. Results and Discussion Of the 294 librarians that attempted the 2021 survey, 162 respondents who identified themselves as VMLs were permitted to complete it, representing a 35% increase from the 120 participants in the 2013 survey. There were 138 librarians who completed the English survey and 24 who completed the French survey. Demography The questions in this section focused on ethnic identity, generation status, disability status, gender, and age. Ethnic Identity Respondents were asked to self-identify their ethnic group. Without accounting for mixed races, the largest ethnic identity represented among the 159 respondents was Chinese (24%, n=38), compared to 36% (n=43) in the 2013 survey, followed by South Asian (15%, n=24), and Black (12%, n=19) (Figure 1). The percentage of Black librarians remained unchanged between the two surveys at 12%. The proportions of Latin American, Korean, Filipino, Southeast Asian, and Arab librarians increased slightly, whereas those of South Asian, West Asian, and Japanese librarians decreased slightly. In 2021 there were 13% (n=21) respondents that identified as a mixture of White and visible minorities and 9% (n=14) that identified as multiple visible minorities. Generation Status Participants were asked about their generation status in Canada. First generation visible minorities refer to those who were born elsewhere and moved to Canada at some point during their lives. Second generation visible minorities are those who were born in Canada to one or more immigrant parents. Third generation or more refers to visible minorities who were born in Canada, with both parents who were also born in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2021). As shown in Figure 2, of the 157 respondents in the 2021 survey, 56% (n=88) identified themselves as first generation, compared to 63% (n=76) in 2013 (Kumaran & Cai, 2015, p.113). 40% (n=63) identified themselves as second generation, compared to 28% (n=33) from the 2013 survey (28%, n=33). The portion of third generation or more librarians was 4% (n=6) in 2021 versus 9% (n=11) in 2013. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 42 Figure 1 Ethnic identity. Figure 2 Generation status. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 43 Disability Status, Gender, and Age Of the 159 respondents in the 2021 survey, 8% (n=12) identified themselves as a person with a disability. Ten respondents provided details of their disability conditions that included physical and mental disabilities, and chronic illnesses. Librarians were predominantly female (81%, n=130) with 16% (n=25) males, and nearly 4% (n=6) had other gender identifications or preferred not to answer. As shown in Figure 3, those aged 31-35 accounted for 22% (n=36), followed by 36-40 (16%, n=26), 41-45 (15%, n=25), and 46-50 (13%, n=21). Only 10% (n=16) were over the age of 55, which suggested that the respondents were younger than the overall visible minority workforce, of which 15% were over the age of 55 (Statistics Canada, 2017). Figure 3 Age group. Education Library Degree The questions in this section focused on when and where participants received their professional library degree – Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) or equivalent – and whether or not it was American Library Association (ALA) accredited. Figure 4 shows that more than half (53%, n=86) received their library degree during the 2010s, doubling the percentage of those receiving their library degree during the 2000s (24%, n=39). Seven librarians received their degree before the 1990s and eight librarians received it after 2019. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 44 When asked where they completed their library degree, 89% (n=142) of the 160 respondents indicated “from an ALA-accredited Canadian library school,” as compared to 84% (n=101) in 2013 (Kumaran & Cai, 2015, p.113). 5% (n=8) received their library degree from an ALA-accredited American library school. Only 3% (n=4) mentioned getting their library professional degrees from outside North America (Figure 5). This small proportion could be because ALA accreditation has been an impediment for librarians with foreign credentials (Taleban, 2016). Many immigrant librarians received an additional library degree through an ALA-accredited program after moving to Canada. For the 142 respondents who completed their library degree in Canada, they were asked to indicate the university that granted their library degree. The top three institutions were the University of Toronto (25%, n=35), the University of British Columbia (23%, n=32), and Western University (22%, n=31) (Figure 6). In comparison, in the 2013 survey, of the 101 respondents, about 15% received their library degree from the University of Toronto, almost 40% from the University of British Columbia, and 31% from Western University (Kumaran & Cai, 2015, p.113). It is worth noting that 14% (n=20) of the respondents graduated from Université de Montréal. This data was not collected in 2013 when the survey was not conducted in French. Seventeen respondents provided the name of the country outside of Canada where they received their library education. Almost half (n=8) indicated the United States; other countries mentioned included Brazil, France, Ghana, India, Iran, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Of the nine respondents who had an international non-ALA accredited library degree, four stated that their degree was recognized for their current employment at public or academic libraries, whereas the other five had different experiences. Two librarians felt compelled to complete a Canadian MLIS degree to secure a job; another received a library technician diploma in Canada and ended up with librarian status after years of doing non-librarian jobs. The other two did not get their foreign degree recognized and were working in a non-library setting or in a position relying more on their non-librarian experience and skills. Figure 4 Year library degree was received. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 45 Figure 5 Where library degree was received. Figure 6 University where library degree was received. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 46 Additional Education In addition to an MLIS degree, the respondents have attained professional degrees, additional certificates, diplomas, or advanced degrees. In Table 1, of the 152 respondents, 21% (n=32) earned professional degrees, and 34% (n=51) had their second master’s degree. This finding was close to the CARL’s 8Rs Redux Survey which reported 32% with a second master’s (Delong et al., 2015b, p.100) but lower than 57% in the 2018 CAPAL Census (CAPAL, 2019, p.45). 2% (n=3) of the respondents in the 2021 survey reported having a third Master’s degree, as compared to 3% in the 2018 CAPAL Census. 5% (n=8) held a PhD which was in line with the CARL’s 8Rs Redux Survey result but much lower than nearly 11% among academic librarians in the 2018 CAPAL Census. 38% (n=58) indicated they had additional degrees, certificates or diplomas, specifically 34 bachelor’s degrees, 25 certificates, seven diplomas, and 10 other education attainments. These research results suggested evidence of a trend of increasing professional and graduate education among librarians. This may be attributable to an increased demand for librarians to perform specialist roles that require additional credentials after they have entered the librarian profession. As revealed in Ferguson (2016), 26% of the 800 academic library job postings preferred a second advanced degree and 7% required one. The most frequent functional areas asking for advanced subject knowledge were subject specialists. Librarians pursuing additional education may also be due to personal interest or the possibility of support from their current institutions with funds and time for studying. It is also possible that some VMLs have earned non-MLIS degrees in their home country before pursuing librarianship in Canada, or that they feel the need to upgrade themselves with additional qualifications to sustain their professional positions here in Canada. Table 1 Non-MLIS Education Attained Education Count Percentage Professional degree 32 21% Second master’s degree 51 34% Third master’s degree 3 2% PhD 8 5% Additional degrees, certificates, or diplomas 58 38% Employment The questions in this section focused on librarian experience, library type, geographic distribution, type of employment, leadership positions, salary, job categories, and mentorship experience. The librarians were also surveyed about their experiences in workplaces such as microaggressions and job satisfaction. These questions deserve an in-depth study and will be published in a separate paper. Librarian Experience Librarians with less than six years of experience made up 35% (n=56), followed by 6-10 years (25%, n=41), 11-15 years (13%, n=21), 16-20 years (12%, n=20), and 21-25 years of experience (9%, n=14). 6% (n=9) have been a librarian for more than 25 years (Figure 7). Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 47 Figure 7 Librarian experience. Library Type From 2013 to 2021, the most noticeable change was the increase of respondents working in academic libraries. As shown in Figure 8, 48% (n=78) of VMLs in the 2021 survey identified themselves as working in academic libraries, compared to 38% (n=45) in the 2013 survey. Conversely, the spread of respondents employed at public, special, and school libraries was lower than previously captured. The increase of respondents from academic libraries could be due to the retirement wave hitting academic librarianship. The CARL 8Rs 2014 Practitioner Survey revealed that 34% of all CARL librarians expected to retire within the next 10 years (Delong et al., 2015b, p.47). Many studies have examined succession planning at Canadian academic libraries when bracing the reality of baby boomer librarians retiring (Guise, 2015; Harrington & Marshall, 2014; Popowich, 2011). Kumaran (2015) pointed out the importance of including VMLs in the succession planning process. Another explanation for the increased academic librarian participation could be due to the more effective application of policies towards EDI in universities in recent years. In addition to having general employment equity policies in place, some universities have set goals to increase hiring of visible minority staff (University of Victoria, 2015). As an example of professional library associations, CARL (2020) has realized the significance of EDI in academic libraries and published a guide to aid recruitment and retention of diverse talent. In such contexts, visible minorities may have more opportunities to enter academic librarianship compared to nearly a decade ago. It is noteworthy that studies on librarian turnover at non-academic libraries are very limited. Further research is needed to explore how employment of VMLs has changed at those libraries and how that change may have affected employment at academic libraries. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 48 Figure 8 Employment by library type. Table 2 Geographic Distribution Province or Territory 2013 ViMLoC Survey 2021 ViMLoC Survey Alberta 8% (n=10) 7% (n=11) British Columbia 40% (n=48) 22% (n=35) Manitoba 6% (n=7) 2% (n=3) New Brunswick 2% (n=2) 1% (n=1) Newfoundland and Labrador 1% (n=1) 1% (n=2) Nova Scotia 5% (n=6) 3% (n=4) Nunavut 1% (n=1) 0% (n=0) Ontario 27% (n=32) 45% (n=72) Prince Edward Island 0% (n=0) 1% (n=1) Quebec 4% (n=5) 14% (n=22) Saskatchewan 6% (n=7) 3% (n=4) Yukon 0% (n=0) 2% (n=3) Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 49 Geographic Distribution As in the 2013 survey, VMLs were widely spread across Canada, with respondents from Prince Edward Island and Yukon participating in the 2021 survey (Table 2). A vast majority of respondents continued to be in British Columbia and Ontario; however, British Columbia comprised 22% (n=35) of these employed librarians, compared to 40% (n=48) in 2013, whereas respondents from Ontario accounted for 45% (n=72) in 2021 versus 27% (n=32) in 2013. Due to adding a French iteration of the survey in 2021, librarians in Quebec made up 14% (n=22), compared to only 4% (n=5) in 2013. The geographic distribution of VMLs reflected similar patterns of visible minority populations across Canada. The 2016 Census data showed that Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec were the top three most populous provinces for visible minorities (Statistics Canada, 2018b). Type of Employment In 2021, an overwhelming 85% (n=137) of respondents were working in permanent positions and 11% (n=18) were in temporary positions (e.g., contract, limited-term). A larger proportion of librarians were working full-time (30 or more hours/week) (90%, n=143 in 2021 versus 82%, n=99 in 2013). These findings seemed to be more positive compared with other studies which reported that precarious employment was on the rise in libraries (Henninger et al., 2019; O’Reilly, 2015; The Canadian Press, 2016) and that minorities were disproportionately affected (CUPE, 2017). Henninger et al. (2020) analyzed job postings and found that employees with managerial positions, advanced degrees, or more experience, and positions requiring an MLIS were least likely to be precarious. In the 2021 survey, a vast majority of the librarians had an MLIS or equivalent, one of five librarians had professional degrees, and two of five librarians had at least two graduate degrees. Also, 65% had more than five years of experience as a librarian. These factors might have helped them secure stable jobs. Given the small sample size of this survey, it might also be possible that those working on part-time or temporary jobs were not participating in the 2021 survey; hence their proportions might be underestimated. This research further examined employment of VMLs by career stage. Career stage consists of early career, mid-career, and late career. However, the concept of each career stage is open to interpretation. It is either based on year of graduation from an MLIS program (Delong et al., 2015b), or post-MLIS experience in a librarian role and the number of years the librarian has worked for their current employer (Tucker, 2008). The data collected in the 2021 survey did not align with these studies. For instance, the survey asked about years of librarian experience, but did not ask how many years the librarians worked for their current employer. Therefore, it was not possible to analyze the career stage as defined in the above studies. Instead, the authors referred to Sullivan (2011) and Morison et al. (2006), who defined career stage by age. This research broke down the sample into three subgroups: early career (ages 26-35, 34%, n=56), mid-career (ages 36-55, 56%, n=89) and late career (ages 55+, 10%, n=16). As illustrated in Figure 9, of all librarians in permanent or full-time positions, around one third were at early career stage and over half were at mid-career stage. On the contrary, early career librarians comprised over a half of those in temporary or part-time positions. Early career minority librarians seemed to have more challenges securing a full-time or permanent job than their mid-career peers, as manifested through the experiences of some new librarians (Ford, 2021; Lee, 2020). However, the results from a chi-square analysis of this research indicated that there was no statistically significant relationship between career stage and full-time or part-time employment, X2 (4, N = 159) = 3.86, p = .426, or between career stage and permanency of the employment, X2 (4, N = 161) = 5.22, p = .266.Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 50 Figure 9 Employment by career stage. Leadership Positions In terms of their current position, 69% (n=110) of the 160 respondents were not in managerial positions. An equal share (13%, n=21 each) were supervisors and middle managers (e.g., branch head, department head). Only 5% (n=8) were senior administrators (e.g., head/chief librarian, director, or deputy/assistant head, chief, director). In comparison, CARL’s 2021 survey revealed 14.4% of senior leaders identified as racialized, compared to 20% of all library staff (CCDI, 2022). Furthermore, 8Rs 2014 Practitioner Survey reported that 55% of CARL librarians were not in management positions and 15% were senior administrators (Delong et al., 2015b, p.18). Participants expressed their frustration by lack of “racial diversity among librarians” and being “flat out dismissed” for expressing such concerns. In addition, they were accused of being frustrated that they could not find jobs. In one situation where the respondent wrote: I was the most qualified and experienced person applying to run my library and acted successfully in the job for over 8 months, I failed the standardized leadership tests and was screened out of the competition and a non-MLIS candidate with no library experience was placed in the leadership positions. The findings from this research supported that VMLs were less likely to be working in senior administration positions for various reasons including lack of leadership training. Respondents mentioned attending mentorship programs such as the ARL Leadership and Career Development Program (ARL. n.d.-a), Certificate program on Public Library Leadership (Ontario Library Service, n.d.), and Public Library InterLINK (n.d.)’s LLEAD program, all of which have a focus on developing leadership skills. It should be noted that there are no leadership programs that aim to develop minority Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 51 library leaders in Canada. Some libraries have tailored leadership programs for their employees; however, none focuses on visible minority employees and their leadership skills development. Salary Respondents were asked about their gross yearly salary. About 17% (n=26) of the 158 respondents reported a salary at $60,000 or less, 55% (n=86) reported a salary between $60,001 and $100,000, 25% (n=40) reported a salary above $100,000, and 4% (n=6) preferred not to answer. According to the 2016 Canadian Census data (Statistics Canada, 2018a), the median employment income for VMLs was $59,710, meaning half of the total 1,055 VMLs had an employment income above this amount, and half had an employment income below this amount. Hence, using $60,000 as an approximate benchmark, 80% of VMLs in the 2021survey earned more than this amount compared to 50% of the general visible minority librarian population in the 2016 Census. Job Categories Respondents were asked to select as many of the job categories that match their current job responsibilities. As shown in Figure 10, the majority worked in Reference/Information Services (45%, n=72), followed by Instruction Services (32%, n=52), and as Liaison Librarians (31%, n=50). Their proportions were 38% (n=46), 14% (n=17), and 17% (n=20), respectively, in 2013. Those working in Acquisitions/Collection Development accounted for 28% (n=45) in 2021 compared to only 1% (n=1) in 2013. The rate of librarians working in Cataloguing/Metadata Management was 7% (n=12) in 2021 versus 11% (n=13) in 2013. There were no changes in the proportions of respondents working in Automation/Systems/IT Services, Licensing, and School/Teacher Librarian jobs. Moreover, additional job categories were added in the 2021 survey to reflect recent trends in librarian responsibilities, including Public Services (29%, n=47), Research Services (27%, n=43), User Experience (14%, n=23), Project Management (12%, n=19), Data Management and Curation (8%, n=13), Bibliometrics (7%, n=11), Copyright (7%, n=12), and Scholarly Communications (6%, n=10). Mentorship Experience In the 2021 survey, of the 160 respondents, 58% (n=93) indicated that they sought support from mentors throughout their library career. 