Lift Every Voice

Assignment 2 – Needs Assessment of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s F.D. Bluford Library “Lift Every Voice: A Needs Assessment of LGBTQ services at an HBCU Academic Library” Team 3 – Briana Benson, Terry Hobgood, April Parker, Kristen Ross, and Alison Walsh April 2012

Table of Contents I. Executive Summary..................................................................................................................... 3 II. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 7 III. Methods..................................................................................................................................... 9 IV. Results..................................................................................................................................... 12 V. Conclusion & Recommendations............................................................................................. 20 VI. Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Needs Assessment Experience ...................................... 22 VII. Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 24

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I. Executive Summary This needs assessment was conducted for F.D. Bluford Library on the campus of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. The specific goal of our project was to evaluate the performance of this library in contributing to a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-friendly and inclusive campus environment. The inspiration for this assessment follows “The Greatest Tabboo and the HBCU” (Willis, 2004), a study which posed the question: “Does collecting the literature of gay and lesbian studies pose a challenge to [HBCU libraries] as they serve a clientele who may be inclined to shun not only social expression of homosexuality but even its study?” (p. 34).

The assessment focuses on several different areas, including Bluford Library staff (internal customers), students and other library patrons (external customers), the library’s gay literature collection, and library administration. Instruments used for data collection include electronic surveys for both internal and external customers, a structured analysis of LGBTQ materials in the Bluford collection, focus group interview with library patrons, and an interview with the Dean of Library Services. Each team member focused on collecting data, tabulating results, and forming recommendations for one of these individual areas.

To explore the library staff’s assessment of cultural climate and effectiveness of providing an LGBTQ-friendly workplace and research environment for patrons, an electronic survey was distributed to all Bluford Library staff members. A survey was compiled from several existing instruments from previous cultural climate studies in academic settings. Survey results show that library staff are confident in their ability to serve LGBTQ patrons, but there may be opportunity for improvements in sensitivity and promoting inclusivity in the library as a workplace.

The assessment also presents an evaluation of the library’s gay literature collection, seeking to improve the quantity, quality, and relevance of such materials, while also identifying deficiencies.

This evaluation research compares known LGBTQ award reading lists, the Over the Rainbow reading list and the Stonewall book award list, to A&T’s Bluford Library database. The Over

the Rainbow reading list, a relatively new list, is compiled by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table (GLBTRT) committee of the American Library Association. The Stonewall book award list, which has been in place since 1971, honors books “…for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.” (CN) Also, using the example of The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU by Alfred White, a search of A&T’s catalog was performed with the keyword “homosexuality.” Our group decided to expand on this search to not only use the word “homosexuality” but to add more up-to-date terms such as “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” and “transgender.”

Research comparing A&T’s catalog to the Over the Rainbow reading list produced some interesting results. Out of the seventy-four different book titles on the 2012 reading list, only two were available in A&T’s catalog. (CN) Also, out of the seventy-two authors, fourteen had other book titles available within the catalog. Out of the one hundred and four different titles on the 2011 reading list, sixteen titles were available in A&T’s database. Of the one hundred and one different authors, thirty-six had different book titles in A&T’s database. Due to the fact that this is such a new database it is difficult to assess A&T’s LGBTQ collection based on these two reading lists alone; therefore, another list needed to be compared.

Comparing the Stonewall book award list to A&T’s database produced further results. The Stonewall award list is much shorter in comparison to the Over the Rainbow reading list; therefore, the 2012 award list consisted of only fifteen books. Of these fifteen books, none was available in A&T’s database, but five of the authors had other works available. The 2011 award list proved to be present in about the same level; only two out of fourteen titles were available in A&T’s database and two authors had other works available. The last list evaluated, the 2010 list only had one out of fourteen titles available and only three authors had other works available.

The conclusion drawn at the end of this part of the research was that the A&T database was sorely lacking in LGBTQ related materials. Out of a total of two hundred and twenty-one titles over two different reading lists, spread over five years, only twenty-one titles were available or 9%; although, these lists were considered the best of the best of LGBTQ reading material.

Maybe the keyword searches of different LGBTQ terms and “homosexuality” would prove more fruitful.

In February 2004, Alfred Willis the assistant director for collection management at Hampton University wrote an article entitled The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities.) In this article, he did a keyword search of the word “homosexuality” to different college and university library databases. (CN) The following research mirrors this, comparing the holdings of A&T’s Bluford Library in 2004 to present day. Also, research was conducted with A&T’s database using the keywords, “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” “transgender,” and “queer”(LGBTQ.) When typing in a keyword search of “homosexuality,” one hundred and seventy-one books were found between the general stacks and reference section. Also found in A&T’s online database were one hundred and fifty seven e-books, fourteen journals, and seventy-nine government documents. According to The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU, in 2004 the number of hits was only one hundred and fifty. Thus, the number of material has grown exponentially.

By comparing only the Over the Rainbow reading list, the Stonewall book awards list, and keyword “homosexuality,” it was felt that more comparison was needed to see if A&T’s catalog truly needed more quantity and quality LGBTQ materials. Therefore, it was decided that there would be a keyword search of more up-to-date terminology. The first term that was searched was “lesbian.”

The keyword “lesbian” gathered two hundred and one book hits, one hundred and one e-book hit, eighty-seven government documents hits, and thirteen journal hits. A large number of materials to be sure, but meager when compared to the millions of items of materials that A&T’s database holds.

The keyword “gay” proved to be even more productive. It provided five hundred and twenty-six books, two hundred and fifty-four e-books, one hundred and forty-one government documents, and eighteen journals.

The search using the keyword “bisexual” came back lacking truly significant results. It delivered sixty-seven books, fifteen e-books, thirteen government documents, and no journals.

