Getting a place at the table.

The American Library Association's spectrum initiative and leadership institute are models for recruiting more diversity in a profession.

MANY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PURSUED activities to boost diversity but the American Library Association (ALA) took a bold and creative approach and its working. In 1997 thanks to activists and leaders who mobilized waged difficult battles, and sometimes broke the rules, the 64,000-member ALA earmarked $1.5 million in seed money that would in part, fund the Spectrum Initiative. Its goal: to double the number of African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Native American students in graduate programs for library and information studies where only 10 percent of graduates were people of color.

Elizabeth Martinez, then ALA executive director, was a guiding force in creating the Spectrum Initiative. With six months left before her contract expired, armed with an insider's knowledge of ALA's finances and protocol, and driven by a dream to create a concrete program that would improve diversity within the profession, Martinez assembled a working group to craft the principles and objectives of the Spectrum Initiative. The group was composed of 12 ALA members chosen because of their activism, commitment and interests and representing a wide variety of professional environments.

"The proposal addressed many minority recruitment issues recognized over the last 25 years," says Martinez. "It recommended the use of investment income from $1.5 million of ALA unallocated funds for 150 scholarships--50 a year for three years, for students of color to become librarians."

The proposal was ambitious and forceful, provoking a debate that, at times, turned ugly and personal. "Some complained the use of funds was fiscally unsound. One trustee resigned in protest. Others questioned details of the scholarships--the monetary award, the time frame, the requirements," says Martinez. After a series of meetings over several months and a controversial hearing, the Spectrum Initiative was approved.

"Within six months we had a committee vetting scholarship candidates and in-house staffing to administer the program," Martinez says. A series of promotional posters was designed and distributed to all the divisions within ALA membership; announcements were placed in newsletters and on email lists; and representatives worked booths at career days and events for target audiences. Within a year, Spectrum was well known throughout the profession; minority organizations were providing mentors; and members and graduate schools were providing matching funds and showcasing their resident scholars.