My first thought on seeing this title was to ask why would you write a book on this topic? Surely this content would be better covered by a blog or online post. Surely the content of the book would be out of date by the time it got to publication. In addition, US content would have limited relevance to Australian collections. Well, I was wongHow wrong could I be?
This book is not just a reminder to libraries to purchase diverse content. It is also not just a list of suggested purchases. It is a full discussion of the role of librarians in making sure that their collections reflect the totality of the communities they service.
This book is timely as the discussion about LGBTQAI+ communities in light of the same sex marriage debate has encouraged communities to rethink the way that some relationships or identities have been excluded from books, films and TV shows. Exclusion is a form of censorship and can lead to people who identify as other than the cultural norm to feel that they have no place in their own communities, all because they do not see themselves reflected in positive ways. It also has the added effect of enabling others to marginalise these minorities by not considering them.
This book begins with a history of Children’s and Young Adult LGBTQAI+ literature. It looks at seminal books representing key identities which assists in selecting appropriate literature for specific patrons.
Most powerful is the discussion on dealing with objections. Library policy manuals usually have a broad ‘challenged materials’ policy, but this book breaks down the key objections and encourages librarians to support human rights and to meet the objectors head on. At the same time, it encourages librarians to look at their own collections to see what is missing. Who are we not representing and thereby marginalising in our collection development decisions?
My fear that the content would be out of date was wrong. The books mentioned cover historical representations, picture book and Young Adult literature. Most of the books I recognise and am happy to say that I have read many and have them in my collection. Whilst most of the books represented are from the USA, this reflects the book’s perceived audience. It is not a detraction by any means as so much young adult publishing comes from there anyway. It is the principles and the identity flags as part of the discussion which make the content universal. It is good to know that our own publishing industry and our own authors are writing diverse characters, and not just as the sidekick. We need to make sure we include these in our collections.
An added bonus is the comprehensive bibliography which points to the greater discussion of the topic. There is an appendix of additional resources which includes everything from organisations to articles and books which deal with LGBTQAI+ representations in literature for youth.
The authors remind us that teenage years can be a turbulent time. Seeking answers to identity questions is not something that is merely Google-able. The final chapter reminds us that being inclusive is ‘about human rights’. There is a great deal to consider and plenty to reconsider in this book. It is a valuable reference for anyone developing collections for young people.