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Recently, at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP 15),¹ in December 2009, we kept our eyes on the political representatives of the countries present, in the hope that decisions would be made that could restrain global warming, soil exhaustion levels, predatory deforesting, the near absence of potable water, the disappearance of animal and plant species and the damage caused by the pollution imposed on nature. Although with great caution, it was expected that the industrialised² nations, led by the United States,³ which over the years have reached a high level of economic and social development, would lead the negotiations, alongside China⁴ and the so-called emerging nations (India⁵ and Brazil, among others) that are now pursuing economic and social development, taking urgent measures with effectiveness and climatic justice, seeking to control global imbalance.

Güler Aras (www.guleraras.com) is professor of finance and dean of the faculty of economic and administrative sciences at Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. She is also visiting professor at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. Her research is into financial economy and financial markets with particular emphasis on the relationship between corporate social responsibility, sustainability and a firm's financial performance. Güler has published more than 15 books and has contributed over 150 articles to academic, business and professional journals and magazines and to edited book collections. One of the most recent books (2009) is The Durable Corporation: Strategies for Sustainable Development (with David Crowther), which addresses the topical issue of the sustainability of corporate activity. Güler is a founder and member of various associations and research centres in Turkey and worldwide. She is also a member of a number of international editorial and advisory boards and is vice chair of the Social Responsibility Research Network; series editor of the Gower Applied Research in Corporate Social Responsibility book series; associate editor of Social Responsibility Journal and convenor of the International Conference Series on Corporate Social Responsibility, now in its 10th year. She has also spoken extensively at conferences and seminars and has acted as a consultant to a wide range of government and commercial organisations.

Provides an historical perspective for the fight for diversity in US libraries, defining diversity, describing the changing demographics and discussing problems of implementing diversity. The lack of diversity in middle management posts in the US Government is noted. Work within the American Library Association, including recruiting initiatives and the Spectrum Initiative, a Diversity Fair, the establishment of a Presidential Committee on Library Service to Minorities are described. Concludes with examples of services provided by public libraries and considers prospects for the future.