What MLIS Students Need to Know About Serving Diverse Populations

On June 5, 2026, ALA Neal-Schuman published the second edition of Nicole A. Cooke's "Information Services to Diverse Populations: Competent Humility for Library Professionals." Cooke, the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair at the University of South Carolina's School of Library and Information Science, updated this foundational text to reflect a decade of shifts in who walks through library doors and what librarians need to know before they get there.

For MLIS students, this release lands at a real inflection point. ALA-accredited programs vary widely in how much they require, rather than merely offer, coursework on serving marginalized communities. Graduates who enter public, academic, or special library roles without this training frequently discover the gap on the job, not in the classroom.

Cooke's combined framework of cultural competence and cultural humility gives both students and educators a practical model, not an abstract ideal, for closing that gap across a career.

What Information Services Librarians Do, And Why Diverse Populations Need Them

Traditional reference desk work versus proactive community engagement: these two models frame the modern information services librarian's role, and in 2026 the profession decisively leans toward the latter. Information services librarians serve as the connective tissue between collections and communities, performing reference consultations, designing outreach initiatives, curating programming for specific audiences, building collections that reflect local needs, and acting as liaisons to organizations and groups beyond the library's walls. The job description varies by setting. Public libraries emphasize programming and digital literacy support, while academic libraries focus on research consultations and instruction. Students interested in the public-facing side of the profession may want to explore an online MLIS community librarianship concentration. Regardless of setting, the core mission remains constant: ensuring that information reaches the people who need it.

In 2026, equity-centered librarianship is no longer an elective specialization but a baseline professional expectation. Demographic data drive the shift. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2030, people of color will constitute nearly half of the national population, and library service areas already reflect this diversity. Digital divides persist: rural communities lack broadband access, older adults face barriers to navigating online government services, and newly arrived immigrants require multilingual assistance. The American Library Association's Core Competencies of Librarianship (revised in recent years) explicitly call for professionals who can "recognize and respect the diversity of the communities and constituencies served," and accreditation standards for MLIS programs now require demonstrable instruction in equity and inclusion.

Serving the Full Spectrum of Community Need

The populations addressed in Cooke's second edition represent the full breadth of information services work. Racial and ethnic minorities often encounter collections and programming that fail to reflect their histories or languages. Older adults need patient technology coaching and large-print materials. People with disabilities require accessible digital platforms and physical spaces. Neurodiverse users benefit from sensory-friendly hours and clear communication protocols. Refugees and immigrants depend on citizenship resources, ESL programming, and navigation support for unfamiliar systems. Homeless and economically disadvantaged patrons use libraries as safe havens and for access to job-search tools. LGBTQIA+ youth seek affirming materials and trusted adult allies. Incarcerated individuals, where library services exist at all, rely on books and information as lifelines to education and rehabilitation.

Each group brings distinct information needs and barriers. An information services librarian cannot approach every interaction identically; cultural awareness, humility, and adaptive service models are now core competencies, not optional enhancements. Understanding the skills you learn in an MLS program helps prospective students see how graduate education builds this adaptive capacity.

Accreditation and Professional Standards

ALA accreditation standards increasingly scrutinize how MLIS programs prepare graduates for diverse communities. Schools must demonstrate that curricula address social justice, equity of access, and culturally responsive practice. Programs with a master's in reference and user services focus, for example, train students to deliver culturally informed consultations across patron populations. This expectation sets the stage for the courses, practicum placements, and program features that distinguish top MLIS programs in diversity preparation.

What's New in Cooke's Second Edition of 'Information Services to Diverse Populations'

The second edition of *Information Services to Diverse Populations* represents the most significant update to a core diversity text in library science education in nearly a decade. Published by ALA Neal-Schuman as part of the Critical Cultural Information Studies series, this revised edition introduces a framework that redefines how future librarians should approach service to marginalized communities.¹

A New Framework: Competent Humility

The subtitle of the second edition, *Competent Humility for Library Professionals*, signals the book's central conceptual shift. Where the first edition focused primarily on cultural competence as a goal, the updated text merges that concept with cultural humility, creating a combined model the author calls "competent humility." The distinction matters. Cultural competence can imply a finite endpoint, a set of knowledge and skills a professional acquires and then possesses. Cultural humility, by contrast, treats cross-cultural understanding as an ongoing, self-reflective practice that never reaches a final destination. Cooke's framework positions the two not as competing ideas but as complementary: librarians need concrete knowledge about the communities they serve (competence) while simultaneously recognizing the limits of that knowledge and remaining open to correction and growth (humility). Intersectionality is a core organizing concept throughout the text, encouraging readers to see how overlapping identities shape the information needs of any individual patron.

