Cultural Competence in Library Instruction: A Reflective Practice Approach

Abstract

As campuses become more culturally diverse, instruction librarians must work toward developing cultural competence. While the library science literature has discussed cultural competence, no scholars have directly connected it to instruction librarians' teaching. This article discusses literature, models, and best practices from related disciplines and applies them to a customized workflow grounded in reflective practice, the process of thinking about and reflecting on what you do. The workflow identifies opportunities for intentional preparation, instructional design and delivery, assessment, and reflection. By considering cultural competence at each stage of the teaching process, instruction librarians will be better prepared to connect with and teach students from a variety of backgrounds.