We know your schedule is tight. That’s why we’re introducing a series of brand new crash courses: 2-hour, expert-led virtual courses that are recorded for on-demand viewing; feature queer theory and manga crash courses!
How to Build and Defend Inclusive Collections |
We know that building and defending inclusive collections is top of mind for many librarians. Join us this fall and learn the tools and skills to diversify your collections and protect intellectual freedom. |
See what one of our past attendees had to say: |
"Wow! This course was so eye-opening. All the presenters were fabulous and I already want to watch the recordings again a second time. Having homework deadlines helped give me accountability and it felt good completing the course in just three weeks. I would definitely take another class in the future!" Lisa Gillihan School Library Media Specialist, NBCT Brownsburg, IN |
Week 1 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET Creating Inclusive Library Collections While it’s important to ensure our collections are diverse, what does it mean to ensure they are truly inclusive? In this session, we’ll discuss why moving toward inclusive library collections is a crucial step in advancing equity and justice at our institutions. You’ll learn from an expert how to assess your collections as they are now, and hear what considerations to make when ordering and weeding. We’ll also touch on how to address some of the challenges to materials in your collection and how to advocate for underrepresented voices that must be included. |
Week 1 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET Conducting a Diversity Audit of Your Collections and Ordering: Where to Start In this session, we’ll discuss the process of conducting a diversity audit of both your collections and your ordering. You’ll learn how to plan a diversity audit, which salient data points should be included, how to gather the requisite information, and how to set goals to address gaps. We’ll discuss the step-by-step process for establishing your diversity audit and how to make diversity and inclusion natural and ongoing parts of collection management and promotion. |
Week 2 From Margin to Center: A Collection Development Deep Dive Not all representation is good representation, and in this series of enlightening sessions, you’ll learn how to identify the harmful and amplify the affirming. You will hear from several experts in the field about the ways that specific identities are portrayed in mainstream media, their traditions misunderstood or misrepresented, and their stories appropriated by cultural outsiders. You’ll learn how to spot problematic stereotypes and tropes and how to avoid perpetuating such depictions. You’ll walk away with the tools you need - and a trove of resources - to build a more inclusive and affirming collection at your library or institution and become an advocate for storytelling that moves beyond representation and towards real inclusion. Session 1 | 2:00-2:25 pm ET | Black Stories in Library Collections Session 2 | 2:25-2:50 pm ET | Stories in Library Collections Session 3 | 3:00-3:25 pm ET | Queer Stories in Library Collections Session 4 | 3:25-3:50 pm ET | Native American Stories in Library Collections Session 5 | 3:55-4:20 pm ET | Disability Stories in Library Collections |
Week 3 Session 1 | 2:00-2:45 pm ET Assessing and Revising Your Collection Management Policies to Protect Your Collections and Yourself As you create more inclusive collections, it’s critical to assess your current collections policies so that you are equipped to handle both informal and formal book challenges and have conversations with patrons that promote your inclusive and affirming materials. Having clear procedures, protocols, and messaging in place can provide a strong foundation for collection development work as well as protect frontline staff. Assessing your policies and procedures and how they are communicated with your community is a key piece of your advocacy work. |
Week 3 Session 2 | 3:00-3:45 pm ET Stronger Together: Building Community, Coalitions, and Allies Defending intellectual freedom can’t be the job of just one person. This session will teach you how to find allies inside and outside of your library or school, build coalitions, and work as a community to combat censorship challenges. You will leave with shared resources and tools for how to connect with others to drive change in your community. |
Week 3 Session 3 | 3:45-4:15 pm ET Sustaining Collection Assessment Momentum Collection assessment work is never done, and in this session, we’ll discuss what is required to build and sustain momentum for this iterative process. You’ll come away with tools and strategies for assessing and understanding the impact of your initial auditing approach, as well as considerations for expanding and refining for the future. |
Our courses are perfect for your team! Group rates available now! Request a discount for groups of 3 or more and work with your colleagues on a project for your library. Purchase 15 or more registrations and apply them across multiple courses. |
Introducing course credit packages! Buy now, decide later. Plan your library’s professional development for the year by purchasing course credits. Starting at $5,000, purchase packages of course tickets that you can allocate to your staff as needed and apply to our full roster of courses. Contact us to plan your group purchase. |
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