[check] [check] Managing multiculturalism and diversity in the library: principles and issues for administrators.

[check] [check] Managing multiculturalism and diversity in the library: principles and issues for administrators edited by Mark Winston. New York, Haworth Press 1999 209pp US$84.00 ISBN 0789006928 Published simultaneously as Journal of library administration volume 27 number 1/2 1999

This collection was developed to provide a forum for discussion of issues relating to diversity. It meets this challenge by providing twelve authors an opportunity to write on the topic. They are all based in the US, and thus many of the examples they give relate to the cultural dimensions of US society. However the broader context is developed from the US examples, so this is not a barrier to Australians and New Zealanders wishing to gain an understanding of the issues.

There is one paper, by Aguinaga, that takes an international perspective, focusing on Australia, Canada, China and the UK. It includes information on the breakdown of Australian society by country of birth and a brief history of legislative and political changes that have affected the development of multiculturalism in Australia.

While there may be an assumption that those who read the papers understand the value of diversity in the workplace, for the more sceptical the benefits are explored by at least two of the authors. James Williams comments on the value of diversity in the light of the American Council of Education's official statement on diversity. He also identifies the preconditions in leadership and organisational culture needed for the paradigm shift to effective diversity management. Lorna Peterson reflects how a diverse student body in higher education would promote the vigorous exchange of ideas.

All of the authors are based in higher education and so many of the issues raised are more relevant to libraries in higher education than to other libraries. There are comments on the student population and recruitment strategies that may not translate to all libraries. A broader perspective is provided in the paper by Teresa Neely on initiatives of the American Library Association and related bodies. Zora Sampson also takes a wider view, discussing civility and the impact that increasing diversity will have.

In exploring diversity, does the diversity of the workplace reflects the diversity in the community? Is there a similar balance of people from different racial backgrounds? A similar proportion of men and women? A similar proportion of people with disabilities? If the diversity in the community and the workplace are similar then it would suggest that there are few barriers to recruitment. In a service environment, such as a library, there can also be the question of whether the diversity in the workplace reflects the community that is serviced.

With the number of international students in Australian and New Zealand educational institutions, many of them heavy users of public libraries, this can be somewhat different from the overall community in which we live. This is addressed in the papers which address recruitment, and how an organisation can move to increasing recruitment of minority groups. As Haipeng Li points out, any move to change recruitment policies can lead to heated debate. However it is unfortunate that the issues raised in these debates are not shared with the reader, as similar debates may occur in other organisations.

If we are to recruit a more diverse staff, then who are the likely recruits? There are more answers here for librarians in academic institutions and library educators than others. One suggestion is to recruit from the student population. The other is to ensure that there are more minority groups in library and information science programs. Teresa Neely canvasses some of the scholarships and programs that have been developed to address the diversity of the students in these programs.

Tessa Parry Evans discusses issues raised by lack of equitable access to technology. She argues for a more definitive policy on universal service which will ensure equal access to information technology. This concern is readily transferable to the Australian situation.

In summary this is a useful collection of papers which explores diversity in the workplace from different perspectives. It is more relevant to libraries in higher education, and is recommended to them. It will have less value to librarians in other environments.

Linda Luther Associate Librarian University of South Australia