New Collaboration: Exploring Workplace Experiences of BIPOC First-Generation Professionals in Library and Information Science

From an Ithaka S+R Post by Melissa Blankstein and Elmira Jangjou:

We’re excited to announce that the Department of Information Science at the University at Buffalo (UB) and Ithaka S+R are collaborating on an IMLS-funded research project to investigate the workplace experiences of first-generation BIPOC professionals in the library and information science (LIS) field. This three-year study will focus on understanding the challenges these professionals face and the cultural assets they bring to navigate and succeed in the workplace.

The LIS workforce, like many professional fields, is grappling with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. First-generation professionals, particularly those from BIPOC backgrounds, encounter unique barriers as they enter and establish their careers. This research collaboration between UB’s Africa Hands, assistant professor in the Department of Information Science, and Ithaka S+R aims to shed light on those challenges while identifying the strategies that these professionals use to thrive. This project builds on prior research conducted by Professor Hands on first-generation students and career services and extends that focus to the workplace.

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Over the next three years, we look forward to uncovering actionable insights that will help inform training programs for LIS faculty, guide professional associations in developing resources, and empower current professionals to create positive workplace cultures. Our findings will also culminate in the creation of an open access eBook that shares participants’ lived experiences, contributing to a broader understanding of the unique challenges faced by BIPOC first-generation professionals.

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Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Jobs, Libraries, News, Open Access