54% (n=50) of those respondents participated in formal mentorship programs and nearly half (48%, n=45) had a visible minority mentor. These figures were much higher than those reported in Kandiuk’s (2014) study, which found that 32% (n=18) of VMLs had been mentored, with only 22% (n=4) of them engaged in a formal mentoring relationship, and the same number had a visible minority mentor. Forty-three respondents participated in formal mentorship programs that were offered in workplaces (n=6), library schools (n=7), or professional associations (n=30). Thirteen librarians mentioned participating in more than one formal mentorship program. The most cited professional association offering a mentorship program was ViMLoC (n=15), followed by Ontario Library Association (n=8), British Columbia Library Association (n=6), among others. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 52 Figure 10 Job categories. When asked how mentors were helpful in supporting them, 26% (n=24) of the respondents indicated “extremely helpful”, 32% (n=30) indicated “very helpful”, 30% (n=28) indicated “moderately helpful”, 9% (n=8) indicated “slightly helpful”, and 3% (n=3) indicated “not at all helpful”. We further separately examined the librarians who engaged in formal and informal mentorship (Table 3). Respondents engaging in formal and informal mentorship were nearly equivalent in their rates of feeling the mentors were extremely helpful, very helpful, and moderately helpful. There was a divergence of more negative mentorship experiences from formal mentorship programs. 6% of the librarians in formal mentorship did not find their mentor helpful at all, whereas no respondents in informal mentorship thought so. These findings reflected those of Damasco and Hodges (2012), where academic librarians of colour were more likely to cite informal mentoring as an effective form of professional development than formal mentoring and perceive formal mentoring as an ineffective form compared to informal mentorship (p. 293). We performed a chi-square test to further examine the relationship between the type of mentorship and participants’ perception of the helpfulness of mentorship. The relation was not statistically significant, X2 (4, N = 93) = 3.44, P = .488 (Table 3). Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 53 We thought it would also be useful to examine whether these librarians perceived the value of mentorship differently if their mentor was a visible minority. In Table 3, the librarians who had a visible minority mentor were more likely to feel that their mentors were extremely helpful (33% versus 19%) or very helpful (38% versus 27%) as compared to those who had a non-visible minority mentor. Conversely, the librarians who did not have a visible minority mentor were more likely to find their mentors were moderately helpful (40% versus 20%), slightly helpful (10% versus 7%), and not helpful at all (4% versus 2%). However, the chi-square test indicated that there was no significant relationship between visible minority status of the mentor and mentees’ perception of the helpfulness of mentorship, X2 (4, N = 93) = 6.35, P = .175 (Table 3). Table 3 Perceptions of the Helpfulness of Mentorship Type of Mentorship Extremely helpful Very helpful Moderately helpful Slightly helpful Not helpful Chi-square Value P value Formal mentorship 13 (26%) 16 (32%) 15 (30%) 3 (6%) 3 (6%) 3.44 0.488 Informal mentorship 11 (26%) 14 (33%) 13 (30%) 5 (12%) 0 (0%) Minority mentor 15 (33%) 17 (38%) 9 (20%) 3 (7%) 1 (2%) 6.35 0.175 Nonminority mentor 9 (19%) 13 (27%) 19 (40%) 5 (10%) 2 (4%) There could be a couple of reasons why there was no difference in their perceptions between having or not having a minority mentor, for example, lack of visible minorities in managerial or senior administrative roles, or lack of public knowledge of their racial identity. However, two of the respondents highlighted the importance of having a minority mentor: Mentors are so important for BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour] librarians. Most of the things I know about librarianship, about the unsaid things I should know (knowledge sharing) or how to navigate this field, come from wonderful and talented BIPOC librarians, who deserve their flowers and increased pay! Honestly, I think mentors are the primary reason most of us early career BIPOC librarians stay in this field. So, please continue the program or create a space to informally or formally interact more. BIPOC/visible minority librarians are often alone at their jobs and having support from others is uplifting and empowering. In formal mentorship programs, I have not had a mentor from a visible minority group. However, I've had informal mentors who are people of colour who have been generous with sharing their experience and perspectives about issues like feeling tokenized, moving to a new city that is less diverse, the dynamics of EDI committees, and the lack of movement on issues around social justice (racial and otherwise) in libraries. