Have you ever wanted to create a culturally diverse library either for yourself, for your students, or for your children, but you’re just not sure where to start? It’s important and exciting to broaden your repertoire of books so that you can have a wide variety to draw sources and experiences from. Having a culturally diverse library early for our students and our children also helps them to recognize early on in life that we are all different, and our differences in backgrounds and experiences is what makes us stronger.
So, starting from step one, the first thing to do is examine your current book-stack — what books do you already have?
1. Review books you have. We use and reuse familiar books. For example, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle has been on kindergarten curriculums for over half a century. If you want to create a culturally diverse library for your students or home, critically review the books you already have for cultural and racial stereotypes. Take several deep breaths because this means you might have to get rid of some books. I’m not going to waste time making a list of which books to get rid of and which to keep because the principle is simple, a culturally rich library has books that recognize and respect differences.
2. Discover new books. This is my favorite part, and here are a few ways I discover culturally diverse books.
Recommends. I start with a Google search or ask someone if they’ve read anything lately. People love giving suggestions, from Babylist to Opera.
Bestseller lists. You can follow mainstream bestseller lists, the New York Times Cultural Best Sellers List, or intentionally find culturally diverse bestseller lists. Such as the African American Literature Book Club bestseller list.
Book awards. Discover specific ones like the American Indian Library Association, international like the Nobel, or long-standing awards such as the Caldecott.
Authors. Learn about diverse authors. Yuyi Morales, illustrator and author, has excellent Latin American children’s books. Sia Figiel advocates literacy in New Zealand while publishing rich novels and poems.
Publishers. Follow a mix of big publishers like Scholastic and small publishers such as Kaya.
Join the conversation. There are countless book clubs on Goodreads, Facebook, or your local library. If you are serious enough about creating a culturally diverse library to have read halfway through this article, choose a group you can join to learn more.
3. Add books with depth.Your culturally rich library does not have shelf space for superficial representation. I simplified Schein’s Culture Triangle and included book ideas to get started:
Artifacts: the top layer, the highest point of the triangle, includes all the things you experience with your five senses: cultural food, celebrations, legends, and holidays. These books focus on describing “what.” What food? Clothing? Events?
Espoused values: the middle layer of the triangle are things you think. These books answer Why? Why did fashion emerge? Why celebrate Hanukkah? Why geography matters?
Basic underlying assumptions: the base layer of the triangle, what all the other elements of culture are stacked on, is defining “normal.” This layer is things you believe and feel. Books like this should flood your library shelves: any boy can imagine, girls can be smart, and everyone can be creative. It includes what was, is, and could be.
Joy Marie Curtis, eLuma CX Operations Coordinator, Master in Education with an emphasis in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, B.S. Early Childhood Education with a minor in International Relationships, experience teaching kindergarten on the Navajo Nation reservation and in rural Utah at a title I school.