The Road to Diversity: Action Steps and Learning Steps

“If we want to be skillful in helping other people, especially children, become willing, avid, and—most important of all—thoughtful readers, we need to know how to create a reading environment that enables them” (Chambers 1996, 1).

The business of enabling readers is a thread that ties together the numerous tasks and roles of the school librarian, from selecting books to teaching inquiry lessons to setting up a display. More than ever, it seems school librarians recognize that this work must reflect inclusivity and diversity of students, families, and community.

Infusing diversity into library resources, services, and instruction is an immediate priority. The children cannot wait for us while we make plans to meet up with a vendor at a conference, work our way through award-winning book lists, or organize RSS feeds of best blogs—despite the importance of such strides. There is a just-in-time element in play here: getting requested books into kids’ hands now, and maybe more critically, making accessible those titles that students don’t yet know about, but may find informative, meaningful, or otherwise engaging.

Despite the need for this to happen today, the clear caveat is that dedication to diversity is a long-term development process for librarians as educators, information specialists, and people in the world. There are myriad facets to grasp in knowing your school community, understanding the landscape of publishing, evaluating materials, and inquiring into stories (current and historical) of cultures both familiar and new. And don’t forget the preparation and activity of “using” books with students and teachers, whether that may be for individual recommendations or class projects. This whole picture is a powerful example of lifelong learning, and a process that is never really finished—not after a successful readers advisory exchange, an actively browsed table of books, or a dynamic book club dialogue.

Acknowledging that timeliness and complexity are probably competing circumstances for most of us, I propose a twofold—and hopefully attainable and positive—approach to building your knowledge and skills in this area: Action Steps and Learning Steps.

Action Steps

One of my favorite questions to reflect on in a professional development experience is, “what strategy will you use ‘tomorrow?’” To answer, we must identify an accessible strand of a more involved or challenging implementation of a skill or idea. As you read this issue’s articles about diverse books in school library programs or encounter this topic in professional conversation, latch on to something immediately applicable. Merge what you already know with fresh inspiration to take an Action Step.

Learning Steps

Another popular question to conclude an instructional segment is, “what do you want to learn more about?” Responding is a useful exercise in self-assessment. We make note of gaps, and if (when!) we follow through, we build on our learning in targeted ways. This act of digging deeper is the Learning Step. After taking time to participate, read, or reflect (even if there is more to uncover), circle back periodically, and turn the Learning Steps into Action.

Naturally, there are aspects of building this knowledge and applying it in real life that won’t fit neatly into either category. There are still key tasks like planning conference meetings or vendor visits to your school. Curating a list of blogs discussing diverse books would be helpful, and making lists of books to order via interlibrary loan is fun, not to mention productive. The point is to aim for balance within this vital piece of your professional self and your school library program. Go for Action Steps and Learning Steps. Attempt smaller moments and big projects. Consider local and global angles. Try individual pursuits and efforts in concert with colleagues. You likely do this already with reading; different formats, topics, purposes, and continuous learning shape your expertise and confidence. Diversity can become as tightly woven as literacy in the school library. After all, isn’t it already, in the faces and hearts of our students?

Works Cited

Chambers, Aidan. The Reading Environment: How Adults Help Children Enjoy Books. Stenhouse Publishers, 1996.