Do you work in a school or public library? Keen to understand how you can ensure your library collection and reading experience is as diverse and inclusive as possible?
Join Puffin, The National Literacy Trust, and Libraries Connected for a free webinar series, open to all library staff or teachers based in primary or secondary schools, public or community libraries across the UK.
Participating in these webinars will give you the opportunity to:
- Develop your professional skills
- Explore the barriers which might be preventing your library collection from being more diverse and representative
- Hear about upcoming new titles by writers of colour for all ages from a range of publishers, including independent publishers
- Learn how books can be used as a tool to start conversations with parents and young people about race and racism
- Be inspired to create a more inclusive reading experience for children and young people in a library setting, both at school and in the community
- Hear best practice examples directly from people making change on the ground
- Connect with other library staff and teachers from across the country, who are also passionate about this issue.
Our webinars
Across three webinars we will explore different topics and provide inspiration to help you ensure that the library collection and reading experience you provide is diverse and inclusive. We encourage you to attend all three wherever possible, but each can be joined as a standalone event.
Webinar one: Bringing Diversity to Your Library Collection
Watch webinar 1 on The Natural Literacy Trust website here.
Webinar two: Dealing with difficult texts and promoting anti-racism
30 March 2022 4.00pm to 5.15pm
Our second session will support teachers and library staff to further understand the different ways they can support readers when accessing problematic texts from their collections. Participants will explore a range of methods to promote anti-racism through a study of literature and contribute to a discussion about the role that schools and libraries can play in prompting meaningful conversations about race and prejudice.
Webinar three: Diversity Beyond the Bookshelf - Engaging library and school communities
25 May 2022 4.00pm to 5.15pm
The third and final webinar of the series will look at the wider role of schools and libraries in supporting diversity outside of their collections through community empowerment. You will explore a range of community engagement case studies and have opportunity to share your own ideas and experiences with the group.