Reading in Color

What does it mean to “Read in Color”? Your first thought may be about comics and their colorful illustrations but it’s more about the characters and stories.

Most books up to this point in history contain majority perspectives and characters i.e. straight and white; but that has been changing. In a 2024 analysis of books written for kids and teens by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 51% of the titles received contained significant representation, primary or secondary characters, or content about/by BIPOC, LGBT+, or disabled people.

This growth in representation expands access to stories about characters who look like us and learn more about those who don’t. While there may be more books available on the shelf with a variety of representation, it doesn’t matter if they aren’t accessible to the people who want or need them.

One way that Del Norte County Library District is helping to provide access to these books is through the Read in Color program with Little Free Library. You may have noticed around the county, bright pink and purply Little Free Libraries with Read in Color emblazoned on them.

We were selected as part of the 2026 cohort to bring more diverse books to book desert communities like Del Norte. Being a part of this cohort has allowed us to install 10 new Little Free Libraries across the county and fill them with books for our community to enjoy.

Stop by and check one out when you see one. You may just find your next great read!

Join us October 1 - October 31 in a Little Free Library Community Scavenger Hunt for prizes!