The keyword “transgender” also resulted in a low number of hits. The “Transgender” search came back with forty-two book titles, nine e-book titles, four government documents, and no journals.

The keyword “queer” provided one hundred and two book hits, no e-book hits, 51 government document titles, and no journals.

Lastly, the acronym itself “LGBTQ” was searched and absolutely no materials were found except for one lone e-book.

Overall, the conclusion can be made that, while the collection of LGBTQ materials has grown in the last eight years, it could use more development. Most of the LGBTQ material that is available in the A&T library consists of older publications, with the most recent books being ones published in 2010. This might be a contributing factor to why there was a serious lack of comparison to the Over the Rainbow reading list and the Stonewall book award list. Each of these lists, used for comparison to A&T’s catalog, consists of newer titles made available within the last three years, which A&T is sorely lacking. Most of the available LGBTQ materials consist of older academic publications. There is almost nothing that could fall under the category of fiction. A&T’s collection could be improved by adding newer titles with educational and fictional qualities. This would add more quality, as well as quantity, resulting in an improved and more well-rounded collection.

II. Introduction Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) are our nation’s pride and shame. Their existence speaks to the contributions and resiliency of the African American population.

HBCU’s have educated and graduated innumerous people of color, while serving as a constant reminder that we as a nation are overcoming centuries of enslavement, subsequent denial of education, and decades of second-class citizenship. Now in the time of a cultural shift where diversity is being embraced for the absolute benefit of the institution, HBCU’s have a unique challenge to self-define diversity, identify, and support the minorities within the minority composition of the student body. We cannot speak of African American values and contributions without in the same breath speaking to those of the LGBTQ population. Academic institutions and libraries have a responsibility to dually stigmatized populations. Without the illumination of the often-omitted narratives of queer people of color, HBCU’s will further contribute to the erasure of LGBTQ culture and history.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was founded in 1891 as the A. and M. College for the “Colored Race” with the purpose of “teach[ing] practical agriculture and mechanic arts and such branches of learning as relate there to, not excluding academic and classical instruction” (NC A&T, 2011). F.D. Bluford Library opened in 1991 with the mission of “support[ing] discovery, engagement, and use of knowledge by providing timely access to quality information and learner-centered services that enhance the interdisciplinary mission of the University” (NC A&T, 2009). Additionally, the library has three main goals: 1. Learning/Teaching Library: The Library, in partnership with academic faculty, will empower clients to utilize information resources and services to achieve the highest standard of excellence in individual, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research.

2. Access: The Library will organize, present, and deliver client-centered information services that are easily accessible and can be utilized independently.

3. Staffing: The library will provide a diverse staff appropriate in number and skills to ensure that the client is the center of library planning and service delivery. (NC A&T, 2009)

Bluford library serves the entire NC A&T community, which consists of approximately 11,000 students (full-time, part-time, graduate, and undergraduate) and 1,000 faculty and staff. Being an HBCU, NC A&T’s student population is primarily African-American (85.1%). The next largest racial population is “white,” which makes up 7.4% of the total student body. The university has a slightly higher proportion of women than men, with 54% women and 46% men. NC A&T offers 117 undergraduate degrees and 58 graduate degrees at both masters and doctoral levels. (NC A&T, 2010) This study was conducted to analyze how well the library is meeting its second goal of providing “client-centered information services” to a specific, and often undeserved population: LGBTQ students.

III. Methods In order to achieve the best results, Team 3 took a multifaceted approach to collecting data, both quantitative and qualitative. Data collected included an administrator interview, internal customer surveys, external customer surveys, and a focus group.

Administrator Interview: Dean Vicki Coleman is a somewhat new addition to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She became the Dean of Library Services on September 1, 2011, after coming to Greensboro from Arizona State University, where she served as Associate University Librarian and before that she was the director of Clemons Library at the University of Virginia.

She has previously held positions at the University of Kansas and Texas A&M University at College Station. Dean Coleman is an alumna of NC A&T, and it is obvious that she brings a wealth of experience at a variety of institutions to her current position as Dean of Library Services.

The questions asked in the interview conducted with the head of Bluford Library focused on how budgeting and collection decisions are made. We incorporated the basis of our study (“The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU”) and attempted to relate the questions and answers provided by Dean Coleman about the collection as a whole to the central concern of our research.

The goal during the interview was to determine how budgeting and collection policies are determined at Bluford Library, and how these decisions have affected the library’s collection with particular attention paid to LGBT material. There was also attention paid to any comparisons done by Bluford Library to other libraries with similar budgets, histories, and/or collection needs. The full list of questions related to Dean Coleman can be found in Appendix A. Internal Customer Surveys: A survey of 31 questions was drafted to gather information from Bluford Library employees about the cultural climate of the library, its ability to serve LGBTQ patrons, and its performance in contributing to an LGBTQ-friendly and inclusive campus environment. The survey questions were adapted from several existing instruments such as “The Iowa College Climate Survey,”

PFLAG-Olympia’s School Climate Survey, Michigan State University’s LBGT Climate Study Survey Questionnaire. Additionally, one whole section of the survey referenced ACRL’s Diversity Standards (http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/standards/diversity_draft.pdf).

The final survey sought input from Bluford staff in 5 different areas: 1. The role of a librarian in providing support for the LGBTQ community at NC A&T. 2. The role of the library collection in support of the LGBTQ community at NC A&T. 3. The cultural climate at Bluford Library.

4. Response to ACRL Diversity Standards.

5. Final comments The complete Bluford Staff Survey and results has been included in Appendix B. The survey was built in GoogleDocs (https://docs.google.com/a/uncg.edu/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHZGU1ZQSENuc09rZD NFVVNQZ2dpblE6MQ#gid=0).

