Libraries as Racialized Organizations

The theory of racialized organizations states that organizations are racial structures which connect their rules to social and material resources which usually disadvantage people of color. Librarianship has historically been a White and feminized profession, factors that come together to create an environment in which people of color have low representation in the profession. One aspect of this low representation that is rarely discussed in the literature is that of librarians who decide to leave the profession due to low salaries. This study focuses on low salaries as a factor that precludes BIPOC librarians from advancing in their careers and moving through the ranks in their library organizations.