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Press Release: Baker and Taylor [July 6, 2021]

Baker & Taylor to unveil Diversity Analysis tool

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 6, 2021 — Baker & Taylor, the world's largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment, announced today it will offer an analysis solution for libraries to help them discover, manage, and report on diversity-related topics. Backed by collectionHQ's powerful technology, Baker & Taylor's Diversity Analysis will offer insight and identify opportunities by analyzing a library's collection against industry-accepted diversity subjects.

The comprehensive tool will be available beginning later this month for Baker & Taylor customers as part of their collectionHQ subscription, and for purchase by non-subscribers as a one-time, obligation-free consultation. collectionHQ from Baker & Taylor innovates the way public libraries select, manage, and promote their collections, as well as provides guidance on what action to take to improve performance.

Specifically, Diversity Analysis is the first step toward:

  • Analyzing a library's fiction and non-fiction collections against industry-accepted diversity topics;
  • Monitoring the supply of diverse content to identify gaps at a system-wide and branch level;
  • Evaluating representation of diverse populations in both print and digital collections;
  • Effectively communicating diversity in a library's collection to stakeholders in its community; and
  • Suggesting future development lists using a data-driven approach.

"Healthy communities need access to inclusive library collections where people can find material that lets them see a reflection of themselves, offer a window to the world around them, and celebrate the differences that drive cultural, economic and social innovation," said Amandeep Kochar, executive vice president and general manager of Baker & Taylor. "Yet creating and managing a collection that encompasses the wealth of human experiences can be complex and time consuming, which was our inspiration behind creating Diversity Analysis."

Once implemented, Kochar explained the tool will help libraries make diverse, equitable, and inclusive purchasing decisions and provide alignment with administrative goals and the needs of the community. Further, it can be utilized for either a one-time analysis or to manage a collection over time.

Baker & Taylor has scheduled a webinar to provide an exclusive preview of Diversity Analysis at 3 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 14. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3juYHcI; participants can listen live or access the recorded version after it is completed.

For more information about Baker & Taylor's Diversity Analysis, visit collectionhq.com/diversity-analysis.

About Baker & Taylor

Baker & Taylor, a business unit of education content and technology provider Follett Corporation, offers the most extensive selection of products and services for public libraries, and is the only vendor that can truly offer a one-stop shopping experience for all formats, including print, movies and music, and digital downloadable ebooks and audio content. Visit Baker & Taylor's online selection and acquisitions website, Title Source 360.

About Follett Corporation

Follett Corporation is the world's largest single source of books, entertainment products, digital content and multi-media for libraries, schools, and retailers. Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, Follett provides education technology, services, and physical and digital content to millions of students at 70,000 schools and more than 2,850 physical and virtual campus stores in North America. Through Baker & Taylor, Follett's reach also extends to the public library and global retail markets.


Summary: Baker & Taylor, the world's largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment, announced it will offer an analysis solution for libraries to help them discover, manage, and report on diversity-related topics. Backed by collectionHQ's powerful technology, Baker & Taylor's Diversity Analysis will offer insight and identify opportunities by analyzing a library's collection against industry-accepted diversity subjects.
Publication Year:2021
Type of Material:Press Release
LanguageEnglish
Date Issued:July 6, 2021
Publisher:Baker and Taylor
Company: Baker and Taylor
Permalink: https://librarytechnology.org/pr/26468/baker-and-taylor-to-unveil-diversity-analysis-tool

DocumentID: 26468 views: 316 Created: 2021-07-06 13:15:56 Last Modified: 2024-09-28 15:51:45.