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how far too far
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From: Karen Cruze <kcruze>
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 12:01:48 -0500
My own problem is not with content - I'm pretty accepting of just about everything - put in keeping the wrong people from picking up certain books. What do I mean by that? Well, recently with the release of the
"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" movie I've had a rash of 4th and 5th grade girls and their parents asking for the book. While I have no problem with the book going out to girls in 7th grade and up, and feel 6th grade is the cusp year for the book, I can't in good conscience actually give the book to these young girls. I kind of get around the issue by thinking of things this way. If someone finds a book on their own and takes it home, fine. But if they're asking me for help in finding it, then putting it in their hands implies my approval of this being appropriate for their age. It's very difficult to try to tell a parent, with a child pulling on them, that books are labeled YA for a reason - and that has nothing to do with the child's reading ability but everything to do with content that is acceptable for teens but not for younger kids. I then say it's their choice but I would be amiss if I said nothing. Some parents are grateful, others aren't. I suppose there is some self-preservation in my stance. My mantra is "Young Adult books in our library are for kids in 7th grade through 12th grade and accordingly may deal with issues, etc., that are not appropriate for younger kids." Kind of an oral warning label. It's kind of galling in a way to be put in the position of doing this since I have a really liberal attitude toward my collection (one of my more recent acquisitions being "Chloe Does Yale" - I figure there's nothing in it that isn't discussed in most of the advice columns of teen magazines). Just this past week, though, I've had the parents of 10-year-olds take me to task on a magazine, "Sugar," and on a book in which the word "motherfucker" makes an appearance. Both sets of parents may fill out our "review of materials" form. My frustration is not being able to say outright, "If you don't want your 10-year-old reading this stuff than keep them out of the YA collection!"
Another problem - the self-righteous idiots who keep stealing my GLBT collection. I'd like to put a label on each one warning the person not about the content but that I'd be willing to bring "hate crime" charges against them if they even think of stealing my books because they don't agree with a certain lifestyle. (My daughter's school warned students defacing Gay-Straight Alliance posters that they would be willing to persecute the defacers, and they had the backing of our local police department!)
So, that's where I stand...
Karen Cruze
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 12:01:48 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 12:01:48 -0500
My own problem is not with content - I'm pretty accepting of just about everything - put in keeping the wrong people from picking up certain books. What do I mean by that? Well, recently with the release of the
"Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" movie I've had a rash of 4th and 5th grade girls and their parents asking for the book. While I have no problem with the book going out to girls in 7th grade and up, and feel 6th grade is the cusp year for the book, I can't in good conscience actually give the book to these young girls. I kind of get around the issue by thinking of things this way. If someone finds a book on their own and takes it home, fine. But if they're asking me for help in finding it, then putting it in their hands implies my approval of this being appropriate for their age. It's very difficult to try to tell a parent, with a child pulling on them, that books are labeled YA for a reason - and that has nothing to do with the child's reading ability but everything to do with content that is acceptable for teens but not for younger kids. I then say it's their choice but I would be amiss if I said nothing. Some parents are grateful, others aren't. I suppose there is some self-preservation in my stance. My mantra is "Young Adult books in our library are for kids in 7th grade through 12th grade and accordingly may deal with issues, etc., that are not appropriate for younger kids." Kind of an oral warning label. It's kind of galling in a way to be put in the position of doing this since I have a really liberal attitude toward my collection (one of my more recent acquisitions being "Chloe Does Yale" - I figure there's nothing in it that isn't discussed in most of the advice columns of teen magazines). Just this past week, though, I've had the parents of 10-year-olds take me to task on a magazine, "Sugar," and on a book in which the word "motherfucker" makes an appearance. Both sets of parents may fill out our "review of materials" form. My frustration is not being able to say outright, "If you don't want your 10-year-old reading this stuff than keep them out of the YA collection!"
Another problem - the self-righteous idiots who keep stealing my GLBT collection. I'd like to put a label on each one warning the person not about the content but that I'd be willing to bring "hate crime" charges against them if they even think of stealing my books because they don't agree with a certain lifestyle. (My daughter's school warned students defacing Gay-Straight Alliance posters that they would be willing to persecute the defacers, and they had the backing of our local police department!)
So, that's where I stand...
Karen Cruze
Received on Wed 22 Jun 2005 12:01:48 PM CDT
