Call for Chapter Proposals
We are seeking chapter proposals for an edited volume published by Rowman & Littlefield. The chapters will be peer reviewed and publication date is tentatively expected for Spring 2027.
Working Title: Pathways for Change: Strategic Programs for Cultivating Diversity in the Library Workforce
Abstract submission deadline: Friday, May 9, 2025
Editors:
Tammie Busch, Elizabeth Kamper, Jacob Del Rio, and Lora Del Rio
Library & Information Services, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Book Description:
Pathways for Change: Strategic Programs for Cultivating Diversity in the Library Workforce provides a replicable and scalable set of tools and techniques for librarians to cultivate a diverse workforce of future librarians. This will allow readers to learn about partnerships between libraries and schools, and techniques for reaching out to underrepresented populations at a formative age.
According to a member survey conducted by the American Library Association in 2017, 86.7% of members identified as white. Despite our ongoing quest for diversity and a growing number of initiatives, literature, and conversations related to diversity, the demographics of the professional librarian population have not significantly changed. This book will begin with a narrative about an IMLS grant that funded the development of the Diverse Librarianship Career Training and Education (DLCTE) Program, which was a response to the lack of diversity in the field of librarianship. This book will serve as a call to action, giving large- and small-scale examples of initiatives designed to spread awareness about the field of librarianship and broadly impact the library workforce.
In addition to this narrative, this book will feature a collection of chapters or case studies, each exploring how a specific library has implemented a program or activity that strives to introduce librarianship to underrepresented populations. The book will empower current librarians to create library advocates by redefining and de-mystifying the profession and introducing them to modern practices in librarianship.
Sample chapters or case studies may include (but are not limited to):
- Mentorship for underrepresented library staff/students/etc.
- Library programming or events focusing on: Library career awareness, creating library advocates, etc.
- Paid internships for either school age or post high school students
- Recruitment or retention efforts for underrepresented library staff
- Examples of failed projects, programs, etc. that provided learning opportunities to library faculty and/or staff
- Professional development opportunities
- Scholarships and student awards
- Community partnerships to enhance library visibility and/or student involvement
Don’t see your topic/idea here? We encourage you to contact Elizabeth Kamper, co-editor, at ekamper@siue.edu to discuss how your idea may fit within this book’s scope.
- Editors will be holding two 1-hour open sessions for folks interested in applying to ask questions, share ideas, and get feedback. These sessions are scheduled for:
Tentative publication timeline:
- Abstract submission deadline: May 9, 2025
- Notification/feedback regarding submission: June 1, 2025
- First drafts due: September 1, 2025
- Second drafts with editor’s comments due: March 1, 2026
- Peer-Review: March – June 2026
- Final drafts with peer-review edits due: October 1, 2026
- Tentative publication date: Spring 2027
Submission Process:
An email with an attached word document (.doc or .docx) is required for proposal submission. The document should be written in Calibri or Times New Roman, 12 pt., and include:
- A working title
- Names of all contributing authors & their respective institutions
- Contact information for the primary author
- Estimated final word count
- A brief (350-500 word) description of your proposed chapter
Attach your chapter submission proposal to an email with the subject line: Chapter Proposal Submission_(PrimaryAuthor’sLastName)
And send to: ekamper@siue.edu
Proposals DUE: Friday, May 9, 2025
Questions?
Elizabeth Kamper, co-editor