Download a copy of the new white paper today! (image courtesy of ALSC)
The Association for Library Service to Children is thrilled to release a new white paper titled,
The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children. This paper was written for ALSC by Jamie Campbell Naidoo, PhD, and adopted by the ALSC Board of Directors on April 5, 2014.
The white paper explores the critical role libraries play in helping children make cross-cultural connections and develop skills necessary to function in a culturally pluralistic society. It states:
By including diversity in its programs and collections, the library has the potential for helping children make cross-cultural connections and develop the skills necessary to function in a culturally pluralistic society.
As this paper calls for libraries to include diversity in programming and materials for children as an important piece in meeting the informational and recreational needs of their community, ALSC encourage you to take action in your own library and community. The paper is available online at: http://www.ala.org/alsc/importance-diversity. Hard copies can be requested by emailing Joanna Ison at [email protected].
The Importance of Diversity in Library Programs and Material Collections for Children, and its message, has the endorsement of ALSC, the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children.
As Stephanie Kuenn mentioned in her YALSA Update post last Friday, at their Midwinter 2011 meetings the YALSA Board approved a new YALSA White Paper. The focus is the whole library approach to teen services.
What’s the whole library approach? Good question.
The whole library approach centers on the need for public libraries to employ staff dedicated to serving teens AND the need to have all other library staff (those not specifically tasked to work with teens) understand the value of serving adolescents. Through this understanding all staff are better equipped to provide high-quality service to young adults.
The document looks at how staff across public library departments (young adult, adult, reference, children’s, IT, circulation, etc.) can work together in order to provide a variety of services including those related to collection development, programming, and technology. It also considers the type of support administrators of public libraries must provide in order to guarantee that library service to young adults is excellent throughout the library, not just within the teen department.
This new resource discusses methods for creating whole library teen services and complements other YALSA White Papers available on the association’s website.
Take a look at the new White Paper and use it as a tool to advocate for excellent public library services to teens in your community.
