The American Library Association affirms that equity, diversity, and inclusion are central to the promotion and practice of intellectual freedom. Libraries are essential to democracy and self-government, to personal development and social progress, and to every individual’s inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To that end, libraries and library workers should embrace equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything that they do.
—American Library Association, opens a new window
What does diversity mean to you?
Book & Library Resources
We Need Diverse Books, opens a new window
The We Need Diverse Books movement started at the grassroots level with children’s book lovers and has grown into a worldwide movement that advocates for changes in the publishing industry. The site has great resources and suggestions for how to diversify your reading.
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, opens a new window
The Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature recognizes individual work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage. Prizes are awarded annually for Adult Fiction and Nonfiction, Youth Literature, Children's Literature and Picture Books. This is a great resource for those looking to expand their knowledge and support Asian American and Pacific Islander authors.
Rich in Color, opens a new window
Rich in Color is an excellent site to check for literature reviews promoting young adult fiction starring or written by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Their Goodreads account, opens a new window is another great spot to check for upcoming books and more reviews.
Latinxs in Kidlit, opens a new window
Looking for positive representation of the Latinx community? Latinxs in Kidlit is devoted to reviewing books by, for, and about the Latinx experience and promoting literacy in the Latinx community.
American Indians in Children's Literature, opens a new window
This site provides critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books. The primary contributors to the site, Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza, work to identify positive representation and offer alternatives to misrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in books.
YA Pride advocates for affirming LGBT+ literature. Their Masterlist resource is particularly useful.
Schneider Family Book Awards (disability experience), opens a new window
The Schneider Family Book Awards are granted by the American Library Association, opens a new window for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. Awards are granted for teen, middle grade and picture books. In recent years, the award has broadened to include literature addressing mental health.
Community Resources
Colorado Talking Book Library, opens a new window
The Colorado Talking Book Library offers free services to people of all ages who cannot read standard print. Patrons can check out large print books, audiobooks, braille texts and eBooks. If you have questions about how to apply, ask a librarian.
Denver Regional Council of Governments, opens a new window
The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) has a Network of Care that lists resources in the community for people of all abilities. From caregiver resources to home repair information, DRCOG is a great place to start if you need assistance. The website also features interactive health tools and fact sheets that can help you address various health questions.
Colorado Center for the Blind, opens a new window
Colorado Center for the Blind is known for their independence training in which blind adults enroll in an immersive program to build skills and the confidence to live independently. A similar, less intensive program exists for older adults who are low-vision or blind. Children can enroll in programs to get mentoring, build skills that can help them in school or have fun with other children.
Brain Injury Alliance Colorado, opens a new window
Both children and adults can take advantage of recreational programs and support groups through Brain Injury Alliance Colorado. They also provides access to medical information, information for medical professionals treating brain injuries and access to crisis services.
Hearing Loss Association of America, opens a new window
The Denver chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America has meetings once a month where attendees can hear from professionals and meet others in the community.
Disability Law Colorado, opens a new window
Disability Law Colorado can provide free or low-cost legal services to older adults and people with disabilities who experience discrimination at home or at work or are experiencing other violations of their civil rights. Their website also has legal fact sheets.
For more local resources, check out the list of Community Resources on our website.
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