Diverse Voices Collection

The Diverse Voices in Health & Medicine Collections project was borne of the Collection Equity Award funding opportunity offered by the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 5, which serves the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, and Hawaii along with the U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States in the Pacific. The Diverse Voices in Health & Medicine Collections toolkits capture relevant bibliographic information for more than 1,900 unique resources purchased by Collection Equity Award recipients. Each state in NNLM Region 5 is represented, as are myriad genres and formats. The Collection Equity Award supports collection development that reflect the voices of the communities served, as revealed through such genres as graphic medicine, fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, manuscripts (published and unpublished), oral histories, and film. Expanding diverse voices in collection development by libraries (all types), public health agencies, academic programs, or community organizations enhances collection equity and supports health literacy by illuminating health issues facing underserved populations.