Who Wrote It, and Why That Matters

Nicole A. Cooke holds the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and is a professor at the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. Her credentials in this space are extensive. She received the 2024 Joseph W. Lippincott Award, the 2016 ALA Equality Award, and the 2017 Achievement in Library Diversity Research Award. Library Journal named her a Mover and Shaker in 2007.² This combination of recognition from both professional associations and the trade press positions Cooke as one of the field's most authoritative voices on equity and inclusion in library services.

Ready-to-Use Teaching Materials

One of the most practical features of the second edition is its inclusion of classroom-ready resources. The book contains an updated syllabus, lesson plans, and exercises designed for direct adoption by LIS instructors.¹ For faculty building or revising a diversity-focused course, these materials reduce the ramp-up time considerably. ALA Neal-Schuman is also making examination copies available for instructors who want to review the text before assigning it, lowering the barrier to adoption. Students exploring careers in library science should note that cultural competence training is increasingly expected by employers across library types.

What We Know (and Don't Yet Know) About Adoption

As of June 2026, the full table of contents has not been publicly released, and no published reviews or endorsements beyond ALA's announcement are yet available.¹ Similarly, no specific MLIS programs have publicly announced adoption of the second edition at this early stage. Given that the first edition was widely used in ALA-accredited programs, broad adoption is expected, but prospective students and educators should check with individual programs to confirm which edition is currently assigned. The ALA Store listing for the second edition and ALA's news announcement are the primary verified sources of information about the book at this time.

For MLIS students evaluating programs, the presence of this text on a course reading list is a useful signal. It suggests that a program takes diversity preparation seriously and is keeping its curriculum current with the field's evolving understanding of equitable information services.

Cultural Competence vs. Cultural Humility: Understanding Cooke's Combined Framework

Library and information science programs have traditionally emphasized cultural competence as a checklist of knowledge and skills, but the field now recognizes that mastery alone cannot bridge gaps in serving diverse communities. Cooke's second edition arrives at this critical juncture, offering a model that blends two distinct but complementary approaches.

Defining Cultural Competence: The Skill-Building Tradition

Cultural competence refers to the process of acquiring knowledge about different cultural groups and developing measurable skills to serve them effectively. In MLIS training, this often means learning demographic trends, communication styles, and specific needs of racial or ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, or LGBTQIA+ users. The goal is to reach a level of proficiency where a librarian can anticipate and respond to common service barriers. For instance, a librarian might study best practices for bilingual storytime or learn how to navigate assistive technologies. While valuable, this framework can slip into a "one-and-done" mindset: once competencies are checked off, learning stops.

Defining Cultural Humility: The Reflective Stance

Cultural humility shifts the focus from fixed knowledge to an ongoing, self-critical orientation. It requires librarians to examine their own biases, recognize power imbalances, and treat every interaction as a chance to learn. Humility means admitting what you do not know and deferring to the patron's lived expertise. Instead of assuming, the librarian asks. This stance fosters trust, especially with communities that have been marginalized or misrepresented by institutions. It is not a set of skills but a disposition, a commitment to lifelong learning and respectful partnership.

Cooke's Competent Humility: A Synthesis for Modern Librarianship

Cooke's model does not discard cultural competence; it reframes it within the ongoing practice of humility. Competent humility invites librarians to build concrete skills while remaining cognizant of their own limitations. The framework works in tandem: a librarian who has learned Spanish for outreach (competence) also asks a Spanish-speaking patron how they prefer to be assisted, respecting dialect and individual communication styles (humility). A youth programmer who researches the significance of Ramadan and adjusts program timing (competence) also invites community members to co-design programming that reflects local traditions (humility). A librarian serving people experiencing homelessness might master local housing resources (competence) but first ask, "What would be most helpful to you right now?" (humility). This dual approach ensures services are both informed and genuinely responsive.

