My senior year research thesis to complete my Educational Studies major. 

Project: Access to Gender‐Inclusive Children’s Picture Books in Public Libraries
Researcher: Katie Cerulle ’22 (Educational Studies Senior Thesis Project)
Partners: Hartford Public Library & West Hartford Public Library, faculty sponsor Professor Dan Douglas

Purpose & Research Questions

• To assess how gender is represented (in roles, personality traits, appearance) in children’s picture books and early readers in public libraries.
• To explore how public libraries perceive gendered content in their collections and how they respond to findings.
• To identify actionable steps libraries can take to improve access to gender‐inclusive literature.

Methodology

• Sampled 10 books (5 picture books, 5 early readers) randomly from each of the two libraries, using random shelf and book selection.
• Analyzed how female characters were portrayed along three dimensions: roles (active vs. stereotypical), personality traits, and appearances.
• Created a comparative table of gender-inclusive titles, cataloging which libraries own which books and how many copies. Used this to recommend additions where needed.

Key Findings

• Female characters often had stereotypical personality traits and appearances (e.g. dresses, stereotypically “female” clothing).
• While some progress is evident in the variety of roles female characters take on, appearance and personality remained strongly shaped by traditional gender norms. 
• West Hartford Public Library owned significantly fewer gender‐inclusive titles than Hartford Public Library. Many books in the recommended list were missing in West Hartford’s collection. 

Outcomes / Deliverables

• Collaborated with Hartford libraries to install permanent gender‐inclusive displays in multiple branches. 
• Created a pamphlet/virtual guide summarizing the research, showcasing book recommendations, photos, and locations of inclusive titles/shelves. 
• Allocated funds (via CLIC) to purchase books that would add significant improvements to representation in libraries.