Manager, Learning and Development Brooklyn Public Library
Join the collective effort to diversify the field of Library and Information Science!
In response to the longstanding lack of diversity in the LIS field and ongoing calls for employers to provide meaningful continuing education opportunities for library workers, Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) implemented the Pathways to Leadership scholarship program. This innovative, equity-driven program provides full funding and wraparound support services for non-librarian BPL employees as they pursue their MLIS degrees. Though the program initially emerged from conversations focused on diversity and equity, it has also driven discussions about resilience and retention within the organization.
Participants will leave this poster session with a strong understanding of the unique barriers experienced by future librarians (especially those from historically underrepresented backgrounds), lessons learned from Pathways to Leadership, and a well-established framework for fostering diversity and equity while promoting workforce retention and resilience.
Visuals will include graphs reflecting local and national demographic statistics, photographs, student anecdotes, flow charts illustrating project processes, and pie charts capturing outcomes (i.e. graduation rates, career advancements, and results from student feedback surveys). The poster will also include QR codes that link to interactive forums (i.e. reflection prompts) and resources (i.e. a podcast episode about the program) that the audience can engage with in real-time.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to comfortably discuss the current state of diversity, equity, resilience, and retention in libraries nationwide.
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify the unique barriers individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds may face while pursuing librarian and leadership roles.
Upon completion, participants will be able to use tools, strategies, and a well-established framework for implementing organizational initiatives that foster diversity and equity while promoting workforce retention and resilience.