Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives for health and medical library workers: A scoping review

Health disparities remain as a systemic challenge. With the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement and scant evidence of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for workers in health science libraries, this scoping review maps evidence that can be incorporated into a culture of change.

To identify the extent, type, and location of DEI initiatives being conducted in health science libraries for library workers.

Eight databases were systematically searched for literature from 2014 onwards, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Four reviewers were involved in screening and data extraction.

Reviewers excluded 6712 title/abstracts. A total of 177 articles progressed to full-text screening, where 153 were excluded. The final number of articles that underwent data extraction was 24.

Initiatives primarily occurred in academic libraries, led by library workers. Identities mostly focused on were gender, race, and sexuality, while some initiatives focused on general DEI concepts. Most literature pertained to library patrons, demonstrating a gap in reported initiatives for health science library workers. Assessment of initiatives was lacking, with no validated assessment tools used. All of the articles focused on either the United States or Canada.

Diversity continues to be a challenge within the profession; this should be mitigated through recruitment and retention strategies along with mentorship for new and diverse librarians.