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 54 Findings and Recommendations In light of the research findings, the authors would like to make the following recommendations from the perspectives of the Canadian library profession, library administrators, VMLs, and ViMLoC network. Canadian Library Profession There is fluctuation in which groups of racialized minority librarians increased or decreased with the two surveys. The change in numbers may be connected to the immigration patterns in Canada. However, the truth remains that the VMLs continue to grow in numbers and are looking for opportunities. Although many are still in career exploration stages, 38% of librarians have 6-15 years of work experience. However, 67% of first generation or immigrant librarians and 73% of second generation librarians are not in leadership positions. Divided by ethnicity, 64% of Black librarians, 79% of Chinese librarians, and 58% of South Asian librarians are not in such leadership roles. Recommendation: Regarding VMLs, there is a huge market that the Canadian library profession has left untapped for future leadership positions, thus depriving the profession of diverse talents and perspectives. The library profession would benefit from a program that helps VMLs visualize themselves in leadership positions and succeed in their leadership undertaking. As Hines (2019) mentioned, leadership programs continue to reinforce biased structures. Most Canadian librarians attend leadership programs from the United States such as the Leadership and Career Development Program or the Mosaic program (ARL, n.d.-a., n.d.-b). While these programs are immensely helpful, they have an American focus; costs are in American dollars and there is a requirement to travel to the United States. Due to costs and travel needs outside of Canada, this could be an impediment to VMLs in their leadership development. Recommendation: The Canadian library profession needs a library leadership program that focuses on racialized minorities, offered in both English and French and through a hybrid model that includes both online and in-person formats. There are non-ALA accredited librarians who are already in Canada waiting to gain employment. However, there are no pathways for them to assess their education and experience and compete equally in the job market. Canadian librarianship could design pathways to evaluate international librarian credentials through programs such as the International Qualifications Assessment Service (Government of Alberta, 2022), or other similar assessment bodies within their campuses. For example, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (n.d.) has an International Credential Evaluation Service dedicated to their employees and students. Canadian librarianship can work with the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (n.d.) or the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (n.d.) to create a standardized evaluation process for library courses and programs. Certificate programs to upgrade skills could be an option, however, this would still be a cost impediment for many first-generation immigrant librarians who already have a degree, experience, and are new to the country. Universities that offer professional library degrees could consider offering certification programs to these librarians so they do not have to pay the full fees to receive a degree. The Canadian library profession, library associations, and academic library standards on hiring should mandate that such programs, along with previous experience in the profession be accepted for hiring these librarians as equals to ALA-accredited librarians. Their additional master’s and doctorate degrees also need to be taken into consideration. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 55 Recommendation: Canadian librarianship could design pathways to assess, and if necessary, upgrade international librarian qualifications. Library Administrators As the results of this research show, there is a conspicuous lack of racialized librarians in management or leadership positions. As one respondent pointed out, participants were tested for leadership skills through a test. The respondent considered this “a barrier to racialized employees…seeking higher leadership opportunities,” but their feedback of the issue of equity in such tests were not addressed by their administration. More than one respondent mentioned feeling isolated or experiencing racial microaggressions in their current positions and were disappointed that their concerns were not being heard by their leadership. Library administrators could encourage and coach these minority librarians about their career goals to include them in the succession plan and groom them for future leadership opportunities. This would also be one way for library administrators to sustain their EDI commitments and strengthen their retention practices. Recommendation: All library leaders need to undergo ongoing training through their institutions, library and national associations, so they understand the perspectives of minority librarians. Leaders should also consider mentoring and preparing BIPOC in their institutions for future leadership positions. The survey result shows that four of the nine participants with international non-ALA accredited degrees are currently employed. This may suggest that there exists a possibility for Canadian libraries to recognize non-ALA accredited degrees. In fact, many American academic library job postings are broadening the eligibility criteria by changing the education requirements from ALA accredited degrees to be more inclusive of foreign LIS education (Burtis et al., 2010). In CARL’s guidelines on hiring and retaining diverse talent, one of the recommended strategies is to “consider broadening the eligibility for librarian positions to be inclusive of LIS accredited degrees beyond ALA-accreditation” (CARL, 2020). Another important question to be considered is whether the work experience of these four librarians would benefit their future career paths in librarianship. Would their experience give them an equal standing along with librarians who have an ALA-accredited degree, or are they destined to stay in their current positions and status for fear of losing what they currently have? Recommendation: Library administrators who are not hiring librarians with non-ALA accredited degrees could examine the reasons why and the processes of how some libraries are able to do so. Visible Minority Librarians An increased number of first generation librarians responded to the 2021 survey than the previous one. For visible minorities who want to enter Canadian librarianship, it is important to consider additional training or knowledge to avoid culture shock while working in