Here is the hit for my Anne Rice question. I received
18 responses: 14 libraries have Anne Rice novels, 4
responders did not recommend having them. I think my
co-worker and I are going to pass on putting these in
our library. We already have problems with Stephen
King being stolen. Thank you to everyone who
responded!
Ann Rox, Librarian
Ooltewah High School
Ooltewah, Tennessee
I'd be very interested in a HIT regarding responses to
this question. There's one (The Mummy, I think) on the
shelves which was here when I arrived 2 years ago. I
also have received a number of requests for her books,
and am hesitant--to the point that I haven't even
picked any up at my public library's used book sale. I
haven't read any Rice books, and don't plan to, so
would like the input of others.
And how about Janet Evanovitch's series, One for the
Money, etc.?
------------------------------------------
I have read many of Rice’s novels, and yes, they are
quite sensuous. However, I do have them in my library
(8-12th grades). I would never assign them as
reading, and wouldn’t book talk them either, but I’ve
found that the few students who do check them out can
more than deal with them. I loved them myself – as
that diversionary reading you do between other
books…and so do students. I‘ve always felt there’s a
difference between having a book on the shelf and
recommending it – I’d never recommend Rice…just have
it there for those who already know about her.
Yes, we do have in our library "Interview With a
Vampire" by Anne Rice. However, we do have other
vampire fiction by various authors.
I have them as donations also. I understand your
reservations, but you
are not requiring anyone to reads them - I just try to
have a lot of types of fiction, though I would never
purchase them. I just add them as donations.
-------------------------------------------
I have a few Anne Rice books. I've not had any
complaints... but my
suggestion is: know your community. Some could have
strong objections.
My problem with her books is that are stolen!
----------------------------------------
The only one we have is _Interview with the Vampire_.
It was recommended in Wilson Sr. H.
--------------------------------------
I do have a few. Not had any problems.
------------------------------------------
I do have the a few of Anne Rice's novels in my
collection. They are not checked out regularly, but I
did not have a problem including the books if students
are going to read them.
We have a couple of her novels in our library, but not
all. However, we only have 9th graders on our campus.
I probably would have more if I had 10-12 grades. My
students reading range from upper elementary to adult,
so I try to have books that cover these wide ranges of
interest. Treat your donations like any other
purchase - review them and decide if they meet your
high school expectations.
If you decide not to include these novels in your
collection, then when
a student asks for the novels do an ILL with your
local public library to meet this student's interests.
--------------------------------
When I was a high school librarian, I had a few Anne
Rice books. The
kids who read them were definitely mature enough to
handle the sensuality, but read them because of the
"witchy, vampire" content. Mine were all garage sale
finds, or donated by teachers. I would never have
spent library budget to buy them. I always waited for
a challenge on them, but it never came, and that
community was fairly conservative.
-------------------------------------------
Did a quick search in sunlink (Florida's online school
library database) www.sunlink.ucf.edu and found 110
Anne Rice titles available in most Florida highschools
and even one in a middle. IMHO - kids that age know
what their parents feel is appropriate for them and
should begin to make their own decisions about what
to read. My own daughter began reading Rice at 12 and
is now a senior at UF with a 4.0 and headed to law
school so it didn't do too much damage ;-)
--------------------------------------
When my school opened two years ago, several Ann Rice
novels came with
the basic book collection -- but I did not compile the
basic book
list. If I had, I would not have put them on the
list, except for her
first "Interview With a Vampire". I have
reservations about them,
too, but they are popular and becoming very worn.
When they wear out,
and that won't be long, I don't think I will replace
them.
Try encouraging them to go to the public library and
plead no money in
your budget. In my case that would be true!
--------------------------------------
we have them.
-------------------------------------
We had a couple of Anne Rice's books on our shelves
UNTIL kids wanted
to know why they were in fiction. Honest, they thought
they were real.
After much thought, I decided we had a lot bigger
problem than Anne
Rice, and I took them off the shelves.
-----------------------------------------------
You are not being overly cautious. Those are seriously
sensual and, in the witch books, very sexual books,
with plenty of homoerotic subtext to boot. I'd say
leave them to the public library. I liked reading them
very much, but I don't think they'd stand up to a
challenge in a public high school library.
The Anne Rice novels are highly sexual. I'd be very
careful having them in your library. In fact, I might
require parents to send in a signed consent form
before their children could check these books out of
my library.
You are treading on some controversial ground here.
I am not a proponent of censorship of any kind and the
Anne Rice series is pretty intriguing and well
written, but you are still dealing with the pschy of
teenaged, in fact, high school aged, students. Kids
who could possibly be experimenting with learning
about the occult or witchcraft or any other "less than
mainstream" indulgence. If there are never any
problems you are in the clear but, in this day and
age, (of NO PARENT RESPONIBILITY and all fault being
placed at the feet of some other culpable party ...
namely, the teacher slash school district) you could
be in for a world of blame should any situation
arise.
I'd be a bit nervous about making such books available
to impressionable young minds.
----------------------------------------------
I've had her books in three libraries, one being in a
very conservative community and had no problems. The
kids that choose her are fairly sophisticated readers.
She does write erotica under another name and some of
the Rice ones can be quite racy. I figure that if
kids want it, they have heard what's in it but I do
have a conversation with them before they go out if
I'm at the desk. Hey, heads up, do you know what to
expect from Anne Rice? Most tell me yes.
Good luck with your choice.
-----------------------------------------------
I have Rice on the shelf. You need to consider your
audience. My students that go after Rice a very
mature. The younger kids generally don't check her
out because they get lost in the details of her
writings. You would probably not want to put everyone
of her books on the shelf.
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