Opening Eyes Can Open Doors
We are grounded in a responsibility to expand access to information for people throughout the world, promoting informed communities and educated citizens.
We are grounded in a responsibility to expand access to information for people throughout the world, promoting informed communities and educated citizens.
We are grounded in a responsibility to expand access to information for people throughout the world, promoting informed communities and educated citizens.
Developed by School of Information and Library Science (SILS) faculty members Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Brian Sturm, the Steinfirst Artist-in-Residency program brings nationally renowned authors and illustrators to school libraries in North Carolina to give students an opportunity for in-depth study. Keeping diversity in mind, we connect students with artists who share similar cultural experiences, allowing students to see themselves. Throughout the week- long workshop, students discover the power and importance of their own voices, developing new passions and perspectives on creativity. For students to get the most out of their school libraries, they first need to feel like they belong in those libraries. Unfortunately, that is not the reality for many youth of color. School librarians often want to make spaces more welcoming and instruction more meaningful for diverse populations, but aren’t sure where to start. Project READY (Reimagining Equity and Access for Diverse Youth), led by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and post-doctoral research associate Casey Rawson (MSLS ’11, PhD ’16), is developing a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that will help school librarians, teachers and literacy coaches become more culturally competent educators, so they can better serve students from diverse backgrounds. The curriculum is being piloted in North Carolina schools and will eventually be available nationwide as an online workshop.