More books embracing Non-Christian culture have been published in the last few years. We look to highlight various middle grade, teen and adult books that have been written about Jewish and Muslim characters, and how these characters' lives are reflected within their religious and secular worlds.  

WeAsian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) comprise 11% of NJ’s population and are fast-growing, yet it is a vastly under-served community. Author Marina Budhos will highlight a reader’s theater program at local schools. Amber Reed (AAPI Montclair) and Ariel Zeitlin (Montclair Public Library) will discuss their collaborations, and the vital role of the library. These are inspiring models for NJ libraries and organizations seeking to create greater visibility, inclusion and belonging for the AAPI community and beyond.

Library staff have the potential to hand patrons books that better make them understand themselves, their fellow community members, and the world. Knowing what books exist is the first step to getting them in patrons’ hands. Come to learn from six youth services professionals about diverse nonfiction books and books featuring transgender characters, characters with mental and physical disabilities, gender non-conforming kids, and U.S. American Indians and Alaskan Natives characters.

Building inclusive world language collections to reflect your community means meeting unique challenges. Learn how to identify the diverse ethnic, cultural or linguistic groups in your service area, and how to catalog, process, display, and promote world language collections to increase visibility to patrons. Gain advice and tips from those who’ve built collections at small to large libraries, and take home a resource listing vendors and sources for World Language materials.

Experience a week with the New Jersey State Library Talking Book & Braille Center. Discover the unique ways TBBC provides reader’s advisory, circulation, collection development, outreach, and programming to those with low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials. Learn about the diverse range of services and resources available, including success stories from TBBC’s efforts to break down barriers to ensure that all may read.