LM_NET: Library Media Networking
This is the final part. Thanks again to all of you.
**When I was a new librarian many years ago, a wise
and gentle state librarian recommended to me that I
not place identification labels on any books with the
exception of the classification. He suggested that
readers might check labels and pass up books they'd
really like to read.
Over the years, I've reflected on what he had to say.
I think it applies to labels we attach to people as
well. Stereotypes are too easily adopted and seldom
discarded. I strongly agree with the previous library
supervisor whose place you have now taken. Keep the
stereotypes
(and the reading level labels) out of the system.
**I have been in two elementary libraries with AR and
I am currently in a 6th grade center with AR. My
books have always been color coded. The kids even 6th
graders really don't seem to mind. I've never heard
any bad remarks. It does make it so much easier for
the students. I can't imagine not having them coded
for elementary. The students don't know how to select
a book at their level. If the books are marked inside
the cover or on the back it is hard to get them to
take time to check for the correct level. Just my
experience.
**cODING THE BOOKS BY COLOR WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR
THE STUDENTS TO SELECT A BOOK AND FOR THE TEACHER TO
DETERMINE AT A GLANCE THAT THE STUDENT IS READING AT
HIS OR HER APPROPRIATE LEVEL, HOWEVER, THE OTHER
STUDENTS
WILL ALSO KNOW WHAT THE COLORS MEAN AND THIS WILL OPEN
THE LOWER READER UP FOR CRITICISM AND TEASING FROM HIS
OR HER PEERS. WITH SELF-ESTEEM BEING AN ISSUE IN
TODAY'S SCHOOLS, YOU MAY FIND THAT STUDENTS WILL
SIMPLY NOT BORROW BOOKS AND NOT TO AR IF THEY ARE
GOING
TO BE RIDICULED FOR DOING SO.
**I think the color coding idea is great, it makes it
easy for the kids to spot the books they need without
pulling every book off the shelf. I really don't
think kids are watching to see what color label each
student is getting. I think parents whose children
may be reading at a lower level may be more sensitive
to this but for the majority of the students it makes
library time more efficient. It seems that no matter
what you do, and not just in the library, some people
will not be happy or satisfied.
**Color coding is an invasion of privacy. I refuse to
color code on the outside of the book. We had and
will have again, the reading levels in our automation
system. I used past tense since I haven't been able
to update the reading levels in the system since ATOS
went into effect. If the children go to a public
library will they find the books color coded and
pulled into one location? Answer NO! If we are to
teach life skills,
locating a book they want is an excellent way to teach
use of catalog or OPAC.
I do have all my AR books with a yellow spine label to
indicate AR. Reading level or book level is indicated
on the pocket of book.
**Why not have a single color, but have reading levels
written on the label? That way, from a distance no one
is the wiser, but students browsing the shelves are
able to choose a book that is on their reading level.
I use
round yellow stickers to denote AR books and write the
reading level and the point value on each. Of course,
we don't have a huge amount of AR books, but this
system seems to work for us.
**In our school the library is not color code but the
class libraries are. The children aren't told the
grade level only the color that they can take books
in. No one makes fun of each other because no child
nor parent is told what grade level the color is and
the child is able to pick out the book that's best
suited for him.
**I'm with you, no color code. It just isn't a good
idea to label things you want kids to read. They are
very sensitive about not being able to read as well as
the next kid.
**When I moved to my school al the AR books were
labeled with one color labels, with no reading levels.
We took the time to write the RL on the flourescent
orange dot on the spine. If you didn't want to color
code you could do something like that.
**We use the same color--a neon red-orange--for AR
titles and shelve them with the rest of the
collection. The only division is that those titles
3.9 and below are in the elementary section of our
K-12 library room.
Each label has the grade/reading level on the front
and the points listed on the back.
**Since AR is based upon reading levels it is hard to
get red of the low level stigma all together....I do
it even differently. I put all AR Fiction books on
separate shelves. The reading level is on the spine
label and each level has its own set of shelves. We
to this so that students can find there reading level
quickly, select a book and check it out fast. It is a
little difficult to find specific titles this way,
but our goal is to get a book in every pair of hands.
One indication of our success may be that we are the
most improved middle school on the state test in our
very large district. LAUSD has 800,000 students. We
were the seventh most improved in the entire state.
**Linda, I am the Media Specialist at two Elem. K-5
schools. At one school we put one colored label on
the books with the reading level written on the label
(labor intensive). We will probably switch to just a
solid color label for all AR books and then the
students can look up the level on the computer or
search for levels on the computer. At the second
school where I work (it just opened this year), we
have the labels on the inside of the book with the
reading level and point value. I like this approach
much better. My frustration is with kids who only
want AR books and won't even look at ones that aren't.
That's why I like the labels on the inside. Good
luck.
**I attend a Reading Renaissance workshop two weeks
ago which stresses having kids read at their reading
level range. There is a way to print up labels in
your AR program for all your books. We plan on doing
this when we get the 5.12 update and we will place
them inside the front of the book. It is not so
noticeable there but yet handy enough for students and
teachers.
**I agree with only one color to mark the books.
There are a lot of children who read below level. Also
if levels on books change as some have recently then
you have a much larger problem changing colors.
**I'm in a junior high and we color code all of our AR
books. Students don't seem to be bothered by it at
all! We haven't had any complaints from parents
either! :)
**Our district DOES NOT want us to color code because
a child will feel awkward if another kids sees him
with a low book. They said that if a parent came in
and complained Media Services would not back us up.
After thinking about their logic, I feel they are
absolutely right.
**I have always been adamantly opposed to labeling
books in any visible way that indicates reading
levels. My reason are numerous, but my main objection
is that the AR listing of grade level is not
necessarily accurate.
I have often found that their labeling, and what I, my
teachers, or my parents think the level is, are not
compatible.
I also feel students can be stigmatized because they
can only read "green" books while their friend is
allowed to get "yellow" books. I strongly oppose
requiring students to read certain books because they
are at
some arbitrary "level". I've read all the arguments
pro and con, and I am not convinced that students
become better or excited readers when restricted in
their book choices. There are plenty of folks who
disagree, I am sure.
Good luck with whatever you decide, but I feel your
instincts are right on the money.
Thanks again,
=====
Linda Zamarripa
Elementary Library Supervisor
Beeville ISD
Beeville, Texas
l_zamarripa@yahoo.ie
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