The Colorado Department of Education

Offices | Staff Contacts | Colorado.gov

Library Services to Diverse and <br> Special Populations

Updates and News

Library Diversity Ning
for Colorado libraries interested in advancing equality in service to all, sharing ideas about diversity programming

Discuss diversity issues with your colleagues at our Ning. You can add your profile, join affinity groups (like Community Conversations), comment on forum discussions, share ideas and learn about grant opportunities and resources.

What's a Ning?

Ning is an online service designed to help you create, customize, and share a social network with a like-minded group, similar to sites like Facebook. You can join other Ning groups or subscribe to updates via RSS.

Diverse and special populations comprise a substantial percentage of the state's population. Colorado's libraries support equal access for all residents as set forth in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association, Freedom to Read Statement, and related principles.

The Colorado State Library and its Special Populations & Issues Committee lead a variety of statewide programs and projects to encourage quality library service to ethnic minority populations, persons with physical and mental disabilities, seniors, the under-served, and other groups. The Committee undertakes activities and provides information to assist local libraries and their communities.

This page is designed to be a starting place. Our resources and links will help you begin or continue searching for useful and practical information. Please dip in over and over.

  • Find out more about the valuable work of the committee and explore committee information and resources. We are an active advisory committee seeking ways for libraries to better serve diverse and underserved populations. See our long range plan and find scholarship information as well as committee documents. Community responsiveness and service to diverse, special, or underserved populations should be a part of the vision and plan for every library. Innovate, experiment and reach out to become vibrant community centers.
  • Explore a wealth of diversity resources gathered to help you plan and deliver your own service to various populations in your communities. Resources have been organized into categories that can be used as an outline for planning, or you can dive into any topic that interests you.
  • Improve service to diverse populations by sharing your own success stories or sampling advice from others at Colorado's Promising Practices. Toot your horn and brag a little about the innovative ways you have served your own community. It's EASY! Find out what's in it for you!
  • Enhance cultural awareness by using our Diversity Toolkit of downloadable bookmarks, bibliographies and cultural information for use with patrons of all ages.

If you find broken links or for further information please contact
Jean Heilig, 303-866-6731 or heilig_j@cde.state.co.us 

Colorado State Library     
This project was funded by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant.