January 28, 2020—New York, NY —As conversations intensify regarding diversity in book publishing, children’s publisher Lee & Low Books has released an updated study of staff diversity within the industry. More than 150 companies participated in the 2019 Diversity Baseline Survey, four times the number of participants included in the initial survey, which was released in 2016. The new survey includes all of the “Big Five" Publishers as well as small and medium publishers, book review journals, and two new additions: university presses and literary agents.

A continuation of the first study, Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS) 2.0 gathers statistics on publishing staff, literary agents, and reviewers in four major categories—gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability—with the new goal of ascertaining whether the industry is becoming more inclusive over time.

Despite frequent conversations regarding the need for diversity and inclusion, the results show little change from the initial survey deployed four years ago. The updated Diversity Baseline Survey results reveal that 76% of publishing professionals identify as White/ Caucasian, slightly down from 79% in 2016—a change that data analysts have deemed not statistically significant. 7% identify as Asian American, 6% as Latinx, 5% as Black/African American, 3% as multiracial, and 1% as Other. Less than 1% of staff identified as Middle Eastern, Native American, or American Indian/Alaskan Native.

The survey also reveals that less than 1% of publishing staff identifies as transgender or intersex, and about 1% gender non-conforming. Regarding sexual orientation, about 81% of survey respondents identify as straight or heterosexual, while 10% identify as bisexual or pansexual and 6% as gay or lesbian. Employees who have some type of disability are 11%.

The survey was initiated by Lee & Low Books, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the United States. The company was inspired by a similar movement in the technology industry to create the original Diversity Baseline Survey. The Lee & Low Marketing team reached out to over two hundred publishers, literary agencies, and review journals. The company partnered with experts at several universities and disciplines to parse the data and vet the survey questions.

See the full results of the survey, including breakdowns by department, here: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2020/01/28/2019diversitybaselinesurvey/.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Founded almost thirty years ago, Lee & Low Books publishes award-winning children’s books that are “about everyone, for everyone.” The company is committed to fostering conversations about race, gender, and diversity in publishing and beyond. For more information, visit leeandlow.com.