2020 Conference Sessions
Diverse Books in Online Resources for Storytimes
Start Date
4-18-2020 5:00 PM
Description
Much attention has recently been cast on the necessity of diverse books and the dearth of diversity within children’s book publishing. Storytimes are common and beloved programming at many public libraries, and they serve as an opportunity to showcase diverse books that encompass the varied backgrounds, identities, and experiences of families in communities served by public libraries. Yet, a recent investigation pointed to a lack of diversity in books shared in public library storytimes. Because many librarians use online storytime resource sites for storytime planning purposes, we analyzed six online storytime resource sites to determine the extent to which they incorporate diverse books. For each site, we randomly selected 20% of the themes, and then for each of the 484 books associated with those 124 themes, we collected metadata from MARC records as well as information about the author and illustrator. Additionally, we conducted a content analysis with an eye toward diversity. Results revealed an overall lack of diversity in books recommended for use in storytime. These findings have implications for the informal professional development of children’s librarians as storytime providers.
Diverse Books in Online Resources for Storytimes
Much attention has recently been cast on the necessity of diverse books and the dearth of diversity within children’s book publishing. Storytimes are common and beloved programming at many public libraries, and they serve as an opportunity to showcase diverse books that encompass the varied backgrounds, identities, and experiences of families in communities served by public libraries. Yet, a recent investigation pointed to a lack of diversity in books shared in public library storytimes. Because many librarians use online storytime resource sites for storytime planning purposes, we analyzed six online storytime resource sites to determine the extent to which they incorporate diverse books. For each site, we randomly selected 20% of the themes, and then for each of the 484 books associated with those 124 themes, we collected metadata from MARC records as well as information about the author and illustrator. Additionally, we conducted a content analysis with an eye toward diversity. Results revealed an overall lack of diversity in books recommended for use in storytime. These findings have implications for the informal professional development of children’s librarians as storytime providers.
