BLACK BRITISH parents are urging their local libraries to stock more black books to ensure their shelves are representative of multicultural Britain. 

According to one poll, 38% black people were more likely to have visited a library between 2019 and 2020 in comparison to 30% their white counterparts. 

Despite these figures, many black parents say their local libraries are failing to have books that reflect the communities they serve. 

Speaking to The Voice, Maame Prempeh, from Shropshire in the West Midlands, said: “Black book covers tell a story, when we see the display we feel included in the fabric of that environment.

“If there are no black books in libraries it feeds into our sense of invisibility – that we have in the education system.” 

The mother of two believes black books should be available in all local libraries nationwide and not just during Black History Month. 

She said: “Diversity isn’t just for black and brown children, it is for white children too, especially if we want to combat racism and discrimination.”

Ms Prempeh knows first-hand the power local libraries have. 

She grew up in Kennington, south London, and when she was just 13 years old, she sadly lost her mother. 

As a teenager, she spent a vast amount of time at the Brandon Library, which she said “saved” her and helped to “cultivate” her identity. 

She recalls the library having a “minority section” which led to her falling in love with black literature. 

“That library and those books saved me because my mum had died and I was a young woman lost,” she added. 

Ms Prempeh is of Ghanaian heritage and works as a Multicultural Educational Consultant and helps schools to embrace diversity by providing cultural resources. 

She told The Voice, she set up her business after her six-year-old son experienced racism at school last year. 

She said: “It was so traumatic I had to do something, books were not enough.

“I was broken as a mother because I had invested so much time into my child but I couldn’t stop him telling me ‘mummy I want my skin to be lighter’.”

Ms Prempeh said by working closely with the school, she has seen positive changes in her son and the attitudes of other children. 

She regularly takes her son to meet black authors, which she says has empowered her son – who is an avid reader and dreams of becoming an astronaut. 

She added: “If we give them black books, then they are able to dream.” 

There are 3,667 public libraries (including mobile libraries) in the UK, with 7.3 million active borrowers. 

Borrowing items such as books, newspapers, music, CDs, DVDs or audiobooks, is the most popular reason why people use the library, according to official data. 

But the lack of diversity on the shelves in libraries may be a reflection of wider problems within the UK publishing industry. 

In 2020, the Black Writers’ Guild, wrote an open letter condemning the industry for “raising awareness of racial inequality without significantly addressing their own”.

Three years earlier, research published by the Book Trust reported that only six per cent of children’s authors published in the UK were from an ethnic minority background. 

A minor improvement from four per cent in 2007. 

These figures suggest finding black books may not just be a problem for UK libraries but also on the high street. 

Most libraries source their stock from about six main wholesalers, which is causing problems, according to one long-standing black London-based library worker – who spoke to The Voice, anonymously.

Stephanie Clarke (not her real name) has ten years’ experience working in public libraries across East London. 

She revealed that distribution companies who supply libraries “may not have the stock” to ensure black titles make it to the shelves. 

She said: “Unless the main suppliers diversify their stock, their range will always have this problem.”

Ms Clarke wants libraries to add black bookstores to their supply chain to combat the issue and also cited austerity cuts and lack of dedicated staff as part of the problem. 

She added: “If there isn’t anyone there at grassroot level to advocate for diverse books then it doesn’t get filtered through.”

Ms Clarke is keen to see change and stressed: “The library service doesn’t belong to the staff it belongs to the people. 

“I do believe in the ‘power of the patron’. Library users must demand black books through writing to the library service, their local councillors and MPs, schools and school governors can also put pressure on the local library to ensure stock is representative of the UK population.” 

Claire Quansah, told The Voice, she regularly visits her local library in Sale, Trafford, with her two children aged seven and 14, but believes more can be done. 

She said: “My library has a selection of books by black authors for both adults and children but I definitely think there could always be more, maybe by showcasing lesser known authors and titles.” 

Ms Quansah applauded the creative displays during Black History Month at her local library and said she was pleased “they haven’t just focused on promoting books focused on black pain, but include positive stories too.” 

But like Ms Prempeh, she would like to see a celebration of black writers “throughout the year”.

Ms Quansah works as the Head of Business Development for a communications agency and believes “something as simple as seeing black lead characters from a young age can have a positive impact on children.” 

She says the problem isn’t just with books but with the events held in libraries too.

She said with story time workshops, she would more likely hear a “story about animals than one with black children as protagonists.” 

With the growing cost of living crisis, and black parents relying on their local libraries to have access to books more than ever before – it is time for our library shelves to reflect the culturally diverse population that makes up modern Britain.