Collaborating to create a better collection at UMD

This summer, the the Minnesota Library Association's Academic and Research Libraries Division (ARLD) awarded Kayleen Jones (University of Minnesota Duluth) the 2024 Minnesota Academic Innovators Award for her work in creating the Antiracist Literary Advisory Board (A-LAB) with UMD Education faculty Suki Mozenter, Ariri Onchwari, and Insoon Han. As a result of the project, UMD's Children's Literature Collection more accurately reflects the wide array of voices and perspectives found in the UMD community. Jones partnered with UMD Education faculty to recruit students for A-LAB. The group then went on to critically review 308 books in the Children's Literature Collection. The process allowed the students to identify and remove outdated or problematic titles and to add 53 higher-quality books.

The project's impacts extend beyond the collection itself. By actively involving students in collection management, Jones fostered a sense of ownership and trust. "This was a chance to really connect with students," she reflects. "To become somebody the students can trust and come to with questions." BIPOC students, in particular, played a crucial role in identifying the need for children's books that go beyond simple biography or stories that focus on oppression. A-LAB empowered them to suggest titles that reflect their own experiences and provide positive representations for young readers.

Jones deserves the credit she has received for the project's achievements, but she is quick to point out the importance of collaboration with university faculty library staff, and students. The student participants really stepped up in the collection review. After that phase was done, they led initiatives, like an indoor picnic and a lobby book display, to raise awareness of the improvements they made in the collection. "Having collaborators is really key," Jones says, "and one partnership often leads to more partnerships. That's great for the library."

Jones' collaborative approach offers a model for other libraries to follow as they strive to create more representative and welcoming collections for their patrons. Libraries can best meet the needs of their communities and empower future generations of readers by involving them in collection management. As for A-LAB, its work continues. Jones plans to continue her work with students and to forge new partnerships with faculty. "I want to involve students in ways that benefit them as well as the work of the library," she says. "That’s the dream."