Bates College grant will help with children’s lit diversity

LEWISTON, Maine – The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services is giving Bates College nearly $250,000 to expand programs for racial representation in children’s literature.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King say the money will support Bates’ ability to grow the Diverse Book Finder, which is a repository for children’s books. It will also help the college develop its capabilities to identify racial representation gaps in children’s library collections.

The senators say the Diverse Book Finder is designed to improve libraries’ efforts to become more intercultural and help children succeed in a diverse world. It’s an online resource designed to be accessible to librarians, teachers, parents and students.

The senators say the grant will also help fund training opportunities for librarians in Maine through the Maine State Library.