Canadian libraries. It is essential to know how to work with patrons, their rights, the design and delivery of library policies, and their impact on practice and patrons. It is important to understand the structure of libraries. For example, what does it mean when a library is considered regional versus public, or college versus university, especially in terms of its structure, governance, and funding? It is also important for these librarians to find a network to get support in their job search, in creating their resumes or building CVs, and practice interview skills with trusted colleagues. Additionally, librarians can take advantage of many learning opportunities outside of library schools. For example, the Library Juice Academy (2022) offers regular courses on many current and relevant library topics. Librarians can also join many library association listservs to receive updated Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 56 information on library happenings. If small costs are not an issue, librarians can join library associations for a small membership fee. Such membership may provide access to knowledge resources, webinars, and other informational materials, which may be valuable when preparing for interviews. Recommendation: VMLs need to be proactive in finding learning, network, and job opportunities in Canada. ViMLoC The 2013 survey identified the importance of mentoring support for visible minority librarians. Thereafter, ViMLoC developed its own mentorship program and ran the first session during 2013-2014. This program was reinitiated in 2018 and continued to run on an annual basis. The findings from the 2021 survey showed that 35% (n=15) of the librarians participated in the ViMLoC mentorship program and two out of three librarians found the mentors were extremely helpful or very helpful. ViMLoC can support VMLs through other efforts, for example, organizing panel presentations that host minority library leaders and highlight their pathways into leadership. Such presentations will empower VMLs and help them design their own career pathways. ViMLoC can collaborate with other associations as well. While ViMLoC currently does not have the resources to host conferences similar to the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (2022), it could connect with Canadian Health Libraries Association (CHLA), CAPAL, Congrès des profesionnel·le·s de l’information (CPI) or Ontario Library Association (OLA) conferences and add a minority focused session/stream in those conferences. The Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship (2019) hosted a special issue with a focus on diversity. In addition, ViMLoC has partnered with University of Toronto Libraries to organize the Navigating the Field workshop series targeted for those new to applying for academic jobs (ViMLoC, 2021). Recommendation: ViMLoC should continue to implement the mentorship program and pursue more collaborative opportunities to support VMLs. Limitations First, 162 visible minority librarians completed the 2021 survey, representing approximately 15% of the visible minority librarian population (1,055) based on the 2016 Census data (Statistics Canada, 2018a). This means that the findings from this research may not provide a complete picture of the visible minority librarian population in Canada. Second, data collection errors might occur in the survey and affect analysis results in this research. Representation data for members of visible minorities was based on voluntary self-identification. The information on librarians was self-reported such as disability status, salary, years of librarian experience, and respondent’s perception of how mentorship was helpful. Regarding gender identity, the 2021 survey used the binary biological terms, male/female, which are normally used for gender and not interchangeable with gender identity. In addition, transgender identity was recorded separately from male/female identity, which might have resulted in reporting errors. Third, there is a limitation of using age to assume a career stage. Some people pursue librarianship as a second or third career. Hence, they may be older in age, but are still in an early career stage. Someone Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 57 may enter the librarian profession at a very early age, and possibly reach a mid-career stage before the age of 36. Finally, the 2021 survey comprised 36 questions, three times the number of questions covered in the 2013 survey. Wording for seven out of 12 original questions were updated when it was determined that they would result in an improvement to the data. However, this limited the authors’ ability to compare results between the two surveys. Conclusion With more visible minority librarians participating in the 2021 survey, this larger snapshot provided a more robust and updated perspective of potential changes in the population compared to the 2013 survey. Differences were identified with regard to ethnic identity, generation classification, where their MLIS or equivalent degree was received, type of library, geographic location, and job responsibilities. The 2021 survey also explored other aspects of these librarians not covered in the previous survey, such as age, disability status, non-MLIS education, librarian experience, salary, management positions, and mentorship experience. Based on the survey findings, the profession needs to create pathways for VMLs to explore leadership positions. Mentorship and leadership opportunities offer such librarians a sense of belonging and sense of possibility for their own future. Canadian librarianship could design pathways for non-ALA accredited librarians with expertise and experience from their home country to secure employment in Canada. Professional associations and library administrators also need to make continued efforts to support these librarians to create an inclusive space in their libraries. Author Contributions Yanli Li: Conceptualization, Data curation, Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Maha Kumaran: Conceptualization, Investigation, Qualitative Analysis, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Allan Cho: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Valentina Ly: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Suzanne Fernando: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing Michael David Miller: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Translation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing References Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada. (n.d.). About the ACESC. https://canalliance.org/en/ Association of Research Libraries (ARL). 