Re: [LM_NET] NY Times article

[Josephine Dervan <rderva@INFIONLINE.NET>]

Once again, I feel the urge to speak out in defense of school librarians, a 
profession that I have been in for over 30 years.

I read the article online last night and this AM in print. It is located on 
the front page of the Times and is sure to get a lot of people's attention 
and bring unfair criticism of our profession.

Unless we work in a position where we serve all grade levels, have a huge 
library and an unlimited budget, we are selective about what we purchase. We 
cannot buy every single book published every year. So we try to purchase 
those books we feel will best serve the needs of our students and also 
teachers.This is especially important when purchasing for books for 
recreational reading. Sometimes we are very successful and we see a book 
circulate constantly until it falls apart. Other times we are less 
successful and notice that something we personally enjoyed has found only a 
limited audience or none at all.

Another reason to be selective is to find books that fit the social and 
religious feelings in the community in which the library is located. A book 
that is appropriate for an urban setting may not be appropriate for a rural 
or conservative area and vice versa. Every community is unique and so every 
collection should reflect that. I have books in my library that other school 
libraries in my district do not. I purchase them because I know they fill a 
need that is unique to my student population.

I think that the reason that Publishers Weekly and the NY Times are 
featuring this reaction of librarians is because the story is a surprise to 
many. In the past few years most of the stories in the news about librarians 
and books involved reactions to censorship calls from the community. So, 
instead of understanding that book selection is  a normal part of our jobs, 
the media is jumping on the story and making us out to be evil censors, the 
very people we defend our books against.

I suggest that many of us send letters to the editors of the Times educating 
them about the duties of our jobs and our responsibilities to our 
communities. I'm sure they won't publish every one. However maybe they'll 
realize our explanation is valid and either print a letter or do a follow-up 
story about school librarians in a more positive light.

Off the soapbox,
Jo

******************************************************
Josephine G. Dervan. Library Media Specialist
Strathmore Elementary School,  Aberdeen, NJ
Online Instructor, University of Wisconsin-Stout
rderva at infionline.net

He who has a garden and a library, wants for nothing- Cicero 

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