Supporting Biracial Students through an Equity Lens: Multicultural Literature and Advocacy in School Libraries

Biracial students make up a substantial allocation of the school population, and their demographics are only expected to increase within the coming years. With this emergence of a larger Biracial community, schools need to consider how they will implement equitable resources and practices to meet the needs for this unique population. School librarians, serving as instructional leaders, can provide the necessary materials and strategies to support their students who are Biracial in order to foster positive racial identity. The purpose of this study is to explore school librarians’ perspectives on the influence of multicultural literature on students’ acceptance and understanding of diversity and their role in advocacy efforts as part of their professional responsibilities. This qualitative investigation examined the responses of four librarians through semi-structured interviews. The key findings support the idea that librarians need to expand their students’ interactions with diverse populations to include meaningful, authentic learning experiences. Additionally, a second fundamental finding is for school librarians to expand their multicultural literature collection regarding the portrayal of Biracial characters and their experiences. To address the findings, the study concludes with recommendations for school librarians that can assist in overcoming racial and cultural barriers so that the school environment becomes a welcoming, accepting place that honors the diversity of Biracial students and that of their peers