Conducting a Diversity Audit: Who is Represented in Your Classroom Library?

Abstract

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the importance of and the steps to undertaking a classroom library diversity audit. It begins by situating the importance of the classroom library in children's development because literature can reflect and expand worldviews. Next, statistics of U.S. children's literature publishing and U.S. classroom populations are provided to contextualize the need for a diverse classroom library. The article then covers the four steps a teacher needs to take to complete a classroom library audit ‐ visualizing, completing the inventory, reflecting on findings, and developing next‐step plans. It concludes with a call to action for teachers to consider their responsibility as curators of diversity.