Academic Library Services for Mexican Americans

Academic libraries are being asked to respond to the needs of yet another ethnic minority group, Chicanos-the second largest minority in America. While their demands on the university library may seem confusing, they represent a search for identity and recognition, and a legitimate call for help. Interestingly enough, some institutions have responded with highly imaginative and progressive service programs, and even initiated recruiting projects to encourage Chicanos to work in libraries or become librarians. Other institutions have done little or nothing in this area, merely perpetuating a condition of mistrust and adding to the rhetoric of institutional racism. On the whole, however, it seems appropriate to ventilate whatever anger may exist in the Chicano community toward academic libraries and bring to the attention of this group the types of successful programs that librarians have developed to address their unique needs. Perhaps these programs will also serve as models and encouragement for other academic librarians across this country .