The Children's Diversity and Justice Library is a free community lending library providing books and programs featuring people with identities and / or from communities that are under-published and under-represented in literature.
Rooted in values of equity and compassion and hosted by the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (TVUUC) in Knoxville, Tennessee, the CDJL empowers young people to celebrate diversity and seek justice in their lives and communities.
This all volunteer run library is organized around 14 primary diversity elements:
African and African American, Asian Asian-American and Pacific Islander, Bodies and Abilities, Cultures and Traditions, Diversity, Families, Gender, Latinx, Justice, LGBTQIA, Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples, Refugees and Immigrants, Religion, Women and Girls.
Each book in our collection is color-coded (on the spine) to reflect one or more of these 14 primary categories. Within these categories, books are also tagged and searchable in our online catalogue for a wide range of additional characteristics including specific cultures, ethnicities and nationalities, family constellations, story theme, justice topic, age of intended reader (board book through adult), and many additional elements you may be interested in.
The library is available in Room H of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919. All programming is free and open to the public. Patron accounts (library cards) are available to anyone upon request. A one-time suggested donation of $15 is requested when creating a patron account. *please see “Borrow A Book” to learn how to use the library.