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We discussed this point in my graduate program a few years ago--if you, as
the librarian, choose NOT to select a book, does that make you a censor?
We agreed that it does BUT we also agreed that based upon the selection
criteria of the school's library, the community standards, and the request
being made, we should take all things into consideration when selecting
materials. Overall, we also felt that reviews of the books helped to
support our selection and to support any challenges of the material later.
We felt that "teaming" with the instructors who were the "experts in the
field of study" helped us to gain support for the placement of materials
which might be controversial and provide us with a "team" to look to when
we provided the information to students or parents.
I believe that providing both sides of the issue is important, especially
in high schools. Without it, students who attend higher education are
often in "awe" or "disgust" of what they find in the university libraries!
I have found that is very easy to see what students had librarians who
offered a variety of materials on different subjects and those who had
"selective" librarians who offered only their views or one viewpoint of
specific controversial topics.
I hope that you can offer a balanced collection and provide students,
teachers, and parents the opportunity to review, discuss, and accept
materials that may not be their personal preferences but which offer
different views of this wonderfully, diverse world.
Shonda Brisco
Assistant Professor / M.L.I.S. Librarian
Mary L. Williams Curriculum Materials Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma
bshonda@okstate.edu
405-744-9769
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Some jobs are like swimming ducks...most of the work is invisible to
others."
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">We discussed this point in my graduate program a
few years ago--if you, as the librarian, choose NOT to select a book, does that
make you a censor? We agreed that it does BUT we also agreed that based upon
the selection criteria of the school's library, the community standards, and the
request being made, we should take all things into consideration when selecting
materials. Overall, we also felt that reviews of the books helped to support
our selection and to support any challenges of the material later. We felt
that "teaming" with the instructors who were the "experts in the
field of study" helped us to gain support for the placement of materials which
might be controversial and provide us with a "team" to look to when we
provided the information to students or parents.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I believe that providing both sides of the issue
is important, especially in high schools. Without it, students who attend
higher education are often in "awe" or "disgust" of what they
find in the university libraries! I have found that is very easy to see what
students had librarians who offered a variety of materials on different subjects
and those who had "selective" librarians who offered only their views or
one viewpoint of specific controversial topics. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I hope that you can offer a balanced collection
and provide students, teachers, and parents the opportunity to review, discuss, and
accept materials that may not be their personal preferences but which offer
different views of this wonderfully, diverse world.</font>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Shonda Brisco<br>
Assistant Professor / M.L.I.S. Librarian<br>
<br>
Mary L. Williams Curriculum Materials Library<br>
Oklahoma State University<br>
Stillwater, Oklahoma<br>
bshonda@okstate.edu<br>
405-744-9769<br>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br>
"Some jobs are like swimming ducks...most of the work is invisible to
others."<br>
</font>
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