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On Tue, 1 Nov 1994, Jean Liming wrote:
[Standard terminology]
> is what makes it possible for them to transfer their research skills from
> one collection to another.  The rest of the world is not going to change
> with you.  I've dealt with this for a long time with teachers who want me
> to call EASY something different so that their students won't be
> insulted.

I agree that standard terminology and formats are important ways to help
us help our students become library and information literate.  However,
other values may also be at work.  Sometimes, when enough people struggle
with the same issue, the rest of the world does change.  The key is to be
very selective in using non-standard terminology.  I believe "Easy" is
not only insulting, it is inaccurate.  Many picture books are written at
an intermediate or even 7th or 8th grade reading level.  What ties the
books in that section together is that they have pictures.  Therefore I
decided to use "P" instead of "E" for the call number.  I make sure to
tell the students what labels they might find in other libraries,
although those aren't as standard as we might believe.  Up to now I have
been making new labels for all the picture books I order from Follett.
Evidently enough librarians have made the same decision so Follett now
offers "P" as one of their options for picture books!

Sister Penny Cunningham  pscunnin@mailbox,syr.edu
St. Mary-Basha Catholic School
Chandler, Arizona

A National Blue Ribbon School
Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence


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