Re: [LM_NET] Erring on the side of caution

[Ria Faber <ria_faber@HOTMAIL.COM>]

Dear Marsha,
 
I hope that you don't take too much heat for your position, because you are right.  
There is a big difference between what books and material public libraries should 
provide and school libraries (especially private schools).  A public library needs 
to satisfy the tastes of many different people and parents usually accompany their 
children when they checkout books.  We need to be more selective, understanding our 
audience (children, parents and teachers).  Parents trust us to select appropriate 
books for their kids since they cannot be there.  I checkout and preview many books 
from the public library before deciding if it's appropriate for our library.
 
I have appreciated your opinions as expressed on LM_NET recently.
 
Thanks,Ria Faber, Librarian Covenant Christian HS, Grand Rapids MI 
ria_faber@hotmail.com Library Website: http://www.covenantchristianhs.org/Library/ 
"Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again." Louisa May 
Alcott Date:    Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:57:54 -0500From:    Marsha Redd 
<marsharedd@HOTMAIL.COM>Subject: Re: Erring on the side of caution I think that 
there is a big difference here between public libraries and school libraries. I may 
draw some heat for this, but here goes . . . censorship, in my opinion, does not 
apply to the same degree in schools as it does in public libraries because we are 
dealing with minor children. What parent is going to say that he/she has never 
censored anything that pertained to their own children. I wouldn't let my son read 
anything he wanted when he was 5 years old. Fortunately, this never came up for me, 
but if my son had wanted to read something that I thought was totally 
inappropriate, I would not have allowed it . . . the same way 10 year olds are not 
allowed to see R rated movies. It's easy to get carried away with this 
anticensorship cause because everything we believe and are taught tells us not to 
censor. In reality, where children are concerned, there is already censorship all 
of the time.And it is important to remember that the school board is an elected 
body whose job is to oversee the school. We can advocate for books all we want, but 
I think our responsibility ends there. If the school board says "no" I don't think 
the librarians should feel bad about just accepting the decision.   Marsha 
ReddLibrarian, Kelloggsville High SchoolGrand Rapids, 
MImarsharedd@hotmail.comEducation is not a goal; it is a life-long process. 
Everyone is a student. Everyone is a teacher.
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