Advancing Joy In Your Collection & Programming Using Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table (CSKBART) Winners & Honors

What do your patrons and students see and read on a continual basis? Are their identities and experiences reflected in the books within your library?

In this session, discover how you can audit your library, and develop an inclusive collection that will include Coretta Scott King Book Awards winners and honor titles. Ensure all your patrons can see multiple possibilities for themselves and others through the inclusion of culturally responsive books in your library!

Learning Outcomes:
Attendees will have immediate, applicable skills to organize and develop their collections to lead and affect change in their communities/libraries through introducing and honoring a variety of voices and experiences. Attendees will have actionable ideas, suggestions and book lists of award winners/honors to create engaging programming and collections. This webinar will also include three breakout room discussions from 3-3:30pm

Breakout Room 1: Analytics for Collection and Community Engagement In this breakout room discussion, participants will explore how to leverage data and community analytics to inform their library collections and programming. Attendees will learn how to use tools like Social Explorer to generate demographic snapshots and assess community needs. Public librarians will focus on using data like school performance indicators (e.g., NC School Report Cards) to identify gaps, especially in underrepresented populations. Participants should come prepared with knowledge of their own community demographics or have access to local data sources. This session will emphasize actionable strategies to bridge the gap between library collections and the needs of the community.

Breakout Room 2: Strategic Programming for Inclusive Engagement This breakout room discussion will guide participants through the steps of creating and sustaining culturally inclusive programming that integrates Coretta Scott King Book Awards winners and honors and other literary awards. From collaborating with community partners and PTAs to seeking funding sources and creating a calendar of events, attendees will leave with the tools to develop a culture of inclusivity within their libraries. Strategies will focus on starting small, with a few events, and gradually building engagement. Delandrus will also provide practical event planning resources, including timelines, budgets, and documentation, ensuring that participants have a clear understanding of how to organize successful, impactful events.

Breakout Room 3: Building a Core Collection This breakout room discussion focuses on developing an inclusive core collection that reflects a variety of voices, including Coretta Scott King Book Award titles and other literary award winners. Public librarians will explore the challenges of collection development amid North Carolina's population growth, including using collection development tools and navigating NC Cardinal. Academic librarians will explore how to integrate leisure reading collections and support pre-service teachers in lab schools and early colleges. Participants will analyze their existing collections, considering factors like the age of the collection, budget constraints, and reading levels. Attendees will leave with practical advice on building a core collection that represents their patrons.

Presenter: Delandrus Seales is the Teaching & Learning Librarian on the Academic, Research, & Engagement Team with Randall Library at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). Prior to joining the faculty at UNCW, Delandrus served as a school librarian with New Hanover County Schools, an Onslow County Public Library Branch Manager, and an Exceptional Children’s teacher (school and district levels) with Onslow County Schools and Department of Defense Schools at Camp Lejeune. She has 14 years in education at elementary and high school levels. Delandrus currently serves on the Executive Board for the American Library Association’s Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table. She enjoys exploring emerging trends in technology and inspiring all to make their mark in the world as connected digital learners.

This event is brought to you via the Professional Development Alliance of Library Consortia.