With the survey finalized, and with a statement of consent from Vicki Coleman, Dean of Library Services at Bluford, the survey was distributed. A list of staff people and email addresses was collected from the Bluford website’s directory page (http://www.library.ncat.edu/directory).

This information was compiled in a GoogleDocs mail merge template, and a personalized invitation was sent to each staff member via email, directing them to the survey link. The invitation was sent to forty-six Bluford Library employees, and eleven responses were recorded.

No demographic information was collected, and in order to ensure confidentiality of respondents and validity of results, no identifying information was recorded.

External Customer Surveys: Text Focus Group: A focus group was conducted in order to provide personal feedback and qualitative data to better analyze student perceptions of how the library is meeting the needs of LGBTQ students. The

group met in Bluford Library and consisted of three students, all undergraduate upperclassmen.

The group was formed with the help of an A&T student, who is an LGBTQ advocate and leader on campus. This student was one of the focus group participants. The group consisted of one male and two females. The male, henceforth referred to as Student A, identifies as gay. One female, henceforth referred to as Student B, identifies as lesbian, and the second female, Student C, does not currently identify with a specific sexuality, but has had relationships with males and females.

The questions we asked of the students were concerned with both the library and the university as a whole. We felt it important to ask about the general university atmosphere, as we recognize that this has direct impact on the atmosphere of the library. A complete list of the questioned asked during the focus group can be found in Appendix D.

IV. Results Administrator Interview: Dean Coleman indicated that she was not familiar with “The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU” by Alfred Willis before we began our needs assessment of Bluford Library. Therefore, it had not previously made an impact on how the collection was built at Bluford, but she thinks that it will be a useful resource in the future. Willis’ article illustrates that the LGBTQ subject area is lacking in many HBCU libraries, and Dean Coleman thought that it was an important area that libraries should not have a deficiency in (Willis, 2004, p. 34).

She continued by explaining the model for how budgeting and purchasing decisions are made at Bluford Library. Each school, department, and/or academic unit at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University has a faculty liaison to Bluford. These faculty members are in charge of informing the library of what materials they would like to be purchased to support research being done by their academic unit. The library takes these faculty recommendations, and does the best they can to purchase these materials based on the allocated budget.

The allocation of funds to each academic unit is based on how many students, faculty, and staff they support as well as other considerations like format and cost of materials for that discipline.

For example, medical journals are much more expensive than journals in other fields, so that serials budget could be higher than most. And many materials in the Humanities are only available in print, so their print budget may be higher while the electronic materials purchased for the Humanities could be lower than average.

Dean Coleman also emphasized that the focus of the collection, and of the University as a whole, is on the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. So that portion of the budget is less likely to be cut than some other disciplines. If there are budget cuts or increases in any discipline, it is based on faculty, staff, and student needs in that subject area after considering A&T University’s needs as a whole.

Dean Coleman hopes to change the model for collection development decisions at Bluford in the near future. She feels that in the past the faculty liaisons were sometimes not consulting with

their colleagues before making purchasing recommendations to the library. There may have been instances where the liaisons were making recommendations based solely on their own research needs, and not what their academic unit as a whole needed from the library.

When we spoke of LGBTQ materials specifically, Dean Coleman informed me that these are not listed as being separate unit for purchasing. Any LGBTQ materials purchased are based on recommendations made by faculty in their respective fields. For example, history books focusing on LGBTQ issues would be purchased based on recommendations from the History Department liaison. When asked if any unit has a “protected” budget regardless of recommendations or usage, she said that nothing is specifically protected but the budget for STEM materials are the closest to “protected” status.

Dean Coleman did elaborate by saying that if a faculty member really feels some topic or subject is being short changed, then they can make specific recommendations for purchases to Bluford, and they will do their best to purchase that item. She has the ability to be flexible with the budget, so there isn’t necessarily a line that can’t be crossed if a specific item is needed for a faculty member or department to complete their academic/research goals.

Interestingly, Dean Coleman informed me that no one has ever complained about the breadth or dearth of LGBTQ materials at Bluford. She says that she has basically never received specific complaints about subject areas in the collection, but she also understands that this doesn’t mean people are satisfied. Dean Coleman was unsure as to whether this was a culture issue; where students feel unsafe or lack the confidence to complain about issues like this. But she would certainly like users to let her know if the library is not meeting their needs in terms of LGBTQ materials, or any other area.

She also told me that awards lists are probably not consulted to make purchasing decisions at Bluford for LGBTQ material or any other area. She agrees that these lists would be a good tool for most subject areas, but they would obviously not have the need or the desire to purchase every single award-winning book. She thinks these lists aren’t really consulted by faculty like a librarian would, but this could be something that starts once they switch to the model of librarians having more input on what is purchased for Bluford’s collection.

When asked about the usefulness of the surveys we are sending to students and library staff, Dean Coleman said that these tools can help her better assess how Bluford is fitting into the A&T University Strategic Plan. A big part of that plan is inclusiveness, and if students, faculty, and staff don’t feel like the library is inclusive, then that is certainly an issue she would seek to fix.

Dean Coleman says that as far as she knows, currently purchasing decisions for the collection are not being based on what other libraries with similar budgets and/or collection goals are purchasing. She agreed that this would be a useful tool for making purchasing decisions, and that is another modification that could be made after the model for purchasing has changed.

She also informed me that they don’t really compare their collection to other HBCUs because their primary goal is to build collections in support of the curricular and research needs of the A&T faculty, students and staff. She continued by saying that they are definitely proud of their HBCU history, and the library is committed to preserving the legacy of the university. But A&T University as a whole is a research university and library collections are built with that in mind.

