The Whole Collection Approach: The Art of Operationalizing Equity

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Is your public, academic or school library in the midst of a diversity audit?  Does it feel like it is taking forever?  Do you wish you had a way to start making some noticeable changes right now even though the audit is still underway?  Come spend an hour with Betsy and Tiah as we explore the four pronged action plan called “The Whole Collection Approach.”

Participants will:

• Learn the four components of the Whole Collection Approach
• Learn strategies to operationalize equity in their materials selection/deselection process
• Have time to brainstorm ideas with other attendees to meet the needs of their communities within the whole collection approach

Betsy is the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library, and formerly the Youth Materials Specialist of New York Public Library. In addition to her work as head of her library’s internal EDI committee and spearheading EPL’s Collection Advisory Group of Black Evanston Residents, she is the author of six books, reviews for Kirkus, hosts two podcasts, and runs the School Library Journal children’s literature blog A Fuse #8 Production.

Tiah Frankish, Library Services Coordinator for Adams 12 Five Star Schools, entered her 25th year in education this last fall.  She has worked as a classroom teacher, a middle school librarian and now serves her district as an advocate and mentor for resources, programming and best instructional practice in school libraries.  When not at work, she is serving as the President of the Colorado Association of Libraries Executive Board and is very involved with legislative and advocacy work for her colleagues all over Colorado.  She is proudest of her family and will brag on both of her children and husband whenever the opportunity arises.