Trust Kirkus Collections to find diverse books that meet modern standards of sensitivity and respect as well as high expectations for literary merit.
About Kirkus Collections:
Kirkus’ diversity collections go beyond grouping by race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or dis/ability to consider the desired reading “experience.” This consideration of outcome—categorized as learning, cultural identification, or inclusion—is integral to the effectiveness of Kirkus Collections’ recommendations, as it addresses the demand for contextual information around diversity content. For example, is the reader looking for a book to learn about a historical event or tradition (outcome: learning); is she trying to find a coming-of-age story with a main character who experiences similar social and family dynamics (outcome: identification); or does she want a rollicking science-fiction book with a hero who looks like her (outcome: inclusion)? Using Kirkus Collections, her librarian can help her find all three!
Communities need diverse and inclusive library collections that let patrons find material in which they see a reflection of themselves. Yet, curating and managing a collection that encompasses such vast human experience can be time consuming and challenging.
Baker & Taylor’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Analysis can help. This powerful tool analyzes your collection's Fiction and Non-Fiction titles, identifying gaps and suggesting titles.
DEI Analysis supports you by:
By ensuring all populations are represented in a collection, libraries not only support their communities, they help celebrate the differences that drive economic and social innovation.
What are the DEI Topics & Subtopics and what do they mean?
| DEI Topic | Description | Sample Data Points (BISAC and LCSH) |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | Includes cultural, ethnic, and regional topics related to Asian people and Pacific Islanders | FICTION / Asian American JUVENILE NONFICTION / People & Places / Asia
Chinese American; Short stories, Japanese |
| Asian & Pacific Islander - Central Asian | Includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan/Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan | Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan |
| Asian & Pacific Islander - East Asian | Includes China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan | FICTION / World Literature / China / General POETRY / Asian / Japanese
Chinese Japanese literature |
| Asian & Pacific Islander -South Asian | Includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | ART / Asian / Indian & South Asian FICTION / World Literature / India / General
Bengali (South Asian people) South Asia |
| Asian & Pacific Islander -Southeast Asian | Includes Brunei, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam | FICTION / World Literature / Southeast Asia HISTORY / Asia / Southeast Asia
Brunei Vietnamese |
| Asian & Pacific Islander - Pacific Islander | Includes Polynesia (including Hawaii, Samoa), Micronesia (including Guam, Pohnpei), Melanesia (including Fiji, Papua New Guinea) | Fiji Papua New Guinea |
| Black | Includes cultural, ethnic, and regional topics related to Black people | HISTORY / African American & Black YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Historical / Africa
African American; Black Lives Matter movement |
| Disabilities & Neurodiversity | Includes topics such as physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders | BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / People with Disabilities FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Autism Spectrum Disorders
People with visual disabilities; Down syndrome |
| Equity & Social Issues | Includes topics such as civil and human rights, anti-racism, physical and sexual abuse, homelessness and poverty, immigration, and social activism | JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism SOCIAL SCIENCE / Poverty & Homelessness YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Social Activism & Volunteering
Civil rights; Sexism; Social justice |
| Hispanic & Latino | Includes cultural, ethnic, and regional topics related to Hispanic & Latino people | FICTION / Hispanic & Latino JUVENILE NONFICTION / History / Central & South America
Children’s poetry, Latin American; Hispanic American |
| Indigenous | Includes topics related to Indigenous Peoples, including Native Americans/First Nations | HISTORY / Indigenous Peoples of the Americas JUVENILE FICTION / People & Places / Canada / Indigenous YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / People & Places / United States / Native American
Cherokee Indians; Tlicho First Nation |
| Sexuality & Gender | Includes topics related to sexuality and gender, including LGBTQIA+ | FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Transgender SELF-HELP / Gender & Sexuality JUVENILE FICTION / LGBTQ+
Bisexuality; Gay parent families; Queer theory |
| Sexuality & Gender - Bisexual | Includes topics related to bisexual people | FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Bisexual SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / Bisexual Studies
Bisexual men Bisexual women |
| Sexuality & Gender - Gay | Includes topics related to gay people | FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Gay SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / Gay Studies
Gay culture Gay rights |
| Sexuality & Gender - Lesbian | Includes topics related to lesbians | FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Lesbian SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / Lesbian Studies
Lesbian activists Minority lesbians |
| Sexuality & Gender - Transgender | Includes topics related to transgender people | FICTION / LGBTQ+ / Transgender SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBTQ+ Studies / Transgender Studies
Gender transition Transgenderism |
| Mental & Emotional Health | Includes topics such as mental illness, anxiety, mindfulness, grief, and compulsive behaviors | BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Mindfulness & Meditation YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Social Topics / Eating Disorders & Body Image
Anxiety in youth; Mental health services |
| Middle Eastern & North African | Includes cultural, ethnic, and regional topics related to Arab & Middle Eastern people | FICTION / World Literature / Middle East / Egypt & North Africa JUVENILE FICTION / People & Places / United States / Middle Eastern & Arab American
Cooking, Middle Eastern; Arab American |
| Multicultural | Includes multiracial as well as broad multicultural topics | FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Multiracial Families YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Diversity & Multicultural
Interracial dating; Multiculturalism |
| Religion | Primarily includes under-represented religions and religious identities including (but not limited to), Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist etc. | JUVENILE NONFICTION / Religion / Eastern FICTION / Muslim RELIGION / Judaism / General YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Religion / Islam
Buddhist; Islamic stories; Jewish refugees; Muslim women; Sikhs |
| Religion - Agnostic & Atheist | Includes topics related to Agnostics, Atheists, Agnosticism, or Atheism | RELIGION / Atheism YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Religion / Agnosticism & Atheism |
| Religion - Buddhist | Includes topics related to Buddhists or Buddhism | RELIGION / Buddhism / General YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Religion / Buddhism
Buddhism Enlightenment (Buddhism) |
| Religion - Hindu | Includes topics related to Hindus or Hinduism | RELIGION / Hinduism / General JUVENILE NONFICTION / Religion / Hinduism
Ganesha (Hindu deity) Hinduism |
| Religion - Jewish | Includes topics related to Jews or Judaism | HISTORY / Jewish JUVENILE FICTION / Holidays & Celebrations / Hanukkah
Jewish Judaism |
| Religion - Muslim | Includes topics related to Muslims or Islam | HISTORY / Islamic RELIGION / Islam / General
Muslims Ramadan |
| Substance Abuse & Addictions | Includes topics such as opioid abuse, gambling addiction, and alcoholism | SELF-HELP / Substance Abuse & Addictions / Drugs
Alcoholism; Opioid abuse; Social media addiction |
See how DEI Analysis can help you.
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