By Jet Burnham | [email protected]
The selection of Spanish books used to be tucked away in the back corner of the library media center at Joel P. Jensen Middle School. They are now the first display students see when they enter.
“We have such a large Spanish-speaking population,” said school librarian Ash Thompson. “I think those kids feel a lot more seen. The circulation for that section has gone up quite a bit, about a 560% increase.”
Jose Farias, a language arts/reading teacher at JPJ, said the school library emphasizes diversity, with sections dedicated to LGBTQ stories, Black authors and other underrepresented minority groups.
“This has impacted student attitudes because it shows how representation truly matters, especially in reading,” he said. “They feel validated in their experiences through the material they are given to consume. They are proud to see themselves…
