From: Robin Smith <smithr>
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 13:55:46 -0600

Ginny said:
"How? We can each tell others about our favorites, and why. (Hey, that's what we did during December and what we're doing right here, isn't it?) We can find ways to remember our favorites when we're selecting personal gifts. We can teach these books to children or college students. We can use them in library programming, and put them on lists of recommended books. We can check them out of libraries and share them with children and teenagers so they can experience each. Most of all, we can have the most important vote ourselves. Right now we can order and buy even more than one copy of our favorites - personally - to help these favorites remain in print long enough for their unique pleasures to be realized by a substantial number of readers. Even one year isn't enough for most books."
*** I can't tell you how frustrating I find it when a favorite book goes out of print. I feel sad for the author and illustrator and for the children who are denied access to it. It is especially important to support books that are outside of the mainstream (but I hope the stream is getting wider and more inclusive every year). It wasn't long ago that I worked for a major bookstore chain that hesitated to buy any books for the chain with black characters or about "black issues" especially if the character of color was on the cover of the book. "Black people do not buy books and no one else will buy them either" was the children's buyer's dismissal. She would point to the sales figures which would show poor sales for books in that category.
(big surprise, hidden on the bottom shelves with their only their spines showing.) The same thing happens with books about other people of color and nationalities now. Do not neglect science and nonfiction books while you are supporting books that go out of print quickly. BUY THE BOOKS!

We really can help. Any of us who has access to recommended and required summer reading lists for schools can and should add as many excellent new titles as we can. Bookstores (even chain stores) do make purchases from these lists and students do peruse those summer reading tables. Of course, we should add new books to our curricula and read new books each year to out young children. We may have to leave some "old favorites" behind, but hopefully those old favorites have gained a solid following and will safely be in print for a long time. Circulate all the "best of" lists you can find. All the different viewpoints from all the different publications (from a library newsletter to Kirkus to Horn Book to Booklinks and Booklist and BookBird...you get the Bookpoint) are interesting and sometimes different.

Here is another way to highlight new titles that make it to the bookstore shelves: when you are straightening the shelves (and I know you all do straighten bookstore shelves while you browse) face out new, excellent books. I don't really think the new blockbusters need three stacks of faced-out covers...no matter what anyone says! As you know from frequent bookstore visits, no one else is straightening--this is your payment for putting in some labor at the store. You get to highlight the books you love. Think of it as resistance work for good books.

Lastly, REQUEST THAT YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY BUY SPECIFIC TITLES. I am not a librarian so I cannot take care purchasing books myself. But you can bet I go right to the website and request titles be purchased. Be especially helpful by providing the library ISBN if you can find it.You pay taxes. It is your right to suggest ways for the library to spend money. Do the same at your school library. Ask that certain books be purchased. Donate new books.
 

Stepping off the soapbox, Robin
Received on Wed 23 Jan 2002 01:55:46 PM CST