Hannah Richardson

Longwood University SLIB 510

Collection Development for All
1. One special population my library collection would need to support is English Language
Learners, or ELL students. Naturally, I would make sure to select fiction across various
genres in the first languages spoken by ELLs in the school. I would also want to include
books in English that included characters from those cultures, both for ELL students and
to provide windows for students outside those cultures to gain a better understanding of
their peers. In terms of nonfiction, I would want bilingual dictionaries as well as books
about the countries and cultures my students were from. Ideally, I would want to make
sure ELLs had access to databases in multiple languages. For example, the Encyclopedia
Britannica, which many schools have access to, has several international versions along
with a program to assist families in learning English. As part of my library curriculum, I
would teach a lesson on translation options that are readily available to students through
the internet (such as Google’s translate this page option when using Google Chrome).
2. Another special population is LGBTQ+ students. To support these students, I would
make sure the collection included fiction with LGBT characters, both as main characters
and supporting characters. I would also want to select fiction that included LGBT
characters but without plotlines centering on only that aspect of the characters’ identities.
Of course, books in the health section would need to be factually accurate, but I would
also make sure to select books that did not leave out information pertaining to LGBT
needs.
3. To support students with disabilities, I would need to consider the collection and the
physical area of the library itself. First, I would want to select fiction that includes main
and supporting characters with disabilities, including fiction where the character’s
disability is not the only focus of their story. I would make sure there was nonfiction
available about specific disabilities students may face. In terms of the physical area of the
library, I would want a space designated as a quiet area, so students who may have
sensory difficulties would have a calm place in case of overstimulation. (A designated
quiet area of the library would likely benefit the majority of the student population, as
well.) I would also ensure that shelves were sufficiently far apart to accommodate a
wheelchair or crutches.

References
Mardis, M.A. (2016). Diversity and the Collection. In ​The Collection Program in Schools​ (6th
ed., pp. 239–258). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Our Brands. (n.d.) Retrieved April 1, 2019, from ​https://corporate.britannica.com/brands/