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RE: Professional Responsibilty
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From: sully_at_sully-writer.com
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:53:24 -0700
Sally,
The public libraries I know would not restrict a child from checking out a book from another section of the library, but I'm sure policies do vary. Yes, a child could get the book from the YA section if he/she were so inclined, but it is highly unlikely. Let's say a 4th, 5th, or 6th grader goes to the children's section to research the Civil Rights Movement. What's most likely to happen is the patron will be asked to be directed to the books on that subject. When they go the shelves that have books on that subject, the Claudette Colvin book will not be there for he/she to find. Discovering the book through browsing a subject or just good old joyful serendipity is no longer an option.
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Professional Responsibilty From: "Sally Miller" Date: Sun, September 26, 2010 8:51 pm To: , "CCBC Network"
п»ї In most libraries, isn't it possible for younger children to seek and check out books in the YA section if they are so inclined? And if they are free to do so in the library being discussed in Mr. Sullivan's post, then was the librarian out of line in moving the book? I pose this as a question, not an argument.) I understand that Jennifer Donovan feels she wasn't overstepping her bounds by recommending that Hoose's book be reclassified, but I am disturbed by her refusal to let her 12 year old daughter read books she feels the girl is not old enough for. In my experience, children who have a wide variety of books to choose from seldom choose, and even less often read very far into, books that are "beyond" them. I remember that around the same age I picked from our living room bookcase The Sun is my Undoing. When my mother came across me, she said, as I remember these many years later, "I don't think you'll find that very interesting, so if you get bored, why don't you try this?" And she went to the san e bookcase and picked out another book (I'm sorry, I don't remember what it was) and laid it on the couch beside me. I believe I found it much more appealing. When I was raising my own family, five sons spaced over eleven years, followed by a daughter 4 years later, I couldn't have begun to monitor what each was reading. And the boys couldn't have cared less who was reading what as long as no one was appropriating the book he himself was currently involved in. I'm inclined to think that the older boys were more likely than the books were to expose the younger ones to ideas and experiences they weren't "ready" for. I guess I am speaking more to Ms. Donovan than to Mr. Sullivan and other librarians when I say we do children a disservice when we are overzealous in our attempts to shelter them, spurred on by our desire to keep them "innocent" longer. When we do this, inevitably we end up weakening their ability to understand and cope with the challenges of the world they are going to have to live in, a world far
more complicated than that we grew up in. But , after all, I am talking to librarians. It's easier to stand up to someone who you know is antagonistic to everything you hold dear; it's harder to stand up to the well-meaning but misguided opponent with whom you sympathize. And now I will get down from my soapbox and apologize for taking so long to say what I should have said succinctly: "Librarians, stand your ground." With gratitude and respect to you all, Sally Derby.
(Kyle's Island, Charlesbridge, 2010; No Mush Today, Lee & Low, 2009) ,
----- Original Message ----- From:
To: "CCBC Network" Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 7:36 PM Subject: RE:
Professional Responsibilty
I don't believe Jennifer Donovan is a book banner but she has no business deciding that the Claudette Colvin biography is inappropriate for every child who uses her public library. At the elementary school I worked in, I had books about slavery, the Holocaust, wars of all kinds, and lots of other unpleasant topics. There were books about the Civil Rights Movement that showed children being attacked by police dogs and fire hoses. Is any of that pleasant? No, but it's reality and history. Ms. Donovan has every right to tell her own children not to read about certain subjects but she has absolutely no right to make that decision for anyone else's children. And I do hope that librarian Ms. Donovan spoke to did read the book herself before removing it from the children's collection. The idea that a librarian would remove a book based on one person's say so makes me absolutely sick.
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re:
Professional Responsibility From: Susan Thomsen Date: Sun, September 26, 2010 11:02 am To: Susie Highley , CCBC Network
Here is an interesting opinion piece about a library patron's request (which was granted) to move the book CLAUDETTE COLVIN from her library's children's section to the Young Adult section. I know the author, and although I do not agree with her viewpoint, I think she raises some interesting questions, especially in regard to professional responsibility.
"Am I a Book Banner," by Jennifer Donovan
I'm a library patron, too, but not a librarian. My hometown library, the wonderful Westport (CT) Library, shelves this book in the children's section. The NYPL puts it in YA. In Montgomery, AL, where most of CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE takes place, the book is in Juvenile Biographies.
