This Disability Pride Month marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, the fact that I spend most of my time in school libraries (open every month except July) and that my blog falls at the end of the month is good reason to celebrate Disability Pride year-round through collection development.
Reminder: I am a special educator who did not attend school for library/information science. So when I began working with libraries, I was overwhelmed when it came to developing Disability Pride in collections. Below are the resources I’ve found most helpful. Also, please consider this your cordial invitation to share your expertise in the comments!
The Schneider Family Book Award
Since 2004, the Schneider Family Book Award has honored creators whose books “embod[y] an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences.” It includes categories for younger children (ages 4–8), middle grades (ages 9–13), and young adults (ages 14–18). To see every winner or honoree in the award’s history: (1) click on this link, (2) scroll to the bottom of the page, (3) click on “Winner List,” and (4) click on each year (e.g., 2025, 2024, etc.). Schnieder Family Book Award winners and honorees are a great starting place for developing Disability Pride in a collection.
The IRIS Center’s Database of Children’s Books with Portrayals of People with Disabilities
Part of Vanderbilt University, the IRIS Center develops free resources to support all students, especially those with dis/abilities. One of these resources is a searchable database of children’s books with portrayals of people with disabilities, curated in collaboration with Dr. Mary Anne Prater. The organization of the IRIS Center’s database aligns closely with the language used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This makes it a user-friendly resource for school-based practitioners wanting to develop Disability Pride in their collection.
Diverse BookFinder’s Searchable Collection
I have been using Diverse BookFinder since I was a classroom teacher. Diverse BookFinder offers a comprehensive, searchable collection of children’s and young adult books featuring Black and Indigenous Peoples and People of Color (BIPOC).
You can search Diverse BookFinder’s collection using this link. In addition to disability representation, you can filter Diverse BookFinder results by intended audience, central theme, the race/culture of characters, creators’ lived experiences, and much more. Diverse BookFinder makes it possible to identify books at the intersection of dis/ability and other identities or experiences.
How do you develop Disability Pride in your collection? Drop a line in the comments or at ktaksier@ufl.edu.
This blog post relates to ALSC Core Competency IV: Collection Knowledge and Management.