Re: Ken Umbach's comments re: internet restriction

[AliceInfo <AliceInfo@AOL.COM>]

In a message dated 4/7/98 12:50:02 PM, Ken Umbach wrote:

>...  Librarians "artificially restrict" students' access to printed
>materials, videos, etc., right?  That is, I doubt very much that your
>library includes Penthouse, Hustler, the Weekly World News, etc., or the
>ravings of the KKK or American Nazi Party (or even religious tracts such as
>Watchtower and Awake), or would even if someone were to donate them.  For
>that matter, "weeding" is a big topic on this list, and what is weeding but
>a process of DEselection of material ALREADY in the collection (and
>sometimes deselecting (read: censoring) clearly for purposes of political
>correctness)?
>
>>Finally, the American Library Association puts it simply and very clearly:
>>"The American Library Association affirms that the use of filtering
>>software by libraries to block access to constitutionally protected speech
>>violates the Library Bill of Rights."  Couldn't say it better myself.
>
>And what do they say about the "filtering" activities of *librarians* in
>selecting materials to purchase, accept, and retain?  (And don't try to
>slide by with some line about limited budgets ... you COULD give up that
>extra copy of The Collected Works of Judy Blume in exchange for
>subscriptions to The National Enquirer and other supermarket tabloids if the
>collection is truly open to all constitutionally protected speech.)
>
>It seems to me that there is a major disconnect and much confusion in
>analysis of the librarian's (and library's) role in selecting (read:
>filtering) the collection in the age of the Internet.  It is not so simple
>as a recitation of bromides about "constititionally protected speech."

Ken:
While much of what you post to LM_NET is valid and even thought-provoking,
sometimes you forget that YOU work with adults all day long, in a workplace
where everyone (even the politicians) is usually assumed to be responsible,
thoughtful,  and even self-sufficient.
For many of us, that is NOT the case.
We work with kids; we are expected to serve in loco (very loco) parentis; and
we are often the only ones in the building with access to resources beyond our
classrooms.   We are also responsible and accountable to a  wide variety of
constituencies -- each with their own agendas -- for the materials we either
purchase or access.
We *select* with the needs of our communities and curriculums in mind.
We *weed* with the changing goals/objectives of our curriculums in hand.
We *supervise* with the realization that nobody's perfect, and everything
changes, and either way, we will still be considered the 'adult-in-charge'
when the #@$% hits the fan.
And all of that puts a very different spin on how we operate. . .  because we
are in schools, not government offices.

No, I don't approve of filters.  OTOH,  I do want to keep my job, so I
purchase carefully, weed judiciously, and patrol my library very actively. . .
and that's called practical professionalism.

Alice H. Yucht
Heritage Middle School
Livingston, NJ

AliceInfo@aol.com

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