Why This Distinction Matters for Your MLIS and Beyond

Many resources gloss over the tension between these concepts, offering vague advice like "be culturally sensitive." But MLIS students and practicing librarians need a clear, applicable framework. Competent humility gives you a way to prepare for practicum settings and job interviews by demonstrating both domain knowledge and a reflective mindset. Students interested in MLIS cultural heritage information management should pay particular attention, as work with cultural collections demands exactly this blend of expertise and self-awareness. When evaluating programs, look for curricula that weave both skill-building and critical self-reflection into courses on diverse populations, not just a one-off diversity module. Cooke's synthesis provides that depth, making it a standout resource for building a career grounded in equity and genuine service.

Ask Yourself

Key Populations Covered: From Immigrants to Incarcerated Users

MLIS Courses and Curricula Focused on Diverse Populations

ALA-accredited MLIS programs increasingly recognize that information services to diverse populations must move from optional specialization to core curriculum, yet the 2025-2026 catalog review reveals uneven adoption.¹ Some programs require dedicated diversity courses while others relegate this training to elective tracks, creating significant variance in how prepared new librarians will be to serve multicultural, multilingual, and marginalized communities.

Programs with Required Diversity Courses vs. Elective Offerings

Currently, no universal ALA accreditation standard mandates a standalone diversity course, meaning each program defines its own requirements. San José State University, which operates a fully online MLIS, lists Diversity and Inclusion Literacy as an explicit programmatic focus area, though catalog data does not specify whether a dedicated course is required or if diversity threads through multiple classes.¹ Similarly, Dalhousie University's hybrid Master of Information (MI) and McGill University's on-campus Master of Information Studies (MIS) both hold full ALA accreditation, but their public catalogs do not disclose whether diversity coursework is compulsory or elective. UCLA's MLIS (on-campus, conditional accreditation status with a 2026 review) and USC's online Master of Management in Library and Information Science (conditional, 2027 review) likewise do not make their diversity-course requirements publicly transparent in their standard catalog listings.¹ The lack of standardized disclosure across programs means prospective students must often request syllabi or advising documents to determine how much training they will receive in this area.

Typical Learning Outcomes and Pedagogical Approaches

When programs do offer diversity-focused courses, the learning outcomes generally cluster around four themes. First, students examine cultural competence and cultural humility frameworks, often using texts like Cooke's *Information Services to Diverse Populations* to understand the difference between competence (acquiring knowledge about a culture) and humility (recognizing the limits of that knowledge). Second, community needs assessment methods teach students to conduct listening sessions, environmental scans, and demographic analysis before designing services. Third, outreach program design modules walk students through partnership models, funding proposals, and evaluation metrics for serving populations that libraries have historically underserved. Students interested in this kind of outreach-oriented work may also explore an online master's in public librarianship, where community engagement is a central competency. Fourth, inclusive collection development addresses selection criteria, vendor diversity, and the politics of representation in acquisitions.

Online MLIS Programs and Practicum-Based Diversity Skills

One persistent question is how fully online programs, such as those at San José State and USC, prepare students to engage with diverse communities when learners may be geographically distant from urban centers or immigrant neighborhoods. Most online programs address this through hybrid practicum models: students complete field placements in their local libraries or community organizations, then debrief via video seminar. Others partner with virtual volunteer programs or require capstone projects that involve remote community consultation. The trade-off is that online learners gain flexibility but must actively seek local diversity experiences, whereas on-campus students at programs like UCLA or McGill can more easily attend campus-sponsored community events and in-person guest lectures.

Exemplary Course Integration of Cooke's Framework

While detailed syllabi are not publicly indexed in the ALA-accredited programs directory, anecdotal evidence from library science education listservs and conference presentations suggests that several programs have adopted Cooke's second edition as a primary text. Instructors value the ready-to-use lesson plans and exercises included in the 2026 edition, which allow faculty to model competent humility in the classroom before students encounter real patrons. Programs that integrate the book often pair it with case studies from local libraries, asking students to critique actual outreach failures and design revised strategies grounded in the cultural humility model.

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Best MLIS Programs for Diversity Training and Practicum Experience

When choosing an MLIS program, students committed to serving diverse and underserved populations should look beyond course catalogs to examine faculty scholarship, fieldwork opportunities, and how distance formats support community engagement. Four schools stand out in 2026 for combining academic rigor with real-world practice in marginalized settings. All hold ALA accreditation, which you can verify through the association's official directory.¹

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: MS/LIS

The MS in Library and Information Science at Illinois offers coursework in community informatics, social justice, and youth services, paired with practicum placements in homeless outreach, immigrant and refugee services, and correctional settings. Faculty actively publish research on race and information, digital equity, and youth of color, bringing current scholarship directly into the classroom. The program is available fully online or on campus, with both tracks requiring meaningful community engagement through structured fieldwork.

