Cultural Humility in Libraries

This week's review examines cultural humility as a framework for librarianship, including stories from library professionals and calls to action

Posted on March 24, 2025 in Reviews of the Month

Cultural Humility in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success

ed. by Shannon D. Jones and Beverly Murphy Rowman & Littlefield, 2024
196p bibl index, 9781538162149 $95.00, 9781538162156 $39.00, 9781538162163 $37.00

Cultural Humility in Libraries packs a lot of information in a slim volume. Divided into three sections, the first explores cultural humility, what it is, its role in history, how it differs from cultural competence, and its role in both health care and health literacy. As with many other aspects of being human, developing cultural humility is a lifelong process that forces us to look inside ourselves and analyze our beliefs and biases. This is especially important in healthcare where, on a daily basis, we treat and interact with patients with a broad variety of cultural and belief patterns that are frequently different from our own. The second section focuses on cultural humility in libraries and how it can affect not only face-to-face encounters with students, patients, and providers, but also librarian practices regarding literature searches and systematic review searches for their clients. The third section shares stories from various voices, some frequently silenced, others not so much. Perspectives on cultural humility from the viewpoint of a white cis-woman, a Black man, a trans person, a refugee, a disabled individual, and others are clearly written and extremely eye-opening. This book is a must read for anyone in the library profession.

Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals.
Reviewer: J. D. Whifill, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Interdisciplinary Subjects: African and African American Studies, Women’s & Gender Studies, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Studies
Subject: Reference – Library & Information Sciences
Choice Issue: Apr 2025

Cultural Humility in Libraries

This week's review examines cultural humility as a framework for librarianship, including stories from library professionals and calls to action