As we finished our interview, Dean Coleman indicated that she hopes our group will take an expanded view of collections as we complete our needs assessment. She feels that when looking at print materials in the collection, we should keep in mind that that is only a small portion of what Bluford offers to its users. There are other purchasing decisions that won’t be reflected in the catalog like whether they are buying access to digital archives, and other non-traditional library resources.

Also, at the moment Dean Coleman doesn’t feel that she hears much discussion about the library collection among students at A&T University. At other libraries where Dean Coleman has worked, students would be very vocal about any deficiencies they saw in the collection. She hopes that this is something that can change, and would be very pleased if our needs assessment contributed to that change. If any users feel that the collection isn’t inclusive, then that is something she certainly wants to be made aware of.

Internal Customer Surveys:

The survey results exhibit a 25% response rate of the Bluford employees invited to participate.

The survey was edited for length and phrasing to improve the ease of reading and responding.

Reliability could have been improved by more participants, which could have benefitted from more data collection time. The library director halted survey responses for a period one day after the survey was delivered. She stated that she needed additional information to share with her employees before the survey could continue. The survey was reopened later the same day, but the majority of responses were collected before this interruption occurred. With a more seamless method of delivery, we undoubtedly would have been able to improve the reliability of our data in the internal survey. Nonetheless, though the response rate is lower than we ideally wanted, we have reason to believe that the results are valid. Though all questions in the survey were optional, every question was answered by most respondents, excluding the open-ended questions. This, along with our decision not to collect any identifying or demographic information from Bluford staff, leads us to a high level of confidence in the power of our findings.

In the internal customer survey, 91% of respondents agreed that the Bluford Library staff as a whole is supportive of LGBTQ students. No respondent gave an answer in disagreement (1-2) that the library should play a significant role in providing support, safety, and resources for LGBTQ students. 91% are comfortable with the cultural climate in their work area as it relates to the LGBTQ community. All respondents answered that they feel confident responding to patrons’ questions on LGBTQ topics. These results show that many Bluford librarians agree with the endeavor of supporting LGBTQ concerns on campus. This shows that some of what the librarians see as “what is” at Bluford is in keeping with “what should be” in terms of assessing LGBTQ needs.

However, some of the survey responses were more ambiguous. To the question, “I perceive tensions in discussions regarding LGBTQ issues,” 36% responded in disagreement, 36% in agreement, and 27% neutral. Only one respondent answered in agreement to the question, “In the past year, Bluford Library has hosted an appropriate number of events, programs, or classes featuring LGBTQ-themed topics”; 36% answered neutrally, and 55% in disagreement. This is a clear opportunity for improvement, and suggests the obvious recommendation that the library should promote more LGBTQ-themed events. When asked what assessment tools might be used

to increase awareness of LGBTQ information needs, one respondent replied, “It might be beneficial to work with the Multicultural Center to determine what types of resources they think would be helpful (LGBTQ lit, coming out resources, policy info, etc.)” This is also an excellent recommendation brought by a Bluford staff member.

Section 4 of the employee survey is especially powerful. This section presents several of ACRL’s diversity standards and asks participants to evaluate how well Bluford Library embodies them with consideration toward LGBTQ issues. The mean response for almost all of the questions in this section was 3. This shows a clear opportunity for improvement. If the Bluford staff does not feel that the library embodies the ACRL standards, this could be a starting point for identifying goals for improvement.

One survey respondent offered very insightful input in the “final comments” open-ended section of the survey: LGBTQ employees have not, generally, been encouraged to be out at Bluford. There have been derogatory remarks to staff members in the past, though not in the last couple of years. […] Support for LGBTQ students and students working with LGBTQ issues is much stronger than support for working with LGBTQ staff members. […] I think there’s a dichotomy between attitudes towards patrons/customers, and attitudes towards peers.

There have been big improvements though; I think comfort with student needs for LGBTQ resources and support is a sign of movement towards even greater acceptance toward the LGBTQ community.

If this respondent’s remarks are to be believed, Bluford seems to be experiencing a trend toward increased acceptance and inclusivity. It is our hope that this needs assessment will help provide data and structure for that continuing trend.

External Customer Surveys: Text Focus Group:

The focus group began with a discussion of the university atmosphere. When asked what they expected A&T to be like before they came, Student B stated that she mainly chose the university because it is her father’s alma mater. Student A stated that he was very optimistic when he first arrived. He had always wanted to attend an HBCU and thought that A&T would be a great fit.

He stated that “coming out” was not hard, nor was it easy; he took it in baby steps, which made it more manageable. He wanted to be a part of an organization that promoted sexual equality on campus, and joining such an organization showed him how much of a need the LGBTQ community had for support. (That LGBTQ support group has since disbanded.) When Student A first arrived at A&T, there were no “Safe Zones.” Since the implementation of Safe Zones, one of which is the library, he has noticed a difference in treatment of LGBTQ students. Instances of both other students and faculty/staff discrimination have decreased. He attributed the change to the signal that the institution of these Safe Zones sent to the community-at-large. With this program, the university itself made a statement of support for LGBTQ students, which had an impact on the views of university students and staff. Student A talked about his experience attending the opening of the first Safe Zone on campus. He stated that he saw some faculty/staff cry as students talked about their experiences and what the new Safe Zone meant to them. He specifically mentioned one female student who told about the time her favorite professor discovered her sexual status. Rather than being given support, the professor insulted her. With the university implementation of Safe Zones, students were given a forum to discuss instances like this in a welcoming environment. Chancellor Martin has been very supportive with this endeavor.

When asked what their expectations of A&T’s LGBTQ community were before attending, Student C stated that, A&T being a university, she expected a more “accepting and mature” environment. She feels this is not what she has received: I don’t know if what I expected was much more than I got, because we had an organization, but it didn’t fulfill the need. It was more of a show…the wrong people were in control of it…they didn’t have that genuine care for the situations or the struggles or for even wanting to hear someone express their feelings. Because sometimes that’s just want somebody needs—a place where they can come and be themselves with somebody

that…you know a place where they won’t be judged, and I feel like this...I didn’t get what I wanted. I didn’t get it.

Student C felt that since coming to the university, it has become more acceptable in general to be LGBTQ, but that this acceptance has not reached the university itself.

Further discussion of university life moved toward dorm life. Student C stated that she moved off campus because of treatment she received from others based on her orientation. When asked if dorm officials, such as RA’s, ever discussed sexuality during new student orientation, the answer was no. Student A stated that he did not believe that was something they even considered. He went on to say that it would not be mentioned until there was either a death on campus or a lawsuit. He believed that it would take something that extreme for the university to make addressing LGBTQ discrimination an official act.

The focus group members did say that though LGBTQ issues are not often discussed in their classes, they have had to do research in this field. However, they have not found that the library is meeting their needs. Student A openly admitted that he never tried to use the library when researching these issues, opting instead for the Internet. He attributed this to his preconception that the library would not have anything he could use. Additionally, he felt that the librarians are unhelpful in general, often telling students to “look it up on the computer” when asking for information. Student B stated that if she asked for research help on LGBTQ subjects she would expect to be told, “we don’t have that” or “that’s not here.” This is based on the general library and university climate.

As an example, Student C chimed in and told a story of a time when she was inappropriately touched by a non-student while in the library. The police arrived and everyone was very supportive of Student C (who, based on appearance, is not obviously a LGBTQ student). Then Student B (who is more visibly LGBTQ) arrived. When Student C stated that Student B was with her, she received a degrading look and “went from oh so innocent to oh so gay.” The staff who were there supporting her simply stated that they hoped she felt better and left. This type of instance has negatively impacted how these students see the entire university, including the library.

All three focus group participants feel that they have received substandard service due to their sexual status. They have received callous looks and have, on occasion, been ignored. Student A discussed an instance when he and some other students were doing research for a scholar program. One of the other students was researching LGBTQ issues at HBCU’s. A librarian developed a LibGuide for the students, and the LGBTQ section had only one link, which was to another institution’s databases. Furthermore, when discussing their research with the librarian, she only talked to the LGBTQ research for “like five seconds” before turning her attention to Student A. He felt this was because of the lack of resources the library had.

The focus group participants would like to see more information provided on LGBTQ health issues. Additionally, they feel that if the library would showcase LGBTQ contributions, it would go far towards making the university population more aware of the community in general. At the time that the focus group met, there was a display in the library promoting LGBTQ awareness and support. This was the first rainbow they had seen on campus. They would like to see this more. In the words of Student C, “I think that most people are waiting for A&T to take a stand.

And once A&T takes a stand, we’ll have no choice but to fall in line.” Rather than expecting the students to start a movement, these students believe that until the university administration openly supports the LGBTQ community, no change will happen.

V. Conclusion & Recommendations The surveys that our group administered indicate that, for the most part, the staff members feel that Bluford offers a supportive environment for the LGBTQ community. There is certainly some room for improvement, but the atmosphere appears ready to build on the goals set forth by this assessment. Dean Coleman indicated that she wants Bluford to support the University’s goal of inclusiveness, and it seems that there is support from the staff to achieve this goal. Also, based on our student survey, it appears that for the most part the A&T student community feels that Bluford is at worst adequate at achieving this goal of inclusiveness through their collection.

It does appear that the restructuring that Dean Coleman hopes to carry out in the near future for collection development at Bluford will help the library achieve more accountability when it comes to maintaining their LGBTQ collection. Dean Coleman indicated that she was pleased that we were doing our needs assessment on this topic, and seemed to find the literature that we were basing our research on to be quite interesting. With the support of her staff, it appears that Dean Coleman can utilize our assessment, the literature we used, and some of the tools that we suggested for the library to make sure they are reaching their goal of making NC A&T an inclusive and supportive place for all students.

It will be integral that Dean Coleman spread her influence in this area to the rest of her staff in creating a positive environment for everyone that utilizes Bluford Library. As our internal survey indicates, some of the staff feel that there may be room for improvement in providing the same inclusive environment for staff members as they are aiming to provide for the student body.

There is an indication from this interview and our survey results that Bluford is moving in the right direction on these fronts, and that is a promising sign for A&T’s future. And hopefully Dean Coleman can keep Bluford on a path to make sure the faculty, staff, and students feel that the collection and academic programming reflect this inclusive environment.

To provide an excellent environment for their customers it will be important for Bluford to latch onto the rules for creating “raving fans.” They know that there is a need for LGBTQ material from our external customer survey, and they know that staff wants to provide this service from our internal survey. These notions fulfill the first two rules for creating “raving fans,” they have

decided what they want and decided what the customer wants. I will now be up to Bluford to deliver this service, tied into all of their other services, by embracing the +1 philosophy to go above and beyond what is expected (Blanchard and Bowles, 1993).

VI. Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Needs Assessment Experience There was some difficulty with distributing the employee survey. There was almost a one-week delay between the time the finalized survey was submitted to the library administration and when it was finally cleared for distribution to the staff. We asked for a letter of support for distributing the survey, and that request was met with some reluctance from the administration. Once we did receive a green light from the library director and the survey invitations were distributed, the director halted the survey, asking her staff people not to respond until additional information was available. We offered an immediate response to her questions, and the survey was re-opened later the same day. However, it is possible that this delay caused a reduction in the final number of participants in the survey. The main lesson learned from this experience is that extra attention should be paid to dealings with the target organization’s administration. The liaison role is very important, and all plans should be finalized in detail and approved before steps are taken. Extra time should also be allowed for this.

