FLO Libguides: FLO IDEA Hiring Toolkit: Promoting the Job

What to Consider when Promoting the Job

When you're ready to promote an open position, consider the following:

Identify the person responsible for tracking the applications.
- HR is typically the department ultimately responsible for enforcing DEI-related policies in hiring, but it is essential to be in communication with whomever this person may be at your institution in general, and/or for the position specifically.
Investigate the possibility of hosting an information session.
- Pro: This could allow for questions about the position to be asked anonymously.
- Con: If the session is not recorded and made available to all potential applicants, it may create an unfair advantage for those who are able to attend.
- Consider whether it should be held in person or virtually.
Investigate the possibility of participating in a career fair.
- There is sometimes a participation cost for employers, and it may be scheduled at times during which potential candidates cannot attend.
- This can be a good way to recruit potential candidates, but should not be the only way to promote a position.
Ensure that the postings and promotional materials are accessible.

Advertising Platforms

The below list of places to consider posting library jobs (in no particular order) is a starting point, and by no means exhaustive. Depending on the position and its required qualifications, you may also wish to consider posting on job boards that are outside of librarianship and/or in print media/journals, or hiring a recruiter.

Spectrum Scholars
Cost: Free
ALA's Spectrum Scholarship Program actively recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students to assist them with obtaining a graduate degree and leadership positions within the profession and ALA.
Asian Pacific American Librarians Association
Cost: From $199
APALA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing leadership opportunities through informed dialogue that addresses the needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander library workers and those who serve these communities.
Black Caucus of the American Library Association
Cost: From $249
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association serves as an advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation's African American community, and provides leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians.
We Here
Cost: From $50
We Here®️ seeks to provide a safe and supportive community for Black and Indigenous folks, and People of Color (BIPOC) in library and information science (LIS) professions and educational programs, and to recognize, discuss, and intervene in systemic social issues that have plagued these professions both currently and historically.
REFORMA
Cost: Free with membership; $50 for non-members
REFORMA has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff; the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community; the establishment of a national information and support network among individuals who share our goals; the education of the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos.