In this multifaceted online course, you’ll complete work to ensure that your collections are Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive—with personal coaching from experts from libraries and beyond.

Live Interactive Sessions: Tuesdays: April 28, May 5 & 12 from 2-4 PM ET. Plus, self-guided options and additional bonus content offered so you can follow along at your own pace.

Live Sessions Bridged with Online Workshops, Video Lessons, Assignments, Discussions, and Resources designed to help you conduct your own diversity audit and transform your library. Certificate of Completion Provided
 

Also Available On-Demand!

Can’t make a live session? All sessions will be available to you “on-demand” following the initial broadcast.

Course Overview: 

Do you want to ensure that your library’s collections are diverse, equitable, inclusive—and well-read?

This foundational course from Library Journal and School Library Journal, was designed specifically for librarian professionals who work in collections and readers’ advisory (RA). You’ll hear from an outstanding group of experts as they explore key concepts essential to cultivating and promoting inclusive and equitable collections. You’ll also conduct a diversity audit of your collections and learn about how to include diverse books, wider perspectives, #ownvoices, and how to be more responsive to the community you serve.

The course will cover a wide range of topics: helping teach librarians how to evaluate books and media through an inclusive lens, that includes the experiences of LGBTQIA people, people of color, non-binary or gender non-conforming people, various ethnicities and cultures, religious minorities, and more.
 

When you attend this interactive online course, you’ll come away with: 

• The ability to assess current library collections, book promotions, and displays through a diverse lens in order to assess gaps in collections and service areas.

• An understanding of key diversity and cultural literacy concepts such as white privilege, unconscious bias, cultural appropriation, and intersectionality.

• The ability to recognize common problematic stereotypes, tropes, and microaggressions in media.

• The ability to assess the diversity and inclusiveness of current collection development and RA practices.

• Guidance on planning and executing a diversity audit.

• Tools, tips, and advice on how to better diversify collections and displays.

• A plan of action to better diversify your library collections and address gap areas that will transform your understanding of your library users and the services you provide.

The course features live guest speakers in interactive sessions with Q&A as well as self-guided assignments, readings, and weekly discussion topics to support deeper learning. You’ll work in small groups with facilitators experienced in anti-oppression work to complete assignments and field research that will fuel your diversity initiatives.
 

Inspiring Live Guest Speakers + Project-Based Learning

Engage with presenters via live video stream, visual presentations,  chats, and workshop practical solutions in groups with guidance from an advisor, to map out your own diversity audit of your collections. 

Online course features:

• Instructor-led online course features personalized interaction over 3+ weeks

• Real-time guest speakers and conversation via live webcast (with recordings available afterward)

• Self-guided track with video lessons and supporting resources in the online classroom to provide a foundation for your work

• Homework assignments to help you make progress on your goals

• Individualized attention from course facilitators who work with you in a coaching environment to help sort out challenges

• Ongoing group conversation via discussion forums

• Articles, videos, and other resources

• Access all course content for 6 months after the course ends

• Bonus: Register early and get immediate access to archival video recordings from related courses 
   

Who should take this course:

This event is excellent for public librarians, both adult and youth services, academic librarians, and school librarians. The program will be especially relevant to librarians in collection development, collection management, merchandising and displays, programming, outreach, and library marketing.

Can’t make a live session? No worries. All sessions will be available to you “on-demand” following the initial broadcast.  

Part 1: Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 2:00-4:00 PM ET
 

Session 1 | 2:00-2:15 PM ET

What Is a Diverse and Inclusive Collection?

Mahnaz Dar, Reference and Professional Reading Editor at Library Journal and School Library Journal, will explain how the discussion groups and assignments will work and highlight key concepts, including #ownvoices, privilege, and intersectionality.  

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Session 2 | 2:15-3:00 PM ET

Open the Gates: Addressing the Lack of Diversity in Publishing

Getting diverse books on our shelves is key in cultivating equity at our libraries. But it’s not a simple fix. In this eye-opening first session of our workshop, Hanna Ehrlich, Director of Marketing and Publicity of Lee & Low Books, will discuss the landscape of publishing today with regard to diversity and representation, sharing the findings of the 2019 Lee & Low Diversity Baseline Study and how it compares to the 2015 Study. She'll provide insight into the data and what we can learn from it, and crucially, where we need to go next to ensure that our library shelves are representative of the many identities and experiences of our readers and our world.

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Intermission | 3:00-3:15 PM ET
 

Session 3 | 3:15-4:00 PM ET

Conducting a Diversity Audit of Your Collection

In this session, we’ll discuss both the process of conducting a diversity audit and what comes next after you’ve successfully audited your collection. You’ll learn how to plan a diversity audit, which salient data points should be included, how to gather the requisite information, how to set goals to address gaps, and how to make diversity and inclusion natural parts of collection management and promotion. You’ll also come away with an understanding of what to do with your data once you have it, how to create a plan of implementation, and where to go next.

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Part 2: Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 2:00-4:15 PM ET
 

Session 1 | 2:00-2:30 PM

Stereotypes, Tropes, and Cultural Appropriation: A Collection Development Deep Dive

Some common stereotypes in books and media are easy to spot—others require a more fine-tuned understanding of culture and history. In this series of enlightening sessions, you will learn how to spot problematic stereotypes and tropes and how to avoid unintentionally perpetuating such depictions. You will hear from several experts in the field about the ways that specific marginalized cultures—Native American, Asian American, African American, and LGBTQIA+—are portrayed in mainstream media, their cultural traditions misunderstood or misrepresented, and their stories appropriated by cultural outsiders. You’ll walk away with the knowledge you need to build a more representative, inclusive collection at your library or institution.

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Session 2 | 2:30-3:00 PM ET

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Intermission | 3:00-3:15 PM ET
 

Session 3 | 3:15-3:45 PM ET

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Session 4 | 3:45-4:15 PM ET

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Part 3 - Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 2:00-4:15 PM ET
 

Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 PM ET

Collection Management Strategies to Enact Change at Your Library

Being aware of a lack of diversity in your library collections and having the intention to make a change is important, but having a plan of action to address these problems is where the magic happens. In this session, you’ll learn concrete strategies for making lasting change in your approach to collection development and management, ensuring your library’s collections are inclusive. 

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Session 2 | 2:45-3:15 PM ET

Collection Development and Readers’ Advisory for the Inclusive Librarian

Diversifying your collection begins with diversifying your suggestions. Learn from Becky Spratford of RAforall.com how to locate and combat implicit racism and sexism in our resources and provide a wider range of suggestions to our readers in this compelling session. Spratford will explain how encouraging readers to read more diversely results in libraries buying more diversely, and share ideas for how you can include your whole staff in the process. You’ll come away with an understanding for how equity work can become a part of your daily practice via interactions with your patrons, staff, and wider community.

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Intermission | 3:15-3:30 PM ET
 

Session 3| 3:30-4:15 PM ET

Moving the Needle on Diversity in the Library

Given the state of libraries -- their demographics, budgets, challenges, and barriers -- what do librarians need to be doing now to lead from the front when it comes to equity initiatives? In this inspiring closing keynote, Loida Garcia-Febo will share lessons learned from her years of work in the field, including what library professionals need to be doing right now to create a more equitable outlook for our patrons and communities.

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