Weighed and Measured: Making Way for a Diverse Children’s Collection in a Research University Library during a Reorganization

Abstract

In 2021, librarians at Colorado State University Libraries seized the opportunity to serve the university community’s educational and personal needs through the creation of a sub-collection of children’s books. Through the curation of awards and notable book lists for children’s books, the collection was born out of a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice principles. After a review of the literature, this article outlines how the authors identified award-winning and notable titles to launch the collection, saved the collection in the middle of a reorganization, assessed the diversity of the new collection, and ensured the collection’s continual development as a vital resource for the university community moving forward. This article provides a starting point for academic librarians looking to ground a new or existing children’s collection in diversity and inclusion principles, even when lacking devoted personnel, extensive monetary support, or building space for the collection.