The Diversity in Publishing Report 2.0 via Lee and Low

Click here for the full
Lee and Low report

As I and mentioned in my post about the American Dirt controversy here, the biggest problem is the lack of diversity in publishing. 

Lee and Low recently updated their 2015 study on the problem and why diversity in publishing matters. Click here to read the full report. It is NOT good news. There has really not been much movement.

We need to keep pushing. I have also reposted the introduction to the report below. This is a must read no matter your job title. You work in a library, you need to know. But also, you need to act. Use my tags on diversity, equity and inclusion to read about ways you can act.

Here is the report:

WHERE IS THE DIVERSITY IN PUBLISHING? THE 2019 DIVERSITY BASELINE SURVEY RESULTS

JANUARY 28, 2020 JASON T LOW 

Lee & Low Books released the first Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS 1.0) in 2015. Before the DBS, people suspected publishing had a diversity problem, but without hard numbers, the extent of that problem was anyone’s guess. Our goal was to survey publishing houses and review journals regarding the racial, gender, sexual orientation, and ability makeup of their employees; establish concrete statistics about the diversity of the publishing workforce; and then build on this information by reissuing the survey every four years. Through these long-term efforts, we would be able to track what progress our industry shows over time in improving representation and inclusion.

Why does diversity in publishing matter? The book industry has the power to shape culture in big and small ways. The people behind the books serve as gatekeepers, who can make a huge difference in determining which stories are amplified and which are shut out. If the people who work in publishing are not a diverse group, how can diverse voices truly be represented in its books?

The results of DBS 1.0 were stark. 79 percent of respondents identified as White. 78 percent were women. 88 percent were straight. 92 percent were non-disabled. At a time when readers of all backgrounds were demanding to see themselves in books, the publishing industry came nowhere near to reflecting the rich diversity of the United States.

Click here to read the entire report