Every Student is Unique; Our World is Filled with Variety

When school librarians consider diversity, they have many perspectives. A diverse group of students will walk into the library – variations in age, interests, color, ability, family background, and so many more. Every student is unique even if they are identical twins. Students want to see themselves reflected in as many of those different ways as possible; being seen supports strong literacy and enthusiasm for learning.

The librarian is building a collection to honor that range of needs and interests, as well as to reflect the school curriculum and related teacher enthusiasms. And we still haven’t considered the multiple formats that can access information and stories: traditional print (aka prose), graphic novel formats, audio books, content videos, ebooks, internet websites, subscription databases and software tools, and more developing as I write. Not to mention the crossover combinations of these many options. AI is coming on the scene and requires new levels of critical thinking and information literacy.

Schools without school librarians are missing a huge resource. The training that leads to a school library certificate introduces them to tools that enable purchase and management of age-appropriate resources that answer the interests and needs of the variety of students while supporting their academic growth and success.
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Schools with trained library staff, certified librarians or teachers with some of that training, can offer students diverse resources, by the many faceted definition above, that will  encourage all students to enjoy learning and reading. These students will know they have a librarian to help them find what they need today, and the different things they need tomorrow.