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Carol posted [Subject: [LM_NET] GEN: Most Interesting Thing This Summer;
From: Carol Simpson <Carol_Simpson@UNT.EDU> Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 15:24:47
-0500 ]:

(snip) "The book was selected for the library because 1) the book had an AR
test, and 2) the reading level of the book is within the range of grades
served by the campus. Obviously the selector had no knowledge of YA
literature, hadn't read any reviews of the book, and wasn't aware that there
is a type of book known as high interest-low vocabulary. It was selected
solely from the AR list. And what is even more compelling, many of these
books were selected by clerks who replaced librarians on campuses. "(snip)
 
Dear Carol and Netters:
 
Please don't assume that because the school site does not have a
credentialed Library Media Teacher (or whatever your state calls them) that
the clerk or aide running the library has made the inappropriate AR (or
Reading Counts, etc.) selection (i.e. easy reading but mature theme).
Sometimes we aides, clerks, techs (etc.) DO know what materials are
inappropriate (or have been frequently contested, may be obsolete, etc.) but
have been overruled by a well-meaning administrator. In one situation that I
have personal knowledge of, an assisting administrator overruled the tech
and purchased a large order of books to support the reading program only
because the school had purchased a bulk group of tests and didn't have all
the titles for those tests. Despite the fact that the tech went through the
list and marked out the titles she knew to be inappropriate, obsolete or no
longer "politically correct" ethnicity-wise, or were nonfiction with
copyright dates in the late '80s or early '90s (and often not on topics of
interest to most elementary students), etc., the administrator went ahead
and ordered all of them. When the order came in, the tech also discovered
that several of the ("good") titles were already on the shelves - the tech
had also put in new title orders and the administrator had not cross-checked
her orders, thus adding unnecessary copies. 
 
Now, a few years later, there are a bunch of "new" books collecting dust
because they are not of interest to the students, but they do "support" the
reading program (for what that's worth!). The tech even tried checking them
out to a teacher who requested a group of "community helpers" books (the
administrator had purchased an entire set with copyright dates in excess of
ten years) but the teacher returned them unused since they weren't community
helpers she was introducing. On the other hand, the books about community
helpers (police, firefighters) that the tech had ordered (with principal
oversight) DID circulate and were used and appreciated by the teachers. 
 
Granted, not all paraprofessionals are well-trained or capable enough to
make good selections, but neither are all administrators. Even LMTs have
made some "goofs" in selection now and then. And sometimes reviews are not
as helpful to the selector as they should be. I recall a very well-reviewed
book (endorsed positively by many groups) in which one review was described
as "gritty."  What the reviewer actually meant was that the LANGUAGE as well
as the action was gritty - there were swear words on nearly every page and
frequently multiple times on a page. I've often defended some "language" as
being important for authenticity, but this was "over the top" for a K - 8
site in an urban setting.
 
You also wrote: "Challenges were up this year over last by 100%. Books
banned (removed from the library) were also up 100%." That sounds very
impressive and of great concern, but Carol (in fairness), please also give
us the actual numbers. Include the total number of libraries surveyed last
year AND this year, not just the ones that responded. It's possible the
numbers increased because there are more school or public libraries serving
larger populations or because there were a certain number of frequently
challenged newer books that are being challenged in many more places than
usual, or there may be other plausible explanations for the sudden doubling
of challenges. 
 
I'm not saying I'm discounting the censorship issue - I think it is a VERY
important issue; but I recall receiving one of those surveys many years ago
(not from the group Carol mentioned, though) and half-way through, decided
not to submit it. I thought that the questions were very skewed or biased
and it seemed more like a political witch hunt to gin up contributions for
the sponsoring group to help "shut up" concerned, conservative parents and
community members, and to (in effect) censor their right to voice their
concerns and opinions. I'm NOT saying I want parents and groups to reign
rampant over libraries and censor at will, only that we treat EVERYONE in a
professional and courteous manner even when we don't agree with their
political or religious or philosophical leanings (and that courtesy should
go both ways, right and left!). Each district or library should have a
selection policy in place with an appropriate way for the community to voice
their concerns and be respectfully heard. After all, public institutions are
serving the public with taxes the public has paid. The public has a right to
respectfully voice concerns about how their taxes are spent and what is (or
is not) appropriate for their community. The First Amendment assures our
right to peaceful assembly and protest. This is part of that important
aspect of "conversing" with our government and its representatives at the
school and public library level.
 

Joanne Ladewig  (A.K.A. "Library Lady")

Library Media Tech

Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD

Garden Grove, California

shatz@verizon.net

 

Comments are my own and may not represent the views of GGUSD

 

 


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