The Lived Experiences of (BI)POC Women Academic Library Deans/Administrators

Librarianship continues to be a predominantly white profession, with even less representation of (BI)POC at the leadership level. According to the 2020 Library Professionals: Fact and Figures, over 83% of librarians were white, non-Hispanic in 2019. Furthermore, 5.3% of librarians identified as Black or African American, 7.1% as Hispanic or LatinX, and 3.5% as Asian-American or Pacific Islander.[16]. In addition, librarianship is a female profession, but leadership in libraries does not follow with this gender distribution (Neigel, 2015; Lew, S. & Yousefi, B. 2017). The panel will give voices to the variety of experienced women (BI)POC librarians in different administration roles as deans and administrators in community colleges, colleges, universities, private and public organizations. The panelists will talk about their myriad paths to library leadership while maintaining their identities as (BI)POC and ideals for dismantling systemic racism. They will introduce their own different stories towards leadership, their challenges navigating challenges and crisis (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), what they bring to the table as (BI)POC women library leaders in a world where their voices are rarely heard. The presenters are looking forward to engaging the audience in a candid and authentic conversation which can help other (BI)POC librarians in their goals towards library leadership