School Library Collection Diversity Toolkit
“School libraries are places of wonder. In the library, we get to see new worlds, walk in others’ shoes and experience things we would never otherwise get to experience. Learning in the library is based on inquiry, discovery, and the free exploration of ideas. The library learning commons program fosters creativity and facilitates knowledge creation, and builds communities of learners, within an information-rich environment.
The collection is the foundation of learning in the library. The freedom to explore ideas and pursue interests, and expert instruction to develop deep skills for inquiry and information literacy rely on the foundation of that collection.
The library collection includes the print resources on the shelves, and the large collections of virtual resources accessed through online subscription databases. It includes resources in a wide variety of formats to meet the needs and preferences of all learners; from audiobooks and ebooks to tools for making and ephemera to inspire creativity. The collection also includes expert curations to help learners dig into and make sense of the wide world of resources beyond the library’s physical and virtual walls.
Library professionals have an important role to play and a responsibility in ensuring collections are of the highest quality and represent people authentically. Our collections must be relevant, responsive and current.”