The Civilized War within American Librarianship: Teaching Strategies for Battling Colorblindness in the LIS Classroom

Abstract

Library and information science (LIS) has struggled to improve diversity, representation, and retention in the profession throughout the years. Yet, despite a broad range of efforts, the profession, particularly in the U.S., remains primarily white, which mirrors American higher education in general. This disparity makes it imperative for the field to recognize more subtle forms of racism, such as colorblindness or the belief that the U.S. has moved into a post-racial world. This work will present strategies that LIS educators and librarians can employ to battle colorblindness through specific interventions in the LIS classroom. We believe LIS educators and librarians are uniquely positioned in higher education to impact students' learning when it comes to navigating the issues of racism in modern-day society. Here, we use reflective practice to explore ways in which we, as LIS educators and professionals, have dealt with racism and various related topics in the LIS classroom without falling into the trap of colorblindness. Our goal is to advance conversations related to colorblindness in higher education to allow it to be tackled and appropriately managed to benefit both students and faculty.