Exploring Similarity, Embracing Difference: How to Evaluate and Identify Literature Portraying Individuals with Disabilities

Gaining empathy for characters with disabilities in different cultural settings can help readers become better global citizens by increasing their understanding of disability-related challenges worldwide. Yet, discussions on diversifying collections tend to focus on race/ethnicity, and do not always include this aspect of diversity. A novelist, librarian and educator will team up to present suggestions on ways to create a welcoming library environment for readers with disabilities; evaluating the authenticity of books with characters with disabilities; building up collections that include books featuring characters with disabilities; going beyond tropes. So the presenters will discuss:

a. Creating a welcoming library environment for individuals with disabilities
b. Some evaluation criteria for authenticity (tropes and going beyond them, etc.)
c. Suggestions on criteria to include (or think about) when building and expanding collections (intersectionality, international perspectives, graphic novels, verse novels, etc.)
d. Examples of several suggested books and resources and lists.

The session will end by presenting a list of resources that attendees can draw from in the future.

ALSC is offering this webinar free of charge. During the webinar presentation, due to platform capacity, only the first 100 attendees to log in will be able to access the free webinar. However, all registrants will receive a direct link to the webinar archive post-webinar.

How to Register

Click here to register for this webinar.