Articulating the experience of uniqueness and difference for librarians of color

The lack of diversity in the library profession means that the experiences of librarians of color are often ignored, and librarians from the dominant white cultural group are unaware of the challenges their colleagues face. In an interpretative phenomenological analysis study, the theme of uniqueness and difference emerged to describe the effects of the racial/ethnic identity of eight librarians of color on the lived experience of their work. Aspects of this theme are discussed in detail, including uniqueness, being visible, relationships with users of color, added burden of being a librarian of color, and microaggressions and discrimination. These themes articulate the experiences of participants with the aim of generating understanding and empathy among nonlibrarians of color and facilitating critical conversation within the profession.