University of Washington: Indigenous Knowledge and Community Informatics

Washington's MLIS program is particularly strong in decolonizing metadata and Indigenous knowledge organization. Faculty research includes critical race perspectives and community informatics, and students can pursue practica in tribal libraries and archives, homeless outreach programs, and immigrant or refugee service organizations. Students interested in MLIS informatics programs will find Washington's community informatics track especially compelling. The program offers both residential and online formats, and online students work with local partner organizations to fulfill community-based requirements rather than traveling to Seattle.

San José State University: Fully Online with Deep Community Ties

San José State's MLIS operates entirely online yet maintains robust partnerships for fieldwork. Students can choose practica in correctional institution libraries, tribal libraries and archives, immigrant ESL programs, and homeless outreach settings. Faculty scholarship addresses prison librarianship, Indigenous information issues, Latinx communities, and LGBTQ+ services. The fully online structure allows students nationwide to complete placements near their own communities, expanding access to diversity training beyond the Bay Area.

University of Maryland: Equity Research and Low-Income Community Partnerships

Maryland's MLIS, offered online and in hybrid formats, emphasizes social justice and inclusion with dedicated faculty research on equity, disability, race, and public interest technology. Practicum placements include diverse low-income communities, immigrant and refugee services, and homeless or re-entry outreach. The program's proximity to Washington, D.C., provides additional opportunities in federal libraries and national nonprofit organizations serving marginalized groups.

Online Delivery and Meaningful Engagement

All four programs demonstrate that online MLIS youth services education and other diversity-focused tracks do not preclude hands-on community work. Each requires supervised fieldwork hours, and distance students typically partner with local libraries, schools, or social service agencies rather than commuting to campus sites. Advisors help students identify placement partners in their home regions, ensuring that online learners gain the same quality of community engagement as residential students. Schools with national reach, like San José State and Illinois, maintain regional networks of approved practicum sites and supervising librarians across multiple states.

Competent Humility in Practice: A Librarian's Growth Path

Nicole A. Cooke's competent humility model is not a single lesson but a career-long commitment. The progression below maps concrete actions to the competencies they build, from the first day of an MLIS program through seasoned professional practice. Each stage reinforces the idea that serving diverse populations requires both structured learning and genuine, ongoing self-reflection.

How to Evaluate Your MLIS Program's Diversity Preparation: A Checklist

Before committing to an MLIS program, use this checklist to gauge how seriously the school prepares future librarians to serve all communities, not just the ones that are easiest to reach.

• Required coursework on serving diverse populations

  Check whether the program mandates at least one course focused on information services to diverse populations rather than offering it only as an elective. A required course signals that the school treats equity-centered service as core professional knowledge, not an afterthought.
• Practicum or field placements in underserved communities

  Look for structured practicum, fieldwork, or service-learning opportunities that place students in libraries or information settings serving marginalized groups, such as tribal libraries, prison library programs, or community organizations supporting refugees and immigrants. Hands-on experience is where cultural competence becomes real practice.
• Faculty with recognized diversity, equity, and inclusion expertise

  Identify whether the program employs faculty who conduct active research or hold professional recognition in DEI. For example, Nicole A. Cooke, author of the newly released second edition of 'Information Services to Diverse Populations' and recipient of the ALA Equality Award and the Joseph W. Lippincott Award, represents the caliber of scholarship that elevates a program's credibility in this area.
• Current foundational texts and frameworks in use

  Ask which readings anchor diversity-focused courses. Programs using up-to-date resources, such as Cooke's 2026 second edition, published by ALA Neal-Schuman as part of the Critical Cultural Information Studies series, demonstrate a commitment to evolving scholarship rather than relying on outdated material.
• Community engagement mechanisms for online students

  If you are considering an online MLIS program, find out whether the school facilitates local community engagement through partnerships with nearby public libraries, outreach organizations, or social service agencies that serve diverse populations. Distance learning should not mean distance from the communities you intend to serve.
• Specificity in population coverage, not a monolithic approach

  Evaluate whether the curriculum addresses the distinct needs of specific groups, including neurodiverse users, incarcerated individuals, immigrants, older adults, people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities, or lumps all diversity topics into a single generic module. Meaningful preparation requires nuance, not a checkbox.

