ACRL Diversity Residencies as a Recruitment Method toward a More Inclusive Workforce, or Diversity Residencies: It’s Complicated

For decades, residencies and fellowships have been a way to train early-career librarians in the practical applications of their MLS theoretical knowledge. They have been used as pathways for professionals from marginalized backgrounds to get their feet in the door of academic institutions. The ethics and efficacy of residencies is gaining attention as a research topic, particularly among former and current residents. With UT Austin, and now TDL, hosting the only ACRL Diversity Residency programs in Texas, how can other institutions in the state learn from their examples? How can other academic libraries implement residency programs of their own that benefit the host universities and the residents without tokenizing? This panel presentation will involve current library residents to discuss the practicalities and the experiences of diversity residencies.