Scholarship Distribution

8%

92%

Total Scholarships Received by Minority Survey Participants = 204

Total Scholarships Received by Non-Minority Survey Participants = 2,414.5

Average Librarian Student Loan Debt*

$33,400 $33,600 $33,800 $34,000 $34,200 $34,400 $34,600 $34,800 $35,000

Non-Minority $34,000 All Librarians

$34,100 Minorities $34,948

*All dollar amounts have been adjusted at a compounded 8% rate and reflect dollar amounts of 2010. 8% is an average rate of college inflation per year.

Total # of Applications

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+ No Response

Non-Minority All Librarians Minorities

Scholarship Applications

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+No

Response

Non-Minority 32.00% 36.82% 16.24% 6.12% 2.71% 2.00% 2.14% 2.00%All Librarians 31.18% 35.29% 17.16% 7.06% 2.94% 1.96% 2.55% 1.87%Minorities 20.45% 31.82% 25.00% 11.36% 3.79% 2.27% 4.55% 0.76%

0.00%

5.00%

10.00%

15.00%

20.00%

25.00%

30.00%

35.00%

40.00%

Perc

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f Sur

vey

Popu

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Total # Received

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+ No Response

Non-Minority All Librarians Minorities

Scholarships Received

0 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11+No

Response

Non-Minority 45.41% 39.53% 5.76% 1.18% 0.35% 0.35% 0.24% 7.18%All Librarians 42.25% 41.08% 6.76% 1.37% 0.59% 0.49% 0.20% 7.26%Minorities 24.24% 48.48% 13.64% 3.03% 0.76% 1.52% 0.00% 8.33%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Perc

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vey

Popu

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Demographics

Race or Ethnicity 2000 U.S. Census Data – % of Librarians

Percent of Population

Percent of Survey Respondents*

American Indian / Alaska Native

Less than 1% .9% 1.86%

Asian / Pacific Islanders

3% 3.7% 4.59%

African American / Black

5% 12.3% 3.91%

Hispanic / Latino 2% 12.5% 3.13%

Caucasian / White 89% 75% 83.01%

Non-White 11% 25% 13.49%

* Respondents were given the option of checking all that apply. Roughly 5% checked more than one racial identity. 3.52% of respondents checked “Other” or “No response.”

Primary Sources of Funding for Library School

45.23%

17.08%14.70% 14.84%

6.10%1.18% 0.82%

49.30%

27.01%

10.81% 9.50%

3.40% 0.00%0.00%

Non-Minority Minority

Are We Closing One Gap While Widening Another?Are Minority Librarians Leaving Graduate School In More Debt Than Their Non-Minority Colleagues?

Shannon R. Simpson, MLIS • Residency Librarian, Towson University

DescriptionA survey on debt and scholarships for graduates of library school was conducted and analyzed in order to examine the debt load of ethnic minority* versus non-minority library school graduates. In addition, the number of scholarships applied for compared to their ultimate distribution was examined.

*The term “minority” is used throughout this poster in place of “members of traditionally under-represented groups” for efficiency purposes. Here, the term “minority” refers to all of those persons that are part of ethnically under-represented groups, or as defined by ALA’s Spectrum program as members of: American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander communities. The researcher would like to acknowledge that, while this study examined a specific portion of the under-represented, the term “minority” can also be applied to a much broader group than those that were examined in this survey.

BackgroundThanks in part to numerous diversity initiatives, the number of ethnic minorities choosing to enter library school has seen slow but steady increases over the past half-century. This poster reviews data collected to compare the debt load of minority versus the debt-load of non-minority library school graduates. In addition to examining the levelness of the financial playing field between non-minority and minority librarians, this study helps illustrate whether the amount of financial support made available to minority students is being out-paced by the number of minorities entering the profession.

MethodologyUsing the online tool, StudentVoice, a survey was distributed nationally via various library-related listservs, blogs, and Facebook pages. Statistical data was gathered from 1020 respondents. The survey was given “exempt” status by the researcher’s IRB department, and reflects the latest demographic statistics of ALA and the 2000 U.S. Census.

Learning Outcomes92% of scholarships are being distributed to non-minorities • which make up 89% of the population.

8% of scholarships are being distributed to minorities which • make up 11% of the librarian population.

Average Debt Load Accumulated By Librarians in order to Attain MLIS/MLS degree

Minority = $34,948*•

Non-Minority = $34,000*•

Difference = $948• *

*All dollar amounts have been adjusted at a compounded 8% rate and reflect dollar amounts of 2010. 8% is an AVERAGE rate of college inflation per year.

Percentage of surveyed minority librarians and scholarships/grants/funding

78.79% of all minority librarians • APPLIED for 1 or more scholarships

67.43% of all minority librarians • RECEIVED 1 or more scholarships

18.95% of all minority librarians • RECEIVED 3 or more scholarships

3.79% of all minority librarians that applied • RECEIVED 0 scholarships

Percentage of surveyed non-minority librarians and scholarships/grants/funding

66.03% of all non-minority librarians • APPLIED for 1 or more scholarships

47.41% of all non-minority librarians • RECEIVED 1 or more scholarships

7.88% of all non-minority librarians • RECEIVED 3 or more scholarships

13.41% of all non-minority librarians that applied • RECEIVED 0 scholarships

Survey Results Further Research3.79% of minorities that apply for scholarships receive none. How • can this population be reached in order to close the financial gap between minorities and non-minorities?

Would reaching the 3.79% of minorities with scholarships actually • close the financial gap?

Does the strength of minority applicants or applications need to • improve and if so, what can be done?

This study was conducted exclusively for library school graduates, but • how large is the minority population that did not finish library school specifically due to lack of funding?

8% of all scholarships and library school assistance are being received • by minorities. Are all, some or none of this 8% targeted specifically for minorities?

Is there a perception in the field that minorities are receiving a great • deal of scholarships and funding? If so, does this deter scholarship granting agencies from awarding minorities, due to the perception that they will get funding elsewhere? If so, what can be done in order to change this perception?