Susan Thomsen
From: Susie Highley To: CCBC Network Sent: Sun, September 26, 2010 5:45:31 AM Subject: RE:
Professional Responsibility
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:53:24 -0700
Sally,
The public libraries I know would not restrict a child from checking out a book from another section of the library, but I'm sure policies do vary. Yes, a child could get the book from the YA section if he/she were so inclined, but it is highly unlikely. Let's say a 4th, 5th, or 6th grader goes to the children's section to research the Civil Rights Movement. What's most likely to happen is the patron will be asked to be directed to the books on that subject. When they go the shelves that have books on that subject, the Claudette Colvin book will not be there for he/she to find. Discovering the book through browsing a subject or just good old joyful serendipity is no longer an option.
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Professional Responsibilty From: "Sally Miller" Date: Sun, September 26, 2010 8:51 pm To: , "CCBC Network"
п»ї In most libraries, isn't it possible for younger children to seek and check out books in the YA section if they are so inclined? And if they are free to do so in the library being discussed in Mr. Sullivan's post, then was the librarian out of line in moving the book? I pose this as a question, not an argument.) I understand that Jennifer Donovan feels she wasn't overstepping her bounds by recommending that Hoose's book be reclassified, but I am disturbed by her refusal to let her 12 year old daughter read books she feels the girl is not old enough for. In my experience, children who have a wide variety of books to choose from seldom choose, and even less often read very far into, books that are "beyond" them. I remember that around the same age I picked from our living room bookcase The Sun is my Undoing. When my mother came across me, she said, as I remember these many years later, "I don't think you'll find that very interesting, so if you get bored, why don't you try this?" And she went to the san e bookcase and picked out another book (I'm sorry, I don't remember what it was) and laid it on the couch beside me. I believe I found it much more appealing. When I was raising my own family, five sons spaced over eleven years, followed by a daughter 4 years later, I couldn't have begun to monitor what each was reading. And the boys couldn't have cared less who was reading what as long as no one was appropriating the book he himself was currently involved in. I'm inclined to think that the older boys were more likely than the books were to expose the younger ones to ideas and experiences they weren't "ready" for. I guess I am speaking more to Ms. Donovan than to Mr. Sullivan and other librarians when I say we do children a disservice when we are overzealous in our attempts to shelter them, spurred on by our desire to keep them "innocent" longer. When we do this, inevitably we end up weakening their ability to understand and cope with the challenges of the world they are going to have to live in, a world far
more complicated than that we grew up in. But , after all, I am talking to librarians. It's easier to stand up to someone who you know is antagonistic to everything you hold dear; it's harder to stand up to the well-meaning but misguided opponent with whom you sympathize. And now I will get down from my soapbox and apologize for taking so long to say what I should have said succinctly: "Librarians, stand your ground." With gratitude and respect to you all, Sally Derby.
(Kyle's Island, Charlesbridge, 2010; No Mush Today, Lee & Low, 2009) ,
----- Original Message ----- From:
To: "CCBC Network" Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 7:36 PM Subject: RE:
Professional Responsibilty
I don't believe Jennifer Donovan is a book banner but she has no business deciding that the Claudette Colvin biography is inappropriate for every child who uses her public library. At the elementary school I worked in, I had books about slavery, the Holocaust, wars of all kinds, and lots of other unpleasant topics. There were books about the Civil Rights Movement that showed children being attacked by police dogs and fire hoses. Is any of that pleasant? No, but it's reality and history. Ms. Donovan has every right to tell her own children not to read about certain subjects but she has absolutely no right to make that decision for anyone else's children. And I do hope that librarian Ms. Donovan spoke to did read the book herself before removing it from the children's collection. The idea that a librarian would remove a book based on one person's say so makes me absolutely sick.
Edward T. Sullivan, Rogue Librarian Author, The Ultimate Weapon: The Race to Develop the Atomic Bomb (Holiday House, 2007) Visit my web site, http://www.sully-writer.com Visit my blog, Rogue Librarian: All About Books and Reading http://sullywriter.wordpress.com Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/sullywriter
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re:
Professional Responsibility From: Susan Thomsen Date: Sun, September 26, 2010 11:02 am To: Susie Highley , CCBC Network
Here is an interesting opinion piece about a library patron's request (which was granted) to move the book CLAUDETTE COLVIN from her library's children's section to the Young Adult section. I know the author, and although I do not agree with her viewpoint, I think she raises some interesting questions, especially in regard to professional responsibility.
"Am I a Book Banner," by Jennifer Donovan
I'm a library patron, too, but not a librarian. My hometown library, the wonderful Westport (CT) Library, shelves this book in the children's section. The NYPL puts it in YA. In Montgomery, AL, where most of CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE takes place, the book is in Juvenile Biographies.
Susan Thomsen
From: Susie Highley To: CCBC Network Sent: Sun, September 26, 2010 5:45:31 AM Subject: RE:
Professional Responsibility
---Received on Mon 27 Sep 2010 04:53:24 AM CDT
