“Not another diversity audit”: Performing a diversity-based purchase analysis at a small academic library

Abstract

In 2021–2022, the Oxford College Library developed a methodology for analyzing new acquisitions to gain a better understanding of the library's purchasing habits. With this assessment, Oxford librarians were able to evaluate their work as collections professionals with a DEI lens. The methodology shown here expands on the diversity audit methodology of other scholars by endeavoring to capture the wide range of perspectives and topics needed in an academic collection, by looking at author demographics and diversity in content coverage. The article argues that these types of analyses can help academic libraries make better purchasing decisions and create more inclusive and diverse collections.