Lawrence Public Library, pictured Aug. 20, 2015.

Visitors to this week’s Storytime programming at the Lawrence Public Library will be treated to a special lineup of works by African-American authors and illustrators — just in time for Black History Month.

At the library, “we always strive to have diverse stories,” says Karen Allen, the library’s youth services coordinator. “I think to be sensitive to Black History Month, we wanted to make sure we focused on that.”

Selections for this week’s Storytime programming, slated for Sunday through Friday at the library, include “Please, Baby, Please” by Spike Lee, Barack Obama’s “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters,” and Barbara Brenner’s “Wagon Wheels,” the story of an African-American pioneer family hoping to put down roots in the predominantly black settlement of Nicodemus, Kan. The historical children’s novel wasn’t penned by an African-American author but does feature black protagonists — a rarity, Allen says, in the world of kids’ literature.

Only a fraction of children’s books feature characters of color, according to a 2012 study from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center. More specifically, the study found that out of a survey of 3,600 books for kids, only 3.3 percent were about African Americans. In recent years, there’s been a groundswell of support toward diversifying the voices represented in children’s literature, notably with the launch of the “We Need Diverse Books” campaign in 2014.

The Lawrence Public Library is onboard. Last month, Allen’s colleagues organized a “We Need Diverse Books” book drive with the goal of creating a collection at the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. One “byproduct” of this week’s Storytime lineup of black authors and illustrators is the hope that young readers of all backgrounds might see themselves better represented in the stories they see and hear at the library.

“I think that is important for everyone — to see themselves represented in the books they’re reading, so that they’re not just exposed to one frame of mind or one culture as they’re growing up,” Allen says.

This week’s celebration of African-American authors and illustrators begins with Sunday’s Storytime, slated for 3:30 p.m. at the library, 707 Vermont St. For a full schedule of Storytime events, check out www.lawrence.lib.ks.us.

Other Black History Month-specific programming includes Thursday’s “Inspiring African Americans,” from 2 to 3 p.m. The free event will include talks from community leaders on black historical icons such as Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver and Langston Hughes, as well as contemporary figures such as Rep. John Lewis and Oprah Winfrey.