The focus group was an excellent experience for the team and provided great insight into LGBTQ life at NC A&T. However, it was very small. The difficulty in creating this group lay partially in the lack of LGBTQ organization at the university. There was no contact person and no organization to aid in finding possible participants. Were it not for the fact that one member of our research group had personal contacts, we probably would not have been able to find anyone. The small size of this group can call into question the substantiality of the findings.

Though these findings are valid, they may not represent the views of the larger LGBTQ population at A&T. In the future, it would be beneficial to conduct another focus group with more participants. However, until the climate changes, this may be difficult. One participant mentioned another student he had asked to attend, but she would not come because of fear over her reputation.

References Blanchard, K., & Bowles, S. (1993). Raving fans: A revolutionary approach to customer service.

New York: William Morrow.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). (2009). F.D. Bluford Library strategic plan 2004-2008 [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://cmsserv.ncat.edu/doclib/3.8.2%20Library,%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). (2010). Quick facts [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://cmsserv.ncat.edu/factbook/docs/NCATQFacts.pdf North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). (2011). A&T history.

Retrieved from http://www.library.ncat.edu/resources/archives/history.html Willis, A. (2004, February). The greatest taboo and the HBCU. Against the Grain, 34-38.

Works Consulted Association of College & Research Libraries. (2011). ACRL diversity standards: Cultural competency for academic libraries [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/standards/diversity_draft.pdf Gardner, L.A., & Roemerman, R.M. (2011). Iowa college climate survey: The life experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & straight allied (LGBTA) students at Iowa’s colleges and universities [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.iowapridenetwork.org/IOWACOLLEGECLIMATESURVEY.pdf Office of LGBTQA Student Services, DePaul University. (2003). LGBT campus climate assessment survey report: 2004-2005. Retrieved from http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/lgbtqa/ resources.html PFLAG-Olympia. (n.d.). School climate survey [PDF document.] Retrieved from http://www.pflag-olympia.org/SchoolClimateSurvey.pdf. Accessed March 19, 2012.

Rankin & Associates Consulting. (2010). “Appendix D: The MSU LBGT climate study survey questionnaire.” Michigan State University LGBTQ Climate Project Report [PDF document]. Retrieved from https://www.msu.edu/~glfsa/MSU_LGBTQ_AppD_Survey.pdf

VII. Appendices Appendix A: Administrator Interview Questions 1. Are you familiar with the article “The Greatest Taboo and the HBCU” by Alfred Willis, and has it made any impact on the way you build your collection here at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Bluford Library?

2. How do you determine the collection budget for various subjects/groups?

3. Is LGBT material classified as a separate group/subset in your collection budget?

4. How do you determine whether a certain area of the collection budget should be increased or decreased?

5. Are there any exceptions made for these regulations?

6. Have you received any complaints from students, faculty, or staff about having too little or too much LGBT material?

7. How do you determine what LGBT material should be purchased for Bluford? Have you ever consulted awards lists (like the Stonewall Awards) to determine purchasing decisions for LGBT material?

8. Do you think that a survey of students that asks about usage and need for LGBT material could change budgeting and purchasing strategies for Bluford?

9. Have you consulted what other libraries at similarly sized colleges (UNCG, NC Central, UNCW) have purchased in terms of LGBT material?

10. Do you take into account what other HBCU’s are focusing their budgets on?

11. Are there any other issues that we should keep in mind as we conduct this needs assessment for Bluford Library?

Appendix B: Internal Customer Survey Materials and Results Lift Every Voice: A Needs Assessment of LGBTQ Services at Bluford Library, NC A&T University Survey for Bluford Library Employees Project abstract: In hopes of fulfilling the mission of F. D. Bluford Library at North Carolina Agricultural and Technology State University, a needs assessment (Lift Every Voice) will be conducted to evaluate its performance in contributing to an LGBTQ-friendly and inclusive campus environment. Upon exploration of the staff and faculty’s cultural comfort and the library’s gay literature collection we seek to improve the quantity, quality, and relevance to such material, while also identifying deficiencies.

Purpose of the internal survey: This survey has been designed to gather information from the Bluford library staff regarding the cultural climate of the library and its ability to serve LGBTQ patrons.

What is this all about?

You have been asked to participate in this research study because you are a staff member at Bluford Library, and your input is important to conducting the needs assessment. This survey will only take about 10 minutes and will involve you answering 31 questions.

Will this negatively affect me?

No. Other than the time you spend on this project there are no known or foreseeable risks involved with this study.

What do I get out of this research project?

Bluford Library and NC A&T University will benefit from this project by learning how the needs of the LGBTQ community are or are not being met. Recommendations will also be made regarding cultural climate, inclusion, and service for LGBTQ patrons, and grant funding sought to bridge gaps identified.

Will I get paid for participating?

There is no compensation for participating in this survey.

What about my confidentiality?

We will do everything possible to make sure that your information is kept confidential. No identifying information will be collected in this survey, and no IP addresses will be recorded.

What if I don no want to be in this research study?

You do not have to be part of this project. This project is voluntary and it is up to you to decide to participate in this research project. If you agree to participate at any time in this project you may stop participating without penalty.

What if I have questions?

Alison Walsh is the student researcher coordinating the internal survey. You can ask her anything about the study by emailing amwalsh@uncg.edu. If you have concerns about how you have been treated in this study call Eric Allen, UNCG Compliance officer, at 1-855-251-2351.

Section 1: The role of a librarian in providing support for the LGBTQ community at NC A&T. Addresses the following research questions: • How can the Bluford library best serve their LGBTQ patrons?

• What are the limitations on resources and staff?

• Given these limitations, what are the training needs, educational needs, and larger sociological needs?

To what degree to you agree/disagree with the following statements?

