Measuring Racial Microaggressions in the Medical Library Community

Measuring Racial Microaggressions in the Medical Library Community Rebecca Davis, MSLS, Ph. D. Lynn Kysh, MLIS Nancy Olmos, MSLS Annie Thompson, MSLS

We would like to provide everyone the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions anonymously. Participation is optional

On the provided blank piece of paper, please write any associated words, thoughts, reactions, or questions you have about the term microaggression When you’re done, please crumple the paper into a ball.

Objectives • Define and clarify what microaggresions are • Background on racial microaggressions research • Our research project • What we have learned so far • Future directions Hood, A. (2015). Microaggressions. [Painting]. Retrieved from http: / /aaronhood. net/ microaggressions/

What are microaggressions? Brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, negative racial slights and insults to the target person or group (Sue et al. , 2007).

Antoniades, A. (2013). [Photographs]. Moving photos show the not-so-subtle effect of racial microaggression. Retrieved from http: //www. takepart. com/photos/microaggressions-photos-show-everyday-racism-our-conversations/next-gallery

Microaggressions Microassaults Microinsults Microinvalidations

Microassaults Represent the more overt forms of discrimination and can manifest in verbal or nonverbal attacks, as well as avoidant behaviors.

Microinsults Are rude or insensitive behaviors or statements that degrade a person’s racial heritage or identity.

APASA Rice University. (2013). [Photographs]. October is Asian American Heritage and Culture Month! Retrieved from https: //ruapasa. wordpress. com/2013/10/08/october-is-asian-american-heritage-and-culture-month/

Microinvalidations Occur when a person negates or denies the thoughts, feelings, or experiences of a person of color.

The Sociological Cinema. (n. d. ). Race: Color-Blind Racism. Retrieved from https: //www. pinterest. com/thesocyci nema/race-color-blind-racism/ Meme Generator. (n. d. ). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http: //memegenerator. net/ instance/60839240 Quick Memes. (n. d. ). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http: //www. quickmeme. com/ Sheltered- College-Freshman/page/5/

What research has been done? Workplace Disabilities/Ableism Mental Health Religion Gender Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Body Image/Fat Phobia

Literature Search terms • Microaggression variants Databases • Pub. Med • Scopus • Psyc. INFO

338 citations

Microaggression Citations by Year (n=338)

Microaggression Citations by Type (n=338)

Location of Microaggression Research (n=164)

Citations in Psychology by Year (n=146)

Citations in Higher Education by Year (n=53)

Our project What is our plan? • Develop a tool to measure racial microaggressions among medical librarians and staff Why is this important? • No research has been conducted to measure racial microaggressions in Medical Libraries. Who will this help? • Administrators, librarians, staff, students, clinicians and patients.

What we have learned • Research on microaggressions is a huge topic. • Reevaluate how we want to move forward with our research. • We have to take a step back and think about how to construct a good survey tool to measure microaggression in the Medical Library community. • We have to look further and address the impact of racial microaggressions on people of color.

Future plans • Working to create a good survey tool • Training in the workplace • Further reading

References Alabi, J. (2015). Racial microaggressions in Academic Libraries: Results of a survey of minority and non-minority librarians. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 41(1), 47 -53. doi: 10. 1016/j. acalib. 2014. 10. 008 Antoniades, A. (2013). [Photographs]. Moving photos show the not-so-subtle effect of racial microaggression. Retrieved from http: //www. takepart. com/photos/microaggressions-photos-show-everyday-racism-our-conversations/next-gallery APASA Rice University. (2013). [Photographs]. October is Asian American Heritage and Culture Month! Retrieved from https: //ruapasa. wordpress. com/2013/10/08/october-is-asian-american-heritage-and-culture-month/ Basford, T. E. , Offerman, L. R. , & Behrend, T. S. (2014). Do you see what I see? Perceptions of gender microaggressions in the workplace. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 38(3), 340 -349. doi: 10. 1177/0361684313511420 Hood, A. (2015). Microaggressions. [Painting]. Retrieved from http: //aaronhood. net/ microaggressions/ Meme Generator. (n. d. ). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http: //memegenerator. net/instance/60839240 Offerman, L. R. , Basford, T. E. , Graebner, R. , Basu, S. , & Jaffer, D. S. (2013). Slights, snubs, and slurs: Leader equity and microaggressions. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 32(4), 374 -393. doi: 10. 1108/EDI-0520120046

References (continued) Quick Memes. (n. d. ). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http: //www. quickmeme. com/Sheltered- College-Freshman/page/5/ Sohi, K. K. & Singh, P. (2015). Collective action in response to microaggression: Implications for social well-being. Race and Social Problems, 7(4), 269 -280. doi: 10. 1007/s 12552 -015 -9156 -3 Sue, D. W. , Capodilupo, C. , Torino, G. , Bucceri, J. , Holder, A. , Nadal, K. , & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice. American Psychologist, 62, 271 -286. The Sociological Cinema. (n. d. ). Race: Color-Blind Racism. Retrieved from https: //www. pinterest. com/thesocycinema/race-color-blind-racism/ Wang, J. , Leu, J. , & Shoda, Y. (2011). When the seemingly innocuous “Stings”: Racial microaggressions and their emotional consequences. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(12), 1666 -1678. doi: 10. 1177/0146167211416130

Questions? Contact Us Rebecca Davis, MSLS, Ph. D. Nancy Olmos, MSLS Lynn Kysh, MLIS Annie M. Thompson, MSLS Information Services Librarian, Wilson Dental Library Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC (213) 740 -1439 davisreb@usc. edu Clinical & Research Librarian USC Norris Medical Library & Children's Hospital Los Angeles (323) 442 -1124 kysh@usc. edu Head, Metadata & Content Management Norris Medical Library University of Southern California (323) 442 -2068 nolmos@usc. edu Director, Wilson Dental Library Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC 213 -740 -1441 annie. thompson@usc. edu