Eagles Leading in Libraries: Podcasts

the TIE Podcast is a series about equity, diversity, and inclusion in higher education and beyond. TIE Editor-in-Chief Alexia Hudson-Ward interviews thought leaders from across academia and the professional community, including academic librarians, administrators, faculty, and authors, to explore a range of topics to address DEIA through a pedagogical, scholarly, curatorial, and workplace/professional lens.

For decades, Black Librarians have gone unnoticed when fighting for the right to literacy and access to information for Black Americans. Our documentary will evince the many untold stories about these struggles and the impact they've made on the communities that they serve. Our documentary, 'Are You A Librarian: The Untold Story of Black Librarians' highlights numerous Black Librarians across America and their experiences throughout the profession. We shed light on the history of Black Librarianship, its trials and tribulations, celebrating their accomplishments and innovative approaches to the profession. Black Librarians have a story to tell, and now it is here.

This Los Angeles Library online archive encompasses the myriad contributions of African Americans who have achieved cultural and historical prominence.

The latest edition of “The Black Librarian in America” the
seminal Black Caucus of the American Library Association
(BCALA) publication, published by Rowman & Littlefield, is the
first to be wholly edited by Black women, including Shauntee
Burns-Simpson, Nichelle M. Hayes, Dr. Ana Ndumu, and Dr.Shaundra Walker—and it also features a foreword by the Librarianof Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. This reflective and celebratory edition marks the 50th anniversary of both the first edition, edited by Dr. E. J. Josey, and the founding of the BCALA. The editors have gathered a wealth of wisdom and lived experience from the stories represented in
this volume, which are invaluable to understanding the challenges,
opportunities, and ongoing work of Black librarians in America. Inthis episode of FYI: The Public Libraries Podcast, we have the privilege of speaking with one of the editors of this important and timely book—Shauntee Burns- Simpson, Associate Director, Center for Educators and Schools, The New York Public Library.

The shortage of Black librarians in the United States stems from a historical legacy of exclusion, limited access to quality education and professional development, the absence of visible role models and mentors, unconscious biases in recruitment processes, unequal salary structures, unwelcoming work environments, and broader systemic racism. These interconnected factors have led to a lack of representation within the field of librarianship, highlighting the need for proactive diversity initiatives, targeted outreach, educational support, and the dismantling of structural barriers to foster increased inclusion and equitable opportunities for Black individuals pursuing careers in librarianship.