Book Talks, Author Presentations, and Readings in CLERC

Finalized September 25, 2019

Book talks, story times and author presentations in the Children's Literature & Equity Resource Center (CLERC) will deeply interpret and reflect the CLERC mission. Books chosen for CLERC events will present stories and topics that will support and promote inclusion and will expand cultural understanding and learning. Identities and voices within children's books chosen for CLERC events will reflect authentic, culturally respectful, accurate and current representations of race, ethnicity, gender, class, age, ability, religion, place, immigration status, and LGBTQ identities.

While CLERC recognizes that important voices and messages in children's and young adult literature exist outside the typical publishing and review process (see "Where Do We Stand? Libraries and Self-Published Authors"), positive and descriptive professional reviews (ie. from Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus Book Reviews , School Library Journal, Hornbook Guide, Learning for Justice, etc.) are helpful in determining the quality and impact of a particular work. Books chosen for CLERC events will present quality storytelling, illustrations and publishing production values and will preferably be supported by positive reviews in professional review resources.

Overall, CLERC events will be chosen on the basis of the ability to support equity-focused children's literature—with additional consideration given to storylines and themes that may not be readily available or promoted in mainstream library or classroom collections. The primary audience CLERC events will be the COCC ECE and Education community and educators and ECE professionals throughout the Central Oregon region. CLERC events will support COCC courses and programs in education and ECE.

All proposals for CLERC events will be reviewed and approved by Barber Library leadership.

Responsibility for marketing and promotion of CLERC events will be planned and shared amongst partners organizing events and will utilize COCC's Marketing and Public Relations department as appropriate. Events will be promoted via Barber Library's webpages as well as other promotion vehicles.

Concerns about CLERC events will be routed to the Barber Library Director, Tina Hovekamp, and then to the CLERC advisory committee and/or Barber Library's Collection Development and Acquisitions Librarian, Cat Finney.