Enriching the Academic and Research Library Profession through Diversity and Inclusion: The University Library’s Residency Program

The Association for College and Research Libraries Diversity Alliance unites academic libraries committed to increasing the hiring pipeline of qualified and talented individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in hopes of diversifying and enriching the profession. Program participants create one or more residency positions for members of these groups in hopes of giving them the necessary environment to gain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to thrive in an academic context. The Resident has opportunities to network, present, attend conferences, publish, and rotate through the library’s departments. The University Library joined the Diversity Alliance in early 2017 and the Library’s inaugural resident arrived at Iowa State University (ISU) in June 2017. We would like to share how this program is already benefitting the campus community and report on the future of the Library Residency program at ISU