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Work envy, workhorses and the mid-career librarian. In D. Lowe-Wincentsen & L. Crook (Eds.), Mid-career library and information professionals: A leadership primer (pp. 113-135). Chandos Publishing. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 61 Taleban, S. (2016). The journey of a non-ALA-accredited librarian in Canada. British Columbia Library Association. https://bclaconnect.ca/perspectives/2016/05/01/an-iranian-librarian-in-canada-on-attaining-an-ala-accredited-mlis/ The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials. (n.d.). Assessor portal. https://www.cicic.ca/853/assessor.canada.canada The Canadian Press. (2016, March 27). Librarians fight rise of precarious work. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/precarious-work-librarians-1.3508778 Tucker, J. C. (2008). Development of midcareer librarians. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship, 13(3), 241-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/08963560802183146 University of Victoria. (2015). Employment Equity Plan 2015 – 2020. https://www.uvic.ca/equity/assets/docs/eep2015.pdf Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC). (n.d.). ViMLoC operating values. https://vimloc.wordpress.com/ Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC). (2021). A UTL & ViMLoC workshop series: Navigating the field: Finding that first academic librarian position in Canada. https://vimloc.wordpress.com/workshop-events-series/ Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 62 Appendix Survey Questionnaire Section One: Demographic Information 1. The Canadian Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as “persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.” The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Arab, West Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Japanese and Korean. Are you a visible minority librarian currently working in Canada? o Yes o No 2. What group do you belong to or which group fits you the best? o Arab only (includes Egyptian, Kuwaiti and Libyan) o Black only o Chinese only o Filipino only o Japanese only o Korean only o Latin American only o South Asian only (includes Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan) o Southeast Asian only (includes Vietnamese, Cambodian, Malaysian, and Laotian) o West Asian only (includes Afghan, Assyrian, and Iranian) o White and Arab o White and Black o White and Chinese o White and Filipino o White and Japanese o White and Korean o White and Latin American o White and South Asian o White and Southeast Asian o White and West Asian o White and multiple visible minorities o Multiple visible minorities o Other (please specify) _________________ Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 63 3. Tell us if you are a first generation minority librarian or not. First generation would mean that you were born elsewhere but moved to Canada at some point in your life. Second generation would mean you were born in Canada to immigrant parents. If you would like to add an explanation about this, please use the text box below, such as your age or the year when you came to Canada. o First generation ___________________ o Second generation ________________ o Other ___________________________ 4. Do you consider yourself to have a disability? o Yes (please elaborate if you wish) ___________________ o No 5. What is your age? o 20-25 o 26-30 o 31-35 o 36-40 o 41-45 o 46-50 o 51-55 o 56-60 o 61-65 o 65+ 6. What is your gender identity? o Female o Male o Transgender o Two Spirit o Other (please elaborate if you wish) ________________ o Prefer not to answer Section Two: Education 7. When did you receive your MLIS / MLS degree or equivalent? o Before or during 1980 o Between 1981 and 1989 o Between 1990 and 1999 o Between 2000 and 2009 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 64 o Between 2010 and 2019 o After 2019 8. Where did you receive your MLIS / MLS degree or equivalent? Answer Q9 if option one is selected, otherwise skip to Q10-15. o From an ALA-accredited Canadian library school o From an ALA-accredited American library school o From a library school outside North America o Other (Please specify) _______________ 9. Please select the university that you received your degree. o University of British Columbia o University of Alberta o University of Western Ontario / Western University o University of Toronto o University of Ottawa o Université de Montréal o Dalhousie University o McGill University 10. Please specify the COUNTRY where you received your library degree:____________ 11. Please provide the name of your institution:_____________ 12. Does your current employer recognize your professional library degree in terms of your position? o Yes o No 13. Have you taken any courses of study or programs in Canada to supplement your library degree? o Yes o No 14. Please provide the name of the course or program:______________ 15. How, if at all, has this made a difference to how your employer and the library community recognize your credentials?__________________ 16. In addition to your MLIS / MLS degree or equivalent, please indicate other education you attained. Select all that apply. o Professional degree (what degree? e.g. Law)__________________ o Second Master’s Degree (what discipline?) ________________ o Third Master’s Degree (what discipline?)