Tag Archives: collection development

Check it Out:, Guest Blogger

CMLE Guest Post: Join Me in Building Inclusive Collections

Guest Post by Jenny Hill, Ed.D. St. Cloud State University

I was recently reading a book about library media centers where the question was posed: When you walk into a media center, who does space the belong to, the media specialist, or the students (Wools & Coatney, 2018)? 

This is a convicting question and that makes me stop and think.  Media specialists may be the program administrators, but space needs to belong to the kids!  

That leads me to another question: who are our students?

As demographics continue to shift in our schools, I find that the 1990 work of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, often referred to as “the mother of multicultural literature,” still rings true today.  In her classic essay, Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, Dr. Bishop outlines the need for kids to have access to books that reflect who they are; mirrors; provide perspective into another’s world: windows; and provide a way for students to enter into another’s context: sliding glass doors.

Twitter seems to be echoing this idea in 2020 with hashtags such as #WeNeedDiverseBooks  #DiverseReads and #OwnVoices.

We all want to develop inclusive collections, but how can this be accomplished?

School Library Journal is hosting a series of webinars this fall called Equity in Action: Building Diverse Collections.  There are three parts being held virtually on Tuesday, October 20th, Tuesday, October 27th, and Tuesday, November 10th which include topics such as:

  • What is a diverse and inclusive collection?
  • Collection Management Strategies to Enact Change at Your Library
  • Equity Work Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
  • Conducting a Diversity Audit of Your Collections
  • Stereotypes, Tropes, and Cultural Appropriation: A Collection Development Deep Dive

Registration costs about $300 and self-paced options online are available if you cannot attend the live sessions.  More registration information can be found here.

If you do decide to attend, I would love to connect with you throughout the process and beyond to see if we can work together to implement some of the strategies presented so you can build a more inclusive collection in your schools. E-mail me at: jchill@stcloudstate.edu

References:

Reading Rockets. (2020).  A video interview with Rudine Sims Bishop, Ph. D.  https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/experts/rudine-sims-bishop

Woolls, B. & Coatney, S. (2018).  The school library media manager. 6th ed. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Podcast, Training

Episode 505: Collection Development

You can view our full shownotes page here!

In this episode, we will talk about one of the foundations of all library service: Collection Development. Without good collections, we might be nice places to visit – but it’s not a good library.

This week we have returning Guest Host Amy, from the Great River Regional Library System to help us get some ideas!

Thank you to Amy for joining us this week to discuss this topic!
Be sure you are subscribed to this podcast to get all the library skills directly to your favorite app each week. And you can check out our shownotes for each episode to get all the info we discussed, along with the links to more resources. Every episode we have created is available on our website!

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Thanks for joining us this week! And check back in with us next week for another library competency!

Books

James Patterson is donating money to schools for books!

James Patterson

From the Miami Herald (Click to read the entire story!)

“James Patterson is giving away more money to get kids reading. And your school library could get some.

In the third installment of his School Library Campaign in partnership with Scholastic Reading Club, Patterson — author of books for middle grades and adults — is donating $1.75 million to school libraries around the country.

This time around, the plan focuses on teachers. Patterson will award $500 grants to 3,500 teachers in grades pre-K through 12 in U.S. schools to improve their classroom libraries. The funds can be used to buy new books, expand programming or even build more bookshelves, if that’s what’s needed.

“Many kids rely solely on their classroom bookshelves for reading material, particularly in schools without a library,” Patterson said in a statement. “I’m excited to expand the reach of the program, and make a positive impact on teachers who are working with students all day, every day, in every school in the country.”

Here is the application. Pass this on to your teachers; and we can help with any part of it!
Check this out:, Public, Resources

Are you ready for a Bookapalooza Program collection?

results
let’s talk about books!

We are passing this on FYI, to help you connect with some library materials. If any member wants to work on the application, but is not sure where to start – we are always here at CMLE Headquarters to help out with ideas, writing, or edits!

 

From the website announcement:

Creating a better future for all children through libraries is ALSC’s core purpose.  ALSC envisions a future where:
• In every library, children come first.
• All libraries acknowledge the importance of children’s service with adequate materials and resources.
• All libraries recognize ALSC as a leader in promoting high quality service to children.
• Libraries recognize and support the value of all staff serving children.
• Resources, collections, services, and staff reflect the communities they serve.
• The library’s physical space reflects the developmental needs of children.
• Children and their families are being served by a variety of non-traditional programs and activities in off-site locations.

In keeping with this envisioned future, the Bookapalooza Program will offer select libraries a collection of materials that will help transform their collection and provide the opportunity for these materials to be used in their community in creative and innovative ways. Continue reading Are you ready for a Bookapalooza Program collection? →

Academic, General, Public, Resources, School Media Specialist, Special

Chilling Effects of Book Challenges (Banned Book Week Series #5)

As we wrap up our look at assorted Freedom to Read topics, let’s talk about the chilling effect that can happen to collection development in the face of book challenges.

This is the unspoken side of book challenges: the increased reluctance on the part of a librarian to push the boundaries of what may be deemed acceptable when buying books. That balance between assembling a good and balanced collection and avoiding potential challenges can be difficult to master. It can be very tempting to just avoid buying the latest challenged book, or to develop a collection of books that may be challenged, when a librarian wants to avoid controversy.

Everyone needs to think about the basics of their library’s collection development, and think consciously about overcoming a reluctance to work through a challenge process. Look back to our Banned Book Week Series entry #3, and work through some of the processes given to write up a good policy for your library to incorporate to respond to challenges in a professional way. Having that policy in place, and ready to be shared with Boards, patrons, and other concerned stakeholders, gives some security in engaging in a discussion on controversial materials.

School Library Journal published an article on a study of school librarians: SLJ: Self Censorship Survey. Although this article is now a few years old, there is no reason to believe things are different; and the information presented gives a new dimension to thinking about collection development of potentially controversial materials.

Data from SLJ Survey

As you build a collection, and include materials that may be controversial for any number of reasons, think carefully before excluding items on that basis. Although the potential conflict of a challenge is not pleasant for the librarian or patron, the discussion can be valuable and the process can help to educate everyone involved on Freedom to Read policies and ideas. These are the bedrock of our profession, so do not give them up lightly!