A Model That Works

Cooke’s competent humility model stands out because it frames cultural competence as a continuous practice, not a box to check. Librarians never ‘finish’ becoming inclusive — they commit to ongoing listening, self-reflection, and adaptation. For MLIS students, this means embracing a career-long journey of growth, which is precisely what communities need.

Continuing Education and Resources Beyond the MLIS Degree

Earning the degree is one path to competence in serving diverse communities; sustaining that competence over an entire career is another. The library profession evolves quickly, and the populations you serve will shift in demographics, language, ability, and need long after you walk across the graduation stage. Fortunately, a rich ecosystem of continuing education options, professional organizations, and practical assessment tools exists to keep practicing librarians current.

ALA and National Continuing Education Offerings

The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services remains a central hub for equity-focused professional development. It offers free and low-cost self-paced toolkits on equity, diversity, and inclusion, along with webinars and dedicated conference tracks at ALA Annual and Midwinter meetings.¹ Committee work through this office also gives librarians hands-on experience shaping national policy around underserved communities.

WebJunction, supported by OCLC, provides free monthly webinars open to all library staff, covering topics from inclusive programming to accessible technology.² Its archived sessions create a self-directed curriculum that costs nothing beyond the time to watch. Library Juice Academy adds another layer with asynchronous online courses, many focused on cultural competence, critical librarianship, and inclusive services, and awards continuing education units (CEUs) upon completion. Some library councils, such as the Capital District Library Council, offer member discounts on these workshops.³ The combination of these resources means that the library science skills developed during graduate school can be continuously refined throughout a career.

State Library Programs Worth Exploring

State libraries increasingly bundle diversity-related training into their continuing education calendars. The State Library of Kansas, for example, delivers CE through platforms like Niche Academy and WebJunction.⁴ The South Carolina State Library funds LSTA continuing education grants running through August 2026, which can offset the cost of workshops or conference travel.⁵ Maryland's State Library maintains a National Continuing Education Calendar that aggregates free and low-cost training from across the country, and the New Mexico State Library highlights a Professional Development Calendar featuring free online opportunities.⁶⁷ These state-level resources are especially valuable for librarians in rural or underfunded systems who may lack institutional training budgets.

Cooke's Second Edition as a Staff Training Tool

Nicole A. Cooke's updated text, published June 5, 2026, by ALA Neal-Schuman, is not only a classroom resource. The second edition of "Information Services to Diverse Populations" includes lesson plans, exercises, and a ready-made syllabus that translate directly into staff training modules. Library directors and training coordinators can adapt these materials for in-service workshops, making the book a practical investment for any system looking to deepen its cultural competence without designing a program from scratch.

Professional Organizations as Communities of Practice

Ongoing learning happens in community, not just in coursework. Several professional organizations serve as both networking channels and continuing education providers for librarians committed to serving specific populations:

• REFORMA: Focuses on library services to the Latino and Spanish-speaking community.
• BCALA (Black Caucus of the American Library Association): Advocates for library services and resources for African Americans.
• APALA (Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association): Supports outreach and collections for Asian and Pacific American communities.
• AILA (American Indian Library Association): Centers Indigenous library services, collections, and cultural preservation.
• GLBT Round Table: Advances equitable access and inclusive services for LGBTQIA+ patrons.

Membership in these groups connects you to mentorship, specialized programming at conferences, and publication opportunities that deepen expertise far beyond what a single course can offer.

Measuring Whether Training Translates Into Better Service

Professional development means little if it does not reach patrons. Librarians can assess real-world impact through several practical measures:

• Patron surveys: Targeted feedback from underserved groups reveals whether services feel welcoming and relevant.
• Collection audits: Reviewing holdings for language diversity, representation, and format accessibility uncovers gaps that training should address.
• Program attendance data: Tracking participation from specific demographic groups over time shows whether outreach efforts are working.

These metrics close the loop between learning and practice, ensuring that webinars watched and books read actually reshape the experience of people walking through your library's doors.

Frequently Asked Questions About Diversity in Library Science Education