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Our aim should be to make resources available without being judgemental, and by making our library more diverse we can ensure that it is a safe place.
INSIGHT
School Libraries Group
Celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion in the school library
S schools are paying more attention to equality, diversity and inclusion, it is worth reflecting on the role
of the school library and how we can ensure we are meeting the needs of the whole community. Each school has its own
demographic, but we should also be aware that diversity does not mean just race, ethnicity or culture; it also includes gender, sexual orientation, disability and neurodiversity. Some diversities are hidden; many students with dyslexia or ADHD are undiagnosed, and we probably do not know how many students identify as LGBTQ+, but celebrating diversity is about embracing everyone, and not just those who are seen as ‘different’. So why is this important? In her essay Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Doors, Dr Rudine Sims Bishop (1990) suggests that books are windows through which we can glimpse another world, but they can also be mirrors in which we can see ourselves reflected. Without ‘window books’ students may miss out on gaining empathy and understanding of the wider world; without ‘mirror books’ they may feel the library has nothing to offer them. As professional librarians we have a duty to promote equality and diversity, but we also have statutory responsibilities under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Equality Act 2010 to provide equal access and support to all students. So what practical steps can we
take? First, we can draw up a school community profile using the school’s context data, and use this to make sure that our library policies, such as collection development, take account of the needs of all students. In light of recent challenges to library activities
April-May 2022
and resources, it is also worth making sure we have a robust policy for dealing with complaints. Next, we can carry out a diversity audit. Do our collections and reading lists include books with minority ethnic characters, those with disabilities or neurodiverse people? Are they the main character? Are they dealt with positively? We should avoid falling into the trap of having all diverse books being about ‘issues’ and instead look for real and believable characters, in short ‘mirror books’ and ‘windows’. Remember that diversity is not limited to fiction, so we should work with teaching staff to broaden the curriculum reflecting the huge contribution made by minorities in all subjects.
Finally, we should carry out an equalities impact assessment. Is our library fully accessible? Do our signs and displays use fonts and colours that are clear for students with visual disabilities or special educational needs? Online resources, ebooks and audiobooks can make our collections more inclusive. Do our book events feature a diverse range of authors and illustrators? Do we showcase minority voices year-round, not just on occasions like Black History Month? We also need to balance the need of promoting our collections (such as mental health or LGBTQ+ resources) with users’ needs for discretion and privacy.
Our aim should be to make resources available without being judgemental, and by making our library more diverse we can ensure that it is a safe place, at the heart of the school, that includes all students. My thanks to Barbara Band who is such a source of knowledge and inspiration when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the school library. She has written the latest in CILIP SLG’s Key Issues series on this topic which
Nick Cavender (he/him) has been a school librarian for 15 years, having previously spent over a decade in the public library sector. He is librarian and extended projects coordinator at Rickmansworth School, Hertfordshire where he is a keen advocate of digital literacy skills. Nick is Vice Chair of the Schools Library Group and is working towards his CILIP Chartership.
is available from the CILIP website. CILIP SLG will also be holding a webinar on equality and diversity on Friday 24 June 2022. Further details will be made available. IP
Reference
Bishop, R. S. (1990) Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, Vol. 6. Summer pp 9-11. Available at:
https://scenicregional.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ Mirrors-Windows-and-Sliding-Glass-Doors.pdf
Further information
Pen&Inc is a twice yearly publication from CILIP focusing on diversity and inclusion in children’s books.
www.cilip.org.uk/page/penandinc
Everybody In offers advice to schools, libraries, writers and publishers.
www.everybodyin.co.uk
Diversity and Inclusion in the School Library by Barbara Band is the latest edition in CILIP SLG’s Key Issues series.
https://tinyurl.com/yc5jjhmj
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