________________ o PhD (what discipline?) ___________________ Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 65 o Additional Degrees, Certificates, or Diplomas (what type?) ________________ o None of the above Section Three: Employment 17. How many total years have you worked as a librarian? o 0-5 o 6-10 o 11-15 o 16-20 o 21-25 o 25+ 18. What inspired you to enter the library profession? Select all that apply. ▢ I was inspired by a family member or friend that worked in the profession ▢ I got an entry level job in a library ▢ Library role models influenced me ▢ I thought it would be an interesting profession ▢ I thought it would be a well paying job ▢ I thought it would be a rewarding job because I would have the opportunity to help others ▢ I liked the work environment in a library ▢ I had the expertise and skills fit for the library job ▢ I enjoyed books and reading ▢ Other (please elaborate) ___________________ 19. Which province / territory do you currently work in? o Alberta o British Columbia o Manitoba o New Brunswick o Newfoundland and Labrador o Northwest Territories o Nova Scotia o Nunavut o Ontario o Prince Edward Island o Quebec Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 66 o Saskatchewan o Yukon o Other (if you are working for a Canadian Library outside of Canada) _________ 20. What type of library are you currently working at? o Public Library o Regional Library o Academic Library o College Library o Special Library (what type? e.g., Government, Religious Organization) _______ o School Library o Other (please specify) __________ 21. Please select the job category(ies) that matches your current job responsibilities. Select all that apply. o Acquisitions / Collection Development o Administration o Adult Services o Archives o Assessment o Automation / Systems / IT Services o Bibliometrics o Cataloguing / Metadata Management o Children’s Services o Circulation o Consultant / Knowledge Management / Researchers o Copyright o Data Management and Curation o Digitization and Preservation o E-Resources and Serials o Government Documents o Instruction Services o Interlibrary Loan Services o Liaison Librarian o Licensing o Marketing / Outreach / Community Services Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 67 o Media Specialist o Project Management o Public Services o Rare Books and Special Collections o Reference / Information Services o Research Services o School / Teacher Librarian o Scholarly Communications o User Experience o Web Services o Youth Services o Other (Please Specify) _______ _________ 22. Do you work part-time (less than 30 hours/week), full-time (30 or more hours/week), or casual hours? o Part-Time o Full-Time o Casual Hours o Other _____________________ 23. Approximately how many hours are you expected to work per week? o 20 hours or less o 21-25 o 26-30 o 31-35 o 36-40 o 40+ o No hours specified (until the job is done) 24. What type of appointment do you have? o Permanent o Temporary (e.g., contract, limited-term) o Other (please specify) ________________ 25. What is your gross (before taxes) yearly salary from your employing library? o $10,000 or less o $10,001 – 20,000 o $20,001 –30,000 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 68 o $30,001-40,000 o $40,001-50,000 o $50,001-60,000 o $60,001-70,000 o $70,001-80,000 o $80,001-90,000 o $90,001-100,000 o $100,001-110,000 o $110,001-120,000 o $120,001-130,000 o $130,001-140,000 o $140,001-150,000 o $150,001+ o Prefer not to answer 26. Please describe your experience with respect to the following statements: (1) I am treated with respect and accepted as an equal member by colleagues in my department. o Strongly agree o Agree o Neither agree or disagree o Disagree o Strongly disagree (2) My knowledge and work contributions are valued by colleagues in my department. o Strongly agree o Agree o Neither agree or disagree o Disagree o Strongly disagree (3) I feel free to speak my mind and express my views openly amongst colleagues in my department. o Strongly agree o Agree o Neither agree or disagree o Disagree o Strongly disagree Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 69 27. Racial microaggressions are subtle hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults (verbal, nonverbal, and/or visual) directed toward people of colour, whether intentional or unintentional. Please rate how frequently you have experienced each of the following forms of racial microaggressions throughout your career (Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Always) (1) I was told that people should not think about race anymore. (2) I was told that people of all racial groups face the same barriers in employment or promotion. (3) I was told that people of colour do not experience racism anymore. (4) I was told that I was overly sensitive about issues of race. (5) I was told that all people in my racial group are all the same. (6) My opinion was ignored in a group discussion because of my race. (7) A colleague assumed that I would have a lower English proficiency because of my race. (8) A colleague claimed that he/she felt threatened because of my race. (9) A colleague showed surprise at my professional success because of my race. (10) I was told that I was hired because of my race. 28. Other forms of racial microaggressions you have experienced throughout your career: ________________________________________________________________ 29. Overall, how satisfied are you with your current job? o Very satisfied o Satisfied o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied o Dissatisfied o Very dissatisfied 30. What level is your current position? o Non-Management o Supervisor o Middle Management (e.g., Branch Head, Department Head) o Senior Administrator (e.g., Head / Chief Librarian, Director, or Deputy / Assistant Head, Chief, Director) 31. Please indicate the extent to which race or ethnicity is a barrier to your library career aspirations? o Not at all o To a small extent o To some extent o To a moderate extent o To a great extent Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2022, 17.4 70 o To a very great extent 32. Have you ever sought support from a mentor? If “No” is selected, skip to Q36. o Yes o No 33. Have you participated in any formal mentorship program(s)? o Yes (what program?) ______________________ o No 34. Have you ever had a mentor who is a member of visible minority group? o Yes o No o Don’t know 35. How helpful do you think the mentors have been in your career development? o Extremely helpful o Very helpful o Moderately helpful o Slightly helpful o Not at all helpful 36. Please use the box below to add anything else that we may have missed asking you or that you would like to share: ______________________________________________
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Changes in the Library Landscape Regarding Visible Minority Librarians in Canada
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