Re: Terry Goodkind books--matter of opinion

["Anderson, Julie LHS-STAFF" <AndersonJ@ISSAQUAH.WEDNET.EDU>]

With all due respect, I do not believe that one person can make this kind of
recommendation for every high school library that exists. I also believe
that we as professional librarians need to keep our personal emotions out of
selection. I am not a fan of horror; I find it personally distasteful. That
does not keep from having this popular genre in my HS library collection.

 I have not yet read the book in question, I do have books in my high school
library that include most of these elements. These include Silence of the
Lambs as well as titles by Dan Simmons and John Sandford. We need to
remember that by the time they graduate, most of our students are legal
adults. They no longer choose YA literature for their leisure reading and if
we do not include adult titles in our collections, they will not utilize the
school library for any of their needs, information or pleasure reading. I
have Terry Goodkind books in my collection at the request of students in our
science fiction/fantasy book club. They are clearly able to handle them. The
co-sponsor of the book club has read this title and while he did not like
the particular scene in question, he does not believe it should be banned
from high school libraries.

Bottom line is that you need to know your community, what is acceptable, and
make selection decisions using rational, logical, non-emotional criteria. I
will not remove Goodkind's books from my collection based on someone else's
emotional reaction to them.

Julie

Julie Anderson, Librarian
Liberty High School, Renton, WA       425.837.4901
andersonj@issaquah.wednet.edu

"Fiction is a lie about the truth." Jane Chambers

-----Original Message-----
From: Cindy Denning [mailto:Cynden744@AOL.COM]
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 1:51 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Terry Goodkind books--not appropriate


Dear Netters,

A few days ago, someone posted a question about Terry Goodkind books for the
HS library.  I responded that they were popular at the bookstore where I
work.  It's been bothering me ever since, until I remembered that I had
actually read the first book of the series.  I can't recall the title
(protective amnesia), but this book is NOT AT ALL appropriate for the HS
library.  It's not appropriate for ME, at age 40!  It contains a long
section
involving sadmasochistic sexual slavery/torture/murder.  DO NOT put this
book
in your library without reading it first, and then I think you won't want
to.
 As best I can recall, that secton comes maybe 2/3 of the way through the
book.  I can foresee challenges coming out of the woodwork here, and for
good
reason.  I have not read any of his other books.  I didn't see the need.

I sent another response to the original poster, and she suggested I post
this
to the group.  I didn't want anyone to be thinking that this would be a good
thing to buy just because they'd seen it mentioned here.

Cindy Denning
TWU MLIS student
Once and future librarian
Collinsville, TX
cynden744@aol.com

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