Curating Community Collections: A Holistic Approach to Diverse Collection Development

Curating Community Collections is a guide for librarians to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in collections, policies, and practices. It provides information on how to evaluate diversity audits, formulate a plan, and make diversity, equity, and inclusion part of the everyday workflow. Stories from librarians around the US and Canada offer practical road maps for libraries of any size, budget, and mission.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Curating Community Collections is a comprehensive guide for academic, school, and public librarians seeking to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in their collections, policies, and practices in a meaningful and sustainable manner. The book addresses a primary concern for librarians, directors, and board members: how to evaluate diversity in a collection on an ongoing basis. It provides librarians with the tools they need to understand the results of diversity audits and develop a practical plan for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion not only in the collection itself but also in library collection policies and practices.

The book offers valuable insights on how to make diversity, equity, and inclusion part of a library's everyday workflow, ensuring the sustainability of these principles. Authors Mary Schreiber and Wendy Bartlett teach readers how to increase the number of diverse materials in their collections and make them more accessible to library patrons through the implementation of a community collections program.

Stories from librarians across the United States and Canada who are auditing and improving the diversity of their collections provide broad, scalable perspectives for libraries of all sizes, budgets, and missions. The book concludes with action steps provided at the end of each section, offering a practical road map for all types of libraries to curate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community collection.

In conclusion, Curating Community Collections is a valuable resource for librarians seeking to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in their libraries. By providing practical guidance, insights, and case studies, the book empowers librarians to create collections that reflect the diverse communities they serve and promote equitable access to information for all.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781440880988