1. I feel that the Bluford Library staff, as a whole, is supportive of LGBTQ students.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=1 3=0 4=4 5=6 2. I feel that the library should play a significant role in providing support, safety, and resources for LGBTQ students.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=0 3=2 4=3 5=6 3. Overall, I am comfortable with the cultural climate in my department/work unit, as it relates to the LGBTQ community.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=1 3=0 4=4 5=6 4. I would be willing to participate in diversity or cultural sensitivity training so that Bluford can take a leadership role in reaching out to the LBGTQ population at NC A&T. Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=1 3=2 4=2

5=5 5. I perceive tensions in discussions regarding LGBTQ issues.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=3 2=1 3=3 4=2 5=2 6. I believe the campus climate encourages free and open discussion of LGBTQ topics.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=1 3=5 4=2 5=2 7. Do you feel confident responding to library patrons’ questions on LGBTQ topics?

Yes/No Yes =11 No=0 8. If not, what do you need in order to feel confident? (insert text box) [No responses]

Section 2: The role of the library collection in support of the LGBTQ community at NC A&T. Addresses the research question: • Is there demand for library support of research efforts and academic curriculum regarding the LGBTQ population? How is the library supporting that research?

To what degree to you agree/disagree with the following statements: 9. There is an adequate amount of resources available at Bluford Library regarding LGBTQ issues?

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=0 3=4 4=5 5=1

10. The Bluford Library collection represents the contributions of people who are LGBTQ. Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=1 3=5 4=3 5=1 11. As a Bluford library employee, I am aware of the information needs of LGBTQ library users at NC A&T. Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=1 3=5 4=4 5=1 12. In the past year, Bluford Library has hosted an appropriate number of events, programs, or classes featuring LGBTQ-themed topics.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=4 2=2 3=4 4=0 5=1 13. What assessment tools or techniques might you use to increase your awareness of the information needs of the LGBTQ community? (insert text box) [2 responses] • It might be beneficial to work with the Multicultural Center to determine what types of resources they think would be helpful (LGBTQ lit, coming out resources, policy info, etc.).

• Lectures...books...websites, etc.

Section 3: The cultural climate at Bluford Library. Addresses the following research questions: • How does Bluford Library demonstrate the core values of equal access, freedom to information, life-long learning, resource sharing, and service pertaining to this population? What barriers to access exist?

• Is the library fulfilling the goals of learning/teaching, access, and staffing, cited in the mission statement, in relation to the LGBTQ population?

14. How often do you hear negative remarks about gender expression (e.g., someone not being “masculine enough” or “feminine enough”) in the library?

Never 1 2 3 4 5 Frequently 1=6 2=2 3=2 4=1 5=0 15. How often do you hear homophobic remarks (e.g., “faggot,” “dyke,” “queer,” “gay”) in the library?

Never 1 2 3 4 5 Frequently 1=3 2=5 3=3 4=0 5=0 16. When you hear any of these remarks in the presence of library staff persons, how often do these people intervene?

Never 1 2 3 4 5 Frequently 1=2 2=1 3=2 4=2 5=1 [no response]=3 17. Do you believe students and other patrons feel safe at Bluford Library?

Yes/No Yes=11 No=0 18. Does Bluford library have a policy or procedure for reporting incidents of harassment?

Yes/No Yes=11 No=0 19. Does Bluford library have a policy or procedure for reporting incidents of discrimination?

Yes/No Yes=11 No=0 20. I feel that the library takes sufficient action to provide a supportive environment for LGBTQ students.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree

1=0 2=2 3=4 4=2 5=3 21. How many openly LBGT faculty or staff members do you know on campus?

1-2 (3) 3-5 (7) 6-8 (1) 9-11 (0) 12 or more (0)

Section 4: Response to ACRL Diversity Standards. Addresses the following research questions: • How does Bluford Library demonstrate the core values of equal access, freedom to information, life-long learning, resource sharing, and service pertaining to this population? What barriers to access exist? • Is the library fulfilling the goals of learning/teaching, access, and staffing, cited in the mission statement, in relation to the LGBTQ population?

In your opinion, how well does Bluford Library embody the following standards of diversity (as identified by ACRL), with consideration toward the LGBTQ community?

22. As library staff, we must first understand our own personal and cultural values in order to appreciate the importance of multicultural identities among the people we work with and serve.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=2 3=3 mean 3.9 4=1 5=4 23. The library staff must continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values, and artistic expressions of the people we work with and serve.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=2 3=3 mean 3.7 4=2 5=4

24. The library staff must develop and support organizational and professional values dedicated to culturally competent service.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=2 3=2 mean 3.8 4=3 5=4 25. The library must develop collections and provide programs and services that are inclusive of the needs of all persons in our community.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=2 3=1 mean 4.0 4=3 5=5 26. The library staff must be knowledgeable and skillful regarding the provision of available information services and the ability to make appropriate referrals to diverse constituencies.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=1 3=2 mean 4.1 4=3 5=5 27. The library must support and advocate for recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts to increase diversity and ensure continued diversity among the library staff.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=1 2=2 3=3 mean 3.2 4=3 5=2 28. The library staff must participate in and facilitate the development of organizational dynamics that enable individuals, groups, and organizations to develop and exercise cultural competency.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=2 3=3 mean 3.6 4=3 5=3

29. Library leaders must support and encourage the creation of proactive processes that increase diversity skills, empower constituents from diverse backgrounds, share information about diverse populations, and advocate for their concerns.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=0 3=6 mean 3.6 4=3 5=2 30. The library staff must advocate for and participate in educational and training programs that help advance cultural competence within the profession.

Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Agree 1=0 2=2 3=4 mean 3.6 4=1 5=4

Section 5: Final comments.

