Collection development is too often a neglected area of library work. And with more titles for the 0-18 market than ever before being published it can feel impossible for librarians to keep up. This session will introduce librarians to hot new titles from a variety of genres that appeal to a wide swath of readers. Read-alikes, booktalks, and program ideas will all be presented, giving attendees the tools they need to add new, high interest, high quality titles to their collections and programs.
Further this session's focus on titles by marginalized authors from diverse backgrounds will expose librarians to new titles that can more accurately reflect the changing demographics of their communities while also ensuring their collections are up to date and of interest to a many different readers looking for the best and hottest titles being published. There will also be titles from small and independent presses included.
The session will also include collection development tools, tips for evaluating and reviewing material, and a discussion of why including diverse titles is important, along with practical advice on how to do this work.