We are excited to announce Hear Diversity, a new online resource to help expand your collections by offering more diverse titles and materials to meet the needs of all your patrons. Audiobooks allow listeners to hear new voices and stories, and encourages them to relate to someone else’s experience in an authentic way. When children from different backgrounds hear themselves reflected in literature, they learn that everyone’s story—including their own—is worth sharing.
For author and narrator interviews, title suggestions, and materials to help diversify your collection. We will be updating this site with new content from authors and narrators frequently.
As part of our campaign, we worked with librarian Thom Barthelmess to highlight the critical role audiobooks play in our commitment to diverse literature:
“Audiobooks enhance diverse stories with authentic and resonant interpretations of culturally specific language and dialogue. Just as young people need to see themselves in the stories they consume, they need to hear themselves as well.”
— Thom Barthelmess, Librarian
Visit www.HearDiversity.com to listen to an exclusive interview between librarian Thom Barthelmess and author Jason Reynolds, winner of the 2015 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent for WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST.
Jason Reynolds discusses the importance of hearing diverse stories:
Request a FREE CD sampler with an interview between Jason Reynolds and Thom Barthelmess, and clips from a number of diverse titles.
