Racial and gender integration patterns of professional librarians in Texas academic libraries, 1972-1992

Affirmative action continues to be an issue in academe, including academic libraries, with many people criticizing the "lack of progress" that has been made. Within this context, the overall purpose of this study was to (a) investigate staffing patterns of professional librarians in Texas academic libraries since 1972, (b) determine if these libraries have complied with the legislative mandate to eradicate old employment practices, and (c) achieve the best possible historical record of staffing patterns in libraries in the first twenty years of affirmative action activity for Texas. More specifically, the study was to determine the racial and gender composition of the professional librarian staffs in Texas in 1972, 1982, and 1992.;Results showed that recruitment and retention of minority academic librarians remain a major problem for the profession with minorities poorly represented in the workforce.;Recommendations include the articulation of campus visions inclusive of diversity. Within such a framework, the percentage of minorities could be increased by developing a sound mentoring program which could eventually yield the affirmative goal. Toward this end periodic reports on the affirmative action program should be generated to better monitor affirmative action progress. In turn, minority librarians should strive for high level positions. Further research should investigate how southern libraries acclimate to the changing workforce of the twenty-first century, which will mandate further changes in organizational cultures.