Article

Inclusive Collection Development Doesn't Stop at the Statement: Access and Reference Service at Schlesinger Library as Case Study  

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Abstract

Inclusive collecting practices are an extension of reparative work practiced in contemporary special collections libraries and archives. This article provides an overview of how library staff discussed and contributed to the creation of the Schlesinger Library’s new collection development strategy, and how putting the strategy in practice holds us grounded within the concept of access with accountability (Risam, 2025). We remain in solidarity with the communities we not only serve but are active members of. We consider how anti-DEI backlash incorrectly labels the work of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in library spaces as a contemporary project originating in the post-2020 era, overlooking decades of work by library professionals and library institutions committed to reparative collection development practices. 

This article is being written during a period of immense instability for both the United States and other countries throughout the western hemisphere, with lasting repercussions for countries categorized under the umbrella term ‘Global South.’ Ongoing attacks on intellectual freedom, often veiled as accusations against DEI trainings that are labeled as exclusively in alignment with one major political party platform, are coupled with demands to remove historical content regarding marginalized populations, including Indigenous, Black, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander, and disabled communities, and individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ from major museums and cultural heritage sites.

Keywords: collection development, archives, special collections, reparative work, public services

How to Cite:

Shah, M. & Murphy, M., (2025) “Inclusive Collection Development Doesn't Stop at the Statement: Access and Reference Service at Schlesinger Library as Case Study  ”, The Political Librarian 8(2), 145-159.