Pride week is when we celebrate our rainbow staff and students, increasing a sense of belonging. This week, the Library proudly launched its permanent Out on the Shelves collection, which is proving popular with our young readers. For more about Out on the Shelves, read on...

Information taken from the Out on the Shelves website:

Why Out on the Shelves is important

Acquiring and promoting rainbow books for young people is part of building an inclusive collection and culture.

Ensuring we offer a diverse selection of age-appropriate books about different topics, regions, cultures, histories, peoples and experiences helps to normalise difference and increase social tolerance among young people.

Out on the Shelves features books for all age ranges. Rainbow content is not inherently any more “mature” or “adult” than non-rainbow content, and research shows that many rainbow young people are aware of their identities from a very young age. Young people seeing themselves represented in literature is an important part of healthy, mirroring development. We know that experiences of erasure, rejection, bullying and discrimination contribute to the high rates of emotional distress and suicide among rainbow youth in Aotearoa. Having access to age-appropriate, affirming representations of rainbow identities across various intersections of gender, sexuality, race and culture can help reduce feelings of isolation, depression and minority stress in our rainbow rangatahi. 

Positive representation has been shown to reduce bullying and contribute to rainbow young people having healthier, more respectful friendships and relationships. By visibly participating in Out on the Shelves, our library can actively demonstrate to rainbow communities that we are a safe, inclusive place and that rainbow people are valued and reflected in the collection.

Calling all storytellers! The Rainbow Storytelling competition is open! Click here for more.