old (!) encyclopedias

[Steve Vander Ark <vderark@BCCS.ORG>]

*sigh*

This is really just a chance to vent, I guess. But if anyone has some
brilliant insights into ways of dealing with this problem, by all means
email me...

I just took an inventory of encyclopedia sets in classrooms and I have been
encouraged by some responses. Most of our elementary classrooms have 1988
editions of World Book, which is painfully out of date. But the teachers are
glad to hear that we're going to work on replacing them. So far so good.

But then...I have a couple of teachers who have sets as old as 1969 in their
rooms that they refuse to give up. I am flabergasted. They have some sort of
twisted idea that any facts are better than no facts at all, whether or not
they're actually, well, TRUE. They state that things haven't changed so much
in things like ancient Egypt or pond life, so what's the harm. I have
pointed out that things have changed a lot in EVERY part of life since 1969
and that kids don't have the ability to filter out the junk, not even the
obvious junk. I have pointed out that archeology and biology are NOT dead
fields of study but vibrant and exciting and brimming with new discoveries
all the time. Doesn't matter. These people are so enamored with these
ancient tomes that they refuse to see logic or common sense. I hate to make
enemies, but I just might sneak into their classrooms late at night and
steal these pathetic excuses for reference books.

Trouble is, I can't afford to replace all these old sets they have collected
in their rooms, so they point out that they need all those books to have
enough to go around. I guess our online Groleir and our three sets of World
Book in the library aren't enough for them.

Hey, I love books. I wouldn't be in this job if I didn't. I like OLD books.
I collect them. I personally have a set of 1898 Encyclopedia Britannica
which is very interesting to read. But I wouldn't let kids near them except
as museum pieces.

Okay, I'm calmer now. I'll go beg for money from the Parent Club to see if
they'll spring for a few sets of World Book. I can get 1998 editions for
only $250 a set, so there is hope.

But ARGH!

*sigh*

Steve Vander Ark
Library Media Specialist
Byron Center Christian School
Byron Center, Michigan

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