Abstract
While increasing attention, research, and writing have elevated issues faced by library workers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), multiracial library workers are often, if not always, left out of the conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The work around DEI in the library profession often erases the lived experiences of multiracial library workers. In turn, this erasure silences our experiences of racism and microaggressions, as well as our unique views and experiences.
This paper shares the findings of an exploratory mixed methods study, consisting of an online survey of and interviews with multiracial library workers from across the United States who work in different library contexts and at different positions in the libraries’ administrative hierarchies. The study looks at the intersections of identities, focusing on multiplicities of multiracial experiences to provide visibility to our community of multiracial library workers. It is also hoped that this research is an invitation to move the library profession towards ensuring that multiracial library workers’ voices and lived experiences are valued in the movements for equity and justice in libraries.
Recommended Citation
Wakimoto, D. (2024). "What are you?": Multiracial Library Workers' Experiences in Libraries. Urban Library Journal, 30 (1). Retrieved from https://academicworks.cuny.edu/ulj/vol30/iss1/1