CCBC-Net Archives
Professional Boundaries/Personal Responsibilities
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:12:47 -0500
I appreciated Beth Martin's post in which she said, "It is our job to provide materials that meet the needs of a diverse population. In my opinion, I think the best way to approach the issue is to create what I call 'informed readers.' That means that I let the students know on the very first day of school that our library has books that appeal to all different kinds of people and it is their job, with my help, to find the books that are best suited to them."
I want to say add I think this idea of "informed reader" extends beyond the children and teens a library serves to parents and guardians, to administrators and colleagues in a school setting, and to the community as a whole. It should be a message cast often in a positive, proactive light--because it IS wonderful, as well as professionally responsible--to be building a collection that reflects and meets the diverse needs and interests within any population a library services. Letting the community know that the library--public or school--has books that appeal to many different tastes, and many levels of maturity, shouldn't be seen as a cautionary message but rather a celebratory one: isn't it great the library has so many books and other materials for children and teens? Isn't it wonderful the library is so responsive to the children and teens in the school/community?
And embracing and internalizing that mindset is one way to help navigate that territory between personal boundaries and professional responsibilities. Take a step back when a book gives you pause and think about it in terms of what it has to offer rather than the concern(s) it raises. (And of course look at whether you can support its inclusion in the collection based on reviews and other assessments and criteria outlined in the library's selection policy.)
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Fri 24 Sep 2010 01:12:47 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:12:47 -0500
I appreciated Beth Martin's post in which she said, "It is our job to provide materials that meet the needs of a diverse population. In my opinion, I think the best way to approach the issue is to create what I call 'informed readers.' That means that I let the students know on the very first day of school that our library has books that appeal to all different kinds of people and it is their job, with my help, to find the books that are best suited to them."
I want to say add I think this idea of "informed reader" extends beyond the children and teens a library serves to parents and guardians, to administrators and colleagues in a school setting, and to the community as a whole. It should be a message cast often in a positive, proactive light--because it IS wonderful, as well as professionally responsible--to be building a collection that reflects and meets the diverse needs and interests within any population a library services. Letting the community know that the library--public or school--has books that appeal to many different tastes, and many levels of maturity, shouldn't be seen as a cautionary message but rather a celebratory one: isn't it great the library has so many books and other materials for children and teens? Isn't it wonderful the library is so responsive to the children and teens in the school/community?
And embracing and internalizing that mindset is one way to help navigate that territory between personal boundaries and professional responsibilities. Take a step back when a book gives you pause and think about it in terms of what it has to offer rather than the concern(s) it raises. (And of course look at whether you can support its inclusion in the collection based on reviews and other assessments and criteria outlined in the library's selection policy.)
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Fri 24 Sep 2010 01:12:47 PM CDT
