How do we build a book collection that reflects our children, our values, and our world? In difficult times, books offer an important outlet to young people—but making the right books available is essential. If you’ve ever wondered how to take action in diversifying your library but don’t know how or where to start, you’re not alone.
Join us for a webinar on Tuesday, August 18th at 4:00 PM EDT as we walk through some of the steps to creating a truly inclusive collection. We will use our newly updated Questionnaire as a guide for identifying gaps in our shelves, and share resources for finding and evaluating diverse books. We are also proud to announce the launch of a Spanish version of the questionnaire just in time for the start of the school year.
Experts Dr. Jane Bean Folkes, K-12 English Languages Arts Supervisor for the South Orange & Maplewood School District in New Jersey, Rosalie Reyes, Coordinator of Teacher Engagement and Professional Development at Teaching for Change, and Kai Strange, Director of Urban Teacher Opportunity Partnerships Program Office at Nazareth College, will share their insights, expertise, and knowledge about creating and curating a diverse classroom library.
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Time: 4:00 PM EDT / 1:00 PM PDT
Duration: 1 hour
How to Join: Register here.
Registration is free, but space is limited so register today! If you can’t join live, you can still register to receive a link to the recording after the webinar takes place.
Whether you are an educator, librarian, or parent, this webinar will provide you with tangible steps and strategies for building a diverse collection of great books.
Here are some additional links and resources that can help you get started with your library audit. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming webinar! Let us know in the comments how you have used our Classroom Library Questionnaire in your setting– we want to hear from you!
School Library Journal Diversity & Cultural Literacy Toolkit
Diverse Classroom Libraries for K–6 Students
How to Build a More Diverse Classroom Library
Students Analyzing a Library to See How Diverse It is
Diversity Auditing 101: How to Evaluate Your Collection
Reading Diversity From Teaching Tolerance
ILA Panel: Classroom Libraries as Windows and Mirrors: Ensuring Diverse, Representative Books for our Students
We Need Diverse Books Read Alike Collection