We know diversity matters. It is a part of our strategic plan, it is a major focus of our work and it is critical to our customers and our communities. Figuring out the best way to help increase diversity awareness in our communities and having this reflected in our libraries isn’t always easy. Libraries have been at the forefront of realizing the value of diverse content. Our communities are changing and it is challenging to build content that really reflects the world we live in today. It starts with our collections and our collections are dependent on what is available from publishers. ALSC has taken up this charge by organizing a dialogue around diversity with publishers in Chicago as part of the Midwinter meeting.
On the heels of ALSC’s invitational dialogue on diversity in publishing, Sunday, February 1, 2015 – 1:00pm to 2:30pm McCormick Place West W183b there will be an opportunity for all interested attendees to learn more about what we can do, as children’s libraries, to increase diversity awareness in our communities and to lay the groundwork for a more promising future. This session, entitled Diversity Matters: Stepping It Up with Action! will part of the News You Can Use series at Midwinter.
Join us! Bring your ideas, examples of what works where you live and help us create a real exchange between publishing and library work and further define what diversity means to us as a profession. Together is where change happens. The time has come.