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religion in ya books
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From: James Elliott <j_c_elliott>
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 10:18:20 -0400
Comments interspersed.
No, I'll have to look for it. I've read good reviews, however.
The jury is still out on that. No scientific study has determined one way or the other, for each study that says one way, three more come out that show just the opposite. Science is not infallable, as we are finding out every day.
It depends on the situation and the make up of your library community. In our small town, YA's (and younger) actually have been requesting MORE books like the "Left Behind: the Kids" series. We really do have to match our collection to our community, while not eliminating 'controversial' material, I don't think we can exclude what the public likes but we may not (otherwise we'd have a very small fiction section!).
I remember reading in "American Libraries" a few years back where they did a survey of libraries and religion, where many librarians said they would never catalog ANY religious books or material because they did believe that the library was the place for religion (separation of Church and State nonsense), but the Library Bill of Rights says we cannot exclude materials solely because of their "sectarian" (religious) nature. Plus it places us in the position of cultural censor again. And I don't want that role, thank you very much. Much like someone who will not order Westerns or Romance because they see them as degrading or poorly written pulp literature. Or true crime because they think it re-inforces criminal behavior. What nonsense, there is a place for all these in a library collection, primarily because our patrons want to read them! (getting off soapbox).
Good luck and keep writing! A true writer has to be true to the work as well as themselves. Madeline L'Engle in an interview, was asked why she killed off a certain character in one of her books, she replied, "I didn't have any choice, that was the way it happened." I also think that you will find many communities supportive of your point of view.
There is a valid place for both in this world. In many cases, and what we have to struggle to remind ourselves, the books we see as 'reinforcement' a certain mindset may actually be presenting an alternate view to someone else!
Jim Elliott Gadsden County Public Library
Received on Sat 25 Jun 2005 09:18:20 AM CDT
Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 10:18:20 -0400
Comments interspersed.
No, I'll have to look for it. I've read good reviews, however.
The jury is still out on that. No scientific study has determined one way or the other, for each study that says one way, three more come out that show just the opposite. Science is not infallable, as we are finding out every day.
It depends on the situation and the make up of your library community. In our small town, YA's (and younger) actually have been requesting MORE books like the "Left Behind: the Kids" series. We really do have to match our collection to our community, while not eliminating 'controversial' material, I don't think we can exclude what the public likes but we may not (otherwise we'd have a very small fiction section!).
I remember reading in "American Libraries" a few years back where they did a survey of libraries and religion, where many librarians said they would never catalog ANY religious books or material because they did believe that the library was the place for religion (separation of Church and State nonsense), but the Library Bill of Rights says we cannot exclude materials solely because of their "sectarian" (religious) nature. Plus it places us in the position of cultural censor again. And I don't want that role, thank you very much. Much like someone who will not order Westerns or Romance because they see them as degrading or poorly written pulp literature. Or true crime because they think it re-inforces criminal behavior. What nonsense, there is a place for all these in a library collection, primarily because our patrons want to read them! (getting off soapbox).
Good luck and keep writing! A true writer has to be true to the work as well as themselves. Madeline L'Engle in an interview, was asked why she killed off a certain character in one of her books, she replied, "I didn't have any choice, that was the way it happened." I also think that you will find many communities supportive of your point of view.
There is a valid place for both in this world. In many cases, and what we have to struggle to remind ourselves, the books we see as 'reinforcement' a certain mindset may actually be presenting an alternate view to someone else!
Jim Elliott Gadsden County Public Library
Received on Sat 25 Jun 2005 09:18:20 AM CDT
