From: Lindsay <linds_na>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1999 11:14:41 -0800 (PST)

Why do librarians waste money on bad/outdated sports biographies? Well, this may not be justification, but it is a reason: reports. For those kids who are allowed to choose any "famous" person to do a report on
(often for Black history month, when Michael Jordan books fly off the shelves), these biographies provide some otherwise-unengaged students with information they feel investment with. Sure, we (librarians) could probably find the information for them in magazines or on the internet; but just for the purposes of becoming familiar with finding a book on the shelf and reading it, and using the information in it ... these books have a use. Watch a kid's face as you offer them book after book of political/historical figures, and then one on Dennis Rodman. It's worth it.

Nina


Nina Lindsay, Children's Librarian Melrose Branch, Oakland Public Library 4805 Foothill Boulevard Oakland, CA 94601
(510)535V23 linds_na at oak2.ci.oakland.ca.us
Received on Thu 07 Jan 1999 01:14:41 PM CST