School libraries are founded on a philosophy of equal access to information, and are concerned about accessibility to all (Tewell, 2019). In the 21st century, technology provides an opportunity for accessing infinite learning materials. School libraries once responsible for housing and dispersing written materials, now meet new challenges of providing materials in various media and multimedia platforms Making materials accessible to diverse populations offers many challenges. Legal requirements for providing accessible materials vary, but exist in both the United States and Canada. Apart from the legal requirements, equitable access to information for diverse people is a matter of human rights and an issue of supporting diversity and social justice. To provide equitable access to materials for all, it is important for school libraries to provide both materials and environments that allow people to feel empowered to access informational and learning materials to include books, videos, screencasts, and interactive multimedia. In 2021 the University of North Texas received funding through an Institute of Museum and Library Services (#RE-250111-O) grant to determine how to provide school librarians with the critical knowledge set required to serve English language learners (ELLs) and their teachers. Products from this seminar include a website, white paper, and project toolkit. A goal of this presentation will be to consider the information obtained through this grant to determine if strategies and the needs identified can be implemented with other diverse populations.

Authors:
Tandra Tyler-Wood, University of North Texas, United States
Daniella Smith, University of North Texas, United States
Xian Zhang, University of North Texas, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Tandra Tyler-Wood is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at University of North Texas, United States

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