A survey conducted at University of Wisconsin shows while the number of diverse characters and stories in children’s books increased from 2013-2o14, the overall number of books with diverse content has fallen since 2001.

The survey conducted by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center indicated an increase of 93 to 179 in published books about African-Americans from 2013 and 2014. A similar trend was observed in books about Asian Americans and Pacific Americans as well as American Indian and Latino characters.

The CCBC survey results demonstrate a slight uptick in the number of diverse books published in 2013-2014 in comparison to previous years, Shelley Diaz, senior editor of reviews for the School Library Journal, said. The amount is still dismal if the large racially diverse population present in the United States is taken into account, she said.

“When you compare it to the actual population of children in the U.S., it’s a huge glaring gap,” Diaz said. “We’ve got a lot to do.”

The increase may be by chance, but could represent a new and better trend in the number of books being published with diverse content, Merri Lindgren, a librarian with the CCBC, said.

Diversity in books is essential because the children who are reading such books need to be able to see themselves and others in the books they read, Diaz said.

Diverse books help not only the kids whose race is represented, but also kids of other races, Lindgren said.

“Children deserve books that reflect their world and the world around them,” Lindgren said. “So when books don’t show the right racial and cultural diversity that we have in this country, then they’re not really reflective of the real world and that does all kids a disservice.”

Despite the lack of books with diverse content, Diaz has hope for progress. There has been an increase in the attention given to this topic among publishers, educators, librarians and the general community, she said.

However, the overall number of books with diverse content has decreased since 2001, according to the survey. 2001 saw 201 books published with African-American characters while 2014 saw 179.

The lack of investment on the part of gatekeepers, such as parents and peers, could contribute to the inconsistent numbers, Diaz said.

There might be a reluctance to buy and share diverse books among the public, Lindgren said.

“If people say ‘Well I’m not going to buy these books for our home, or our school or our public library because they don’t reflect our community or we don’t think anybody will check them out,’ these books will never have a chance to happen,” Lindgren said.

Professionals such as educators and librarians need to be aware of diverse books and make a point to include them, Lindgren said. They should not be read only because they are diverse but because they are good books in general, she said.

More diverse editors, salespeople, marketers and professionals in the publishing world need to be recruited to help alleviate the lack of books with diverse content, Diaz said. Efforts have to be continuous to have the needed permanent impact, she said.

“My hope is that diversity is not just a buzzword that is going to last just a year or two and go away for the next 10 to 15 years,” Diaz said. “It’s a permanent change.”