Diversifying Classroom Libraries
Donation protected
Our Project:
Hi all! Priscilla and Emily here. We are Library and Information Science grad students at the University of Washington’s iSchool. For our Capstone, our final project before we graduate, we have partnered with Luther Burbank Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. They have an amazing school librarian who is currently serving over 800 students in grades PreK to 8, most of whom are from low-income households. Unfortunately, the Pre-K to 3rd graders do not currently have scheduled visits to the library due to a lack of time and resources.
We want to build these students a Rotating Classroom Library which will hold 100 diverse picture books and chapter books. This Rotating Classroom Library will be a mobile library that will move between the classrooms. Our hope is that the PreK - 3 students who do not have library time will benefit and enjoy having access to high quality books that are engaging and will expand their reading habits. The goal is that the books will act as windows, mirrors, and doors, ensuring that all the children can see themselves and the experiences of others in what they read. (A concept developed by Rudine Sims Bishop in 1991) What does diversity mean here? We will be selecting books with protagonists and experiences that feature underrepresented ethnicities, disabilities, cultural or religious backgrounds, gender nonconformity, or LGBTQIA+ orientations. Read more about mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors here .
In order to successfully build this unique collection, we need your help! We are asking for donations, large or small, up to $2,000. This ask includes the cost for the purchase of books and the carts to be used to move the books from room to room. In 2019 the average hardcover price of a children’s book was approximately $18. With your help and funding, we will be able to put 100 amazing books into the hands of these deserving kids. If we don’t meet our funding goal, our plan B is to provide just one rotating classroom library of 50 diverse, high quality titles. As we develop this exciting collection we will share those titles out with you all.
A little bit more about our team:
Both Priscilla and Emily have their eyes set on future goals in Children’s Librarianship. This project holds near and dear to our hearts as representation is of the utmost importance for all children. Books communicate identity and belonging and we believe diverse books have the power to help children imagine a better future.
Emily lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is in her third year of online studies. She is the Book Acquisitions Coordinator at a K-12 literacy curriculum company.
Priscilla currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska and is in her third year of online studies. She is a Youth Services Specialist with a local library branch in Omaha.
Hi all! Priscilla and Emily here. We are Library and Information Science grad students at the University of Washington’s iSchool. For our Capstone, our final project before we graduate, we have partnered with Luther Burbank Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. They have an amazing school librarian who is currently serving over 800 students in grades PreK to 8, most of whom are from low-income households. Unfortunately, the Pre-K to 3rd graders do not currently have scheduled visits to the library due to a lack of time and resources.
We want to build these students a Rotating Classroom Library which will hold 100 diverse picture books and chapter books. This Rotating Classroom Library will be a mobile library that will move between the classrooms. Our hope is that the PreK - 3 students who do not have library time will benefit and enjoy having access to high quality books that are engaging and will expand their reading habits. The goal is that the books will act as windows, mirrors, and doors, ensuring that all the children can see themselves and the experiences of others in what they read. (A concept developed by Rudine Sims Bishop in 1991) What does diversity mean here? We will be selecting books with protagonists and experiences that feature underrepresented ethnicities, disabilities, cultural or religious backgrounds, gender nonconformity, or LGBTQIA+ orientations. Read more about mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors here .
In order to successfully build this unique collection, we need your help! We are asking for donations, large or small, up to $2,000. This ask includes the cost for the purchase of books and the carts to be used to move the books from room to room. In 2019 the average hardcover price of a children’s book was approximately $18. With your help and funding, we will be able to put 100 amazing books into the hands of these deserving kids. If we don’t meet our funding goal, our plan B is to provide just one rotating classroom library of 50 diverse, high quality titles. As we develop this exciting collection we will share those titles out with you all.
A little bit more about our team:
Both Priscilla and Emily have their eyes set on future goals in Children’s Librarianship. This project holds near and dear to our hearts as representation is of the utmost importance for all children. Books communicate identity and belonging and we believe diverse books have the power to help children imagine a better future.
Emily lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is in her third year of online studies. She is the Book Acquisitions Coordinator at a K-12 literacy curriculum company.Priscilla currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska and is in her third year of online studies. She is a Youth Services Specialist with a local library branch in Omaha.Fundraising team (2)
Priscilla Spencer
Organizer
Omaha, NE
Emily Griffin
Team member
