For whom is my library’s collection?

Among our readings this week, Kerby (2019) states that a library needs to know the population that it serves. Whatever its type, this is for whom my library will build its collection.

At the school where I work, among the student population, 62.9 percent are white (U.S. News & World Report, 2021). The school’s minority enrollment is 37.1 percent, which encompasses Hispanic/Latino at 25.0 percent, two or more races at 7.8 percent, Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander at 2.5 percent, Black or African American at 1.5 percent, and American Indian or Alaska Native at 0.3 percent (ibid).

Economically disadvantaged students make up 38 percent of the school’s enrollment. The student population is 55 percent female students and 44 percent male students (ibid).

Statewide, students of Hispanic / Latino background, ages 20 and younger, are the largest ethnic group in California — having outnumbered whites for the first time in 2014 (EducationTrust-West, 2017, p. 3).

Along with acknowledging racial / cultural and economic differences, I am interested in library service to students with disabilities, as well as to students who identify as LGBTQIA+.

Petek (2019) tells us that “In 2017-18, 12.5 percent of California public school students received special education — an increase from 10.8 percent in the early 2000s,” while the Williams Institute (2017) relates that, at the time of its study, 10 percent of students in California’s public middle and high schools identified as LGBTQ.

Both of these populations are frequently targets of bullying (National Bullying Prevention Center, n.d.; GLSEN, 2021). My ideal library setting will be a place of refuge where everyone is welcomed and respected.

References:

EducationTrust-West. (2017). The majority report. https://west.edtrust.org/resource/the-majority-report/

Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. (2021). 2019 State snapshot: School climate for LGBTQ students in California. https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/California-Snapshot-2019.pdf

Kerby, M. (2019). An introduction to collection development for school librarians (2nd ed.) American Association of School Librarians.

National Bullying Prevention Center. (n.d.) Students with disabilities and bullying: Five important facts. PACER Center. https://www.pacer.org/bullying/info/students-with-disabilities/

Petek, G. (2019). Overview of special education in California. Legislative Analyst’s Office. https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2019/4110/overview-spec-ed-110619.pdf

U.S. News & World Report. (2021). Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. U.S. News & World Report K-12 directory. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/california/santa-rosa-charter-school-for-the-arts-233796

Williams Institute. (2017). LGBTQ youth in California’s public schools. UCLA School of Law. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/lgbtq-youth-ca-public-schools/


Author’s note: This post is the second of four that were originally one longer essay. I have broken it up into four separate pieces for the convenience of readers.

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Book selection in my ideal library

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Library collection reflects diversity of people and ideas