31. Do you have any additional information you would like to share regarding the cultural competency, level of customer service provided, and attitudes of Bluford Library staff in reference to LGBTQ issues? (insert text box) [4 responses]: • LGBTQ employees have not, generally, been encouraged to be out at Bluford. There have been derogatory remarks to staff members in the past, though not in the last couple of years. The LGBTQ staff members I've known of have been circumspect and not comfortable with being out to everyone (some staff are VERY accepting!! but some are not).

Support for LGBTQ students and students working with LGBTQ issues is much stronger than support for working with LGBTQ staff members. That made it a bit hard to answer some of the above questions accurately.

Collections, instruction, and reference support for inclusion of LGBTQ issues is strong. I think there's a dichotomy between attitudes towards patrons/customers, and attitudes towards peers. There have been big improvements though; I think that comfort with student needs for LGBTQ resources and support is a sign of movement towards even greater acceptance towards the LGBTQ community.

•

The patron is just a patron with only their individual academic wants to be catered toward, as a defining difference between one or another . To be more involved with their sexual proclivities as a way to approach them with our limited times together as worker/patron would be asking for us to reveal more of ourselves to young people who have only their selfish needs to be met.

•

Everyone should feel welcome in the library regardless of their personal interest. The library is to serve the information needs of its patrons. The patron's personal sexual proclivities, religion, gender, race, etc. do not play any part in that. As a librarian it is my job to know and dissiminate the resources and information the library has. I would agree on having a diversity workshop for staff which can include race relations issues, gender issues, LGBTQ issues, etc. and how to address it if it may arise as well as teaching staff about common courtesy to all, but to target it in the services that we provide I do not agree with. I don't think that the library is the place for this.

•

If you are aware, then you are considerate.

Appendix C: External Customer Survey

Appendix D: Focus Group Questions NC A&T State University Focus Group Recruitment Letter Dear Student, My name is Kristen Ross, and I am a graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Currently, I am a member of a group of Library and Information Studies students conducting research into how North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s F.D. Bluford Library meets the needs of the campus’s LGBTQ community. I have been referred to you by Javon Robinson, as he said you may be interested in speaking with me about your thoughts on this topic. I am eager to hear your opinions, as I believe they would provide an excellent addition to our research.

We plan to turn our research into a Needs Assessment for my NC A&T’s Bluford Library. The purpose of this project is to create awareness of the issues that the LGBTQ community face at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) and how well the needs of this community are met. We hope that our work may help to provide some insight into this topic and help create a more inclusive campus environment.

I have attached a consent form, so you may review the more specific details of the project. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration, and I look forward to speaking with you in the future!

Sincerely, Kristen Ross

NC A&T State University Focus Group Consent Form Contact: Kristen Ross Email: kaross@uncg.edu My name is Kristen Ross, and I am a graduate student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. I am a member of a group of Library and Information Studies students conducting research into how North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s F.D. Bluford Library meets the needs of the campus’s LGBTQ community.

In hopes of fulfilling the mission of F.D. Bluford Library at North Carolina Agricultural and Technology State University, a needs assessment (Lift Every Voice) will be conducted to evaluate its performance in contributing to an LGBTQ-friendly and inclusive campus environment. Upon exploration of the staff and faculty’s cultural comfort and the library’s gay literature collection we seek to improve the quantity, quality, and relevance to such material, while also identifying deficiencies. If you agree to be in the study, I will ask you some questions about your everyday thoughts and feelings about how the LGBTQ community’s needs are met by the library, how the community is treated, and what recommendations you would like to make. Though I welcome stories of personal experiences, they are not required.

The interview will be audio-recorded so I can make accurate notes about our conversation. I will erase the audio recording as soon as it has been transcribed.

My research team will be using our interview to write a Needs Assessment for NC A&T’s Bluford Library. We would like to use your name (first name only) and attribute quotations to you in the paper. However, if you do not feel comfortable with us using your name, please let me know, and we will keep your identity confidential through the use of a pseudonym. Additionally, if you are comfortable with us using your name but say something that you do not want attributed to you officially, please let me know and such statements will be kept confidential.

If you have any questions, please contact me. If you would like to speak with someone other than me about this research, you may contact our team leader, April Parker, at a_parke2@uncg.edu or our project advisor, Dr. Anthony Chow at aschow@uncg.edu. If you have any questions about your rights as an interviewee, you may contact UNCG’s Office of Research Compliance at (336) 256-1482. Please be aware that all members of the research team have completed training required to conduct human research.

If you agree to be in the research, please sign below. You will be given a copy of the form for your records.

_________________________________ Signature of Research Participant

_________________________________ Printed Name of Research Participant

______________ Date

University Questions 1. What did you expect NC A&T to be like before you came? What were your expectations, if any, of NC A&T’s LGBTQ community?

2. What was your experience of coming out? What was it like to come out to people at NC A&T? 3. In what ways do you experience support at NC A&T? Are there professors or other faculty who have been particularly helpful with this?

4. Are there ways in which you are reminded of your minority status in day-to-day interactions?

5. Have you experienced harassment or discrimination at NC A&T? If so, how?

6. What more could the NC A&T community do to support LGBTQ individuals and community?

7. Given your experience at NC A&T, would you recommend it to other members of the LGBTQ community?

Library/Academic Questions 8. In how many classes have you discussed LGBTQ issues?

9. Have you needed to do research on LGBTQ issues? If so, have you found that the resources at Bluford Library meet your needs?

10. Have you ever experienced any discrimination while using the library?

11. Have you ever felt that you were receiving sub-standard service from librarians based on your LGBTQ status?

12. Have you ever asked for research assistance on LGBTQ issues? If so, how was your request received?

13. What do you think the library could do to improve its service to the LGBTQ community?

14. Is there anything that we haven’t asked that you would like to mention?