50 diverse books

The core of a library rests with the collection. We know that the books that inhabit our library space are the tests that will deliver on all the promises that literature holds. The books will allow us to understand more about the world, and ourselves. The same books will allow us to see things from perspectives we might have never had, to talk and discuss with others whom we can learn and grow from. The collection allows us to dream, to imagine, to enter worlds without going far. A library resides in its collection and so, we felt it was important to share a slice of our diverse collection with you.

Why diverse?

We recognize and accept that we are a diverse nation of people, languages, culture, colors, ethnicities, experiences, and so on, but we tend to forget that collections must reflect this diversity. A diverse collection enables every reader to find a text that will affirm, question, or resonate. A diverse collection is a necessary condition for a library.

Where do we begin?

This was a very hard challenge because diversity is complex and a reflection of that diversity is compounded by a word and page limit.
So as a first attempt, we have begun with a thematic approach to a diverse collection. We selected 9 themes that we know from experience, resonate
with readers in the library and in discussion.

What do the thematic lists do?

The thematic organization and the texts, in particular, are part of a growing awareness and knowledge we have around collections. We recognize that this is a slice of the larger thematic listing, but each of the books listed has been a significant part of our work on the ground and has been used by us in read aloud, book talks, book discussion and dialogue prompts. We stand by these texts and we hope in doing so that it provides you with a starting list to diversify your collection.

Link to download the resource here.

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