Serving the Underserved: Strategies for Inclusive Community Engagement

Libraries are professionally obligated to address information-seeking behaviors for all populations, but they do not always meet this mandate. This book, edited by Bomhold (library and information science, Univ. of Southern Mississippi; coauthor of Build It, Make It, Do It, Play It!), offers a range of ideas designed to help information professions better reach underserved groups. The book defines historically underserved populations according to guidelines set forth by the ALA’s Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services: immigrants, rural communities, homeless individuals, patrons with physical and/or mental disabilities, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ youths, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, and incarcerated people. It draws on Fobazh Ettarh’s seminal article introducing intersectionality in librarianship as a foundation for thinking about identities and the ways in which identities can converge. Each chapter describes the history and demographics of underserved communities, including information-seeking habits and barriers to information. Readers will also find examples of successful programs, an annotated resource list, and questions for further exploration. The book ends with a call for libraries to provide more equitable services by prioritizing and learning more about underserved communities.