Gender and racial bias in email reference services.
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| Title: | Gender and racial bias in email reference services. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Vladoiu, Megan1 mvladoiu@iu.edu, Fichman, Pnina1 fichman@indiana.edu, Liu, Jieli1 liujiel@iu.edu |
| Source: | Reference Services Review. 2023, Vol. 51 Issue 3/4, p302-318. 17p. |
| Subjects: | Electronic reference services (Libraries), Public libraries, Racial inequality, Black Lives Matter movement, Racism |
| Abstract: | Purpose: This article examines if there is evidence of racial or gender bias in email reference services in American public and academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach: Using a two-by-two study design and an unobtrusive data collection, the authors conducted two studies in which the authors sent 1,960 email requests to 505 academic and public libraries. Requests in both studies differed in the perceived identity of the user as indicated by their name, and the counterbalanced method was utilized to control for intervening variables. Based on content analysis of the responses, the authors examined the statistical significance of the differences by race, gender and race by gender. Findings: Overall, the authors found equitable service to users regardless of their race and gender; at times, however, there was evidence of favorable service to the White female in academic and public libraries and to the Black male in academic libraries. Originality/value: There is little research into potential bias in email reference services in both academic and public libraries in the United States of America. Yet, following the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020, there has been an increased focus on racial equality in library services and the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics was modified accordingly. The authors' study makes significant contributions to the increasing body of research on racial and gender equality in online library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Reference Services Review is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 173930492 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Gender and racial bias in email reference services. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vladoiu%2C+Megan%22">Vladoiu, Megan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> mvladoiu@iu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fichman%2C+Pnina%22">Fichman, Pnina</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> fichman@indiana.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Jieli%22">Liu, Jieli</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> liujiel@iu.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Reference+Services+Review%22">Reference Services Review</searchLink>. 2023, Vol. 51 Issue 3/4, p302-318. 17p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electronic+reference+services+%28Libraries%29%22">Electronic reference services (Libraries)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+libraries%22">Public libraries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racial+inequality%22">Racial inequality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Black+Lives+Matter+movement%22">Black Lives Matter movement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Racism%22">Racism</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: This article examines if there is evidence of racial or gender bias in email reference services in American public and academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach: Using a two-by-two study design and an unobtrusive data collection, the authors conducted two studies in which the authors sent 1,960 email requests to 505 academic and public libraries. Requests in both studies differed in the perceived identity of the user as indicated by their name, and the counterbalanced method was utilized to control for intervening variables. Based on content analysis of the responses, the authors examined the statistical significance of the differences by race, gender and race by gender. Findings: Overall, the authors found equitable service to users regardless of their race and gender; at times, however, there was evidence of favorable service to the White female in academic and public libraries and to the Black male in academic libraries. Originality/value: There is little research into potential bias in email reference services in both academic and public libraries in the United States of America. Yet, following the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement in 2020, there has been an increased focus on racial equality in library services and the American Library Association (ALA) Code of Ethics was modified accordingly. The authors' study makes significant contributions to the increasing body of research on racial and gender equality in online library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Reference Services Review is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=173930492 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1108/RSR-05-2023-0051 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 17 StartPage: 302 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Electronic reference services (Libraries) Type: general – SubjectFull: Public libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: Racial inequality Type: general – SubjectFull: Black Lives Matter movement Type: general – SubjectFull: Racism Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Gender and racial bias in email reference services. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Vladoiu, Megan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fichman, Pnina – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Liu, Jieli IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 07 Text: 2023 Type: published Y: 2023 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00907324 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 51 – Type: issue Value: 3/4 Titles: – TitleFull: Reference Services Review Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
