Reflections on Inclusion: Nicole Cooke

GSLIS Assistant Professor Nicole Cooke recently discussed the importance of inclusion in her teaching and research with Associate Professor Kathryn La Barre. Cooke’s remarks are part of the interview series Reflections on Inclusion, which explores the School’s efforts to respect varied perspectives and diversity of experiences.

Cooke teaches courses that focus on information behavior, library instruction, academic libraries and public services, and information services to diverse populations. Her research focuses on human information behavior; community development in online learning environments; eLearning and digital pedagogy in LIS education; the retention and mentoring of minority librarians and LIS doctoral students; information literacy; and leadership, organizational development, and communication in libraries.


I don’t think we should ever stop trying to improve how we create and implement an inclusive and pluralistic learning and research environment. My hope is that if we have enough students and faculty of color and can achieve critical mass, it will become less of a process, or chore, and be more a natural part of how we conduct business. Inclusive and pluralistic learning should always be part of the equation.

I was a 2008 Spectrum Doctoral Fellow, and the goal of this program is to prepare library professionals of color for the professoriate. Given the climate in the United States and in the academy generally (Muhs, 2012), how well does the Spectrum program increase the numbers of faculty of color? Frankly, we aren’t going to achieve success in this field without respect from our colleagues. Achieving the doctorate is just the beginning of the process if pursuing a career in academia. Faculty of color have many reasons for entering the academy and researching and/or advocating for diversity, whether for personal and professional reasons or simply because it is part of our experience. Respect is critical.

As a Spectrum Doctoral Fellow (there are currently twelve nationwide, with six more beginning their degrees this fall), it became clear that each of us was valued as a diversity candidate, perhaps even before we were valued as scholars and teachers. People would ask, “Where are the other eleven Spectrum scholars? We want to hire more diversity candidates, there aren’t enough of you.” What bothers me about all of this is that I don’t want to feel like I am constantly a pioneer, breaking down barriers. I will “assume the mantle” because there is so much work to be done, but not at the expense of my identity as a scholar and teacher. One identity shouldn’t privilege other identities.

As part of my latest research project, I asked Association of Research Libraries (ARL) library leaders of color, “What advice would you give to aspiring leaders of color?” Every one of them stated that librarians of color should get a PhD—a PhD is what will help you stand out and get the job you want, because a PhD is not something the academy and higher education can discount. They also responded by saying that aspiring leaders and librarians of color need to accept the fact that they will continue to be “the first and the only.” These [ARL] library leaders of color had to endure a lot in order to get where they are today, and those coming after them will have to do the same, for quite some time.

In terms of my experiences in the classroom, being a faculty member of color adds another layer or two—gender and race—to the educational dynamic. We (the LIS professoriate) make efforts to bring in faculty of color, and there is this idea that we are training people who look like us to work with people who look like them (in the community) (Jaeger & Franklin, 2007). To achieve this both, faculty of color and students of color are necessary. And these faculty and students need to be retained and included, in addition to being recruited.

I have experienced ageism, sexism, and racism from students in the classroom. Even so, I try hard not to force these issues but allow them to emerge naturally in discussion. The topics in my classes speak for themselves. When we discuss information behavior, I always tell students about the work of Elfreda Chatman, who was known for her ethnographic approaches in researching information-seeking behaviors among understudied, marginalized, or minority groups. I aspire to reach the transcendent level of her work—her work is about people first. I talk about her just like I talk about all of the other legends of my subfield (i.e., Kuhlthau, Belkin, Dervin, etc.). I also bring in guest speakers in order to include diversity of voice and experience. My goal is to make inclusion and diversity an organic part of the classroom, not something placed on a pedestal that is occasionally brought down for special handling and discussion. I try to give students a consistent diet of these topics by including a variety of readings about diverse populations and relating anecdotes from my own professional experience. This allows me to help students think about things to consider when they encounter people who are different than they are because of race, ethnicity, or other differences. To make the diversity conversation more palatable, I also talk about ability, by which I mean any type of impairment; I consider diversity broadly and include class, gender, and sexuality in course conversations. Thus these topics come into my courses as multiple layers, and I try to engage students in discussion without making myself a target or the center of the “diversity talk.” I came into the professoriate with a very naïve idea of getting a PhD in order to make this a more diverse profession. I really enjoy teaching, but I am occasionally surprised by the “old school” reactions of some people toward me and the topics and examples I use in my courses.

Another aspect of diversity relates to learning. I try to mix up the content of my classes with oral presentations, written assignments, poster sessions, etc. I give students a chance to present what they know. I also try to incorporate the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) cultural competencies, especially in the Reference course (LIS 504), where we also talk about the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Guidelines for Service, the American Library Association (ALA) Bill of Rights, and other best practice documents from professional organizations. I do stress the importance of cultural competencies, emphasizing that these are values to which we should all aspire. I make it clear to students that my goal is for them to pick the ones (of all the many competencies) that speak to their professional goals and pursue these until they are mastered. There is a lot of latitude in the diversity discussion and room for all of us to find our niche and areas of interest.

For further reading:

Jaeger, P. T., & Franklin, R. E. (2007). The virtuous circle: increasing diversity in LIS faculties to create more inclusive library services and outreach. Education Libraries, 30(1), 20-26.

Muhs, G. G. (2012). Presumed Incompetent: The Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia. University Press of Colorado.

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