Using Search Advocates to Mitigate Bias in Hiring: An Interview with Anne Gillies

Abstract

A commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion requires eliminating bias in hiring. Eliminating bias requires training, tools and cultural change. This interview with Anne Gillies of Oregon State University’s Search Advocates provides a nuanced understanding of how search practices reinforce bias and how she has operationalized a program that has the capacity to create deep cultural change. Interviewed by Emily Weak of Hiring Librarians, she outlines her program’s philosophy, as well as its origins and the challenges in measuring outcomes. Her program has found footing in academic libraries, but managers in public and other library types will benefit from understanding her methods.