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RE: Being professional with books
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From: Steward, Celeste <csteward_at_aclibrary.org>
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:30:42 -0700
Hi, Angela--
As a central selector, I too receive these same requests...mostly, I find m yself straddling the line between the starred review/professionally acclaim ed materials for children and what my colleagues (myself included) would co nsider 'junk food'. There's no question that the commercial/TV-based/Disney stuff drives circulation. The materials budget is limited so I weigh many factors when purchasing specific titles. Often, I ask colleagues for feedba ck. In the end, I buy many titles I wouldn't personally read at all. I thin k it makes for a more diverse collection.
I've been a public library book buyer for 6 years...and most of the censors hip I've witnessed has sadly, originated from professional librarians. I un derstand where they are coming from. However, it's our duty to override per sonal filters and biases. As far as library selection goes, censorship is a slippery slope. And I can't even say I'm not guilty of censoring...one cou ld argue that what I don't buy is censorship.
Last year, SLJ had an excellent piece called, "A Dirty Little Secret: Self- Censorship" http://www.slj.com/slj/articles/censorship/856811-341/a_dirty_l ittle_secret_self-censorship.html.csp That really explored the underbelly of professional librarian selection.
Earlier on this listserv, someone mentioned how much she disliked "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and I'd wager she isn't alone. When that book first hit the shelves, I recall some of my colleagues saying how disturbing they found it, how they wouldn't buy it, etc. Thank god some libraries bought i t...because when a book is that disturbing, you have to explore why and you have to discuss it openly. We all have our own comfort range for reading m aterial.
OTOH, sometimes colleagues calling attention to a title is a good thing...s o many libraries buy books sight unseen these days. As one poster already s aid, we can't possibly read them all...there have been several instances wh en another librarian has said, hey, you need to take a look at this. They j ust might be right on the money. Even with the current trend toward central selection, public library collection development is still a team effort.
Celeste Steward Collection Development Librarian IV Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 (510)745-1586
Message-----
From: Angela J Reynolds
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:58 AM To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu Subject:
Being professional with books
Megan's comment "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." is well said, and something I have to remember often. I get many requests for books that will never get good reviews - the Barbie easy readers and the Dora the Explorer books (and other TV based paperbacks). But they are popular, and they will likely get some child to actually enjoy books. I always hope for that, anyway, as I grudgingly purchase another copy of the latest pink sparkly thing or humanized vehicle book. It is even harder when I get requests for books that truly are awful-- the illustrations are sub-par, the writing is terrible, but they fit someone's idea of a needed book. When the coffers are full, these books are much easier to purchase than when times are lean. In a small community such as ours, people will often ask WHY? when I say no to a request. I have my own methods of determining if I will purchase or not, and I really do make an effor t to keep my biases out of the equation. My question to you all ... how do you decide?
Angela J. Reynolds, Head of Youth Services Annapolis Valley Regional Library P.O. Box 640, 26 Bay Road Bridgetown, NS CANADA B0S 1C0 902-665-2995 Fax: 902-665-4899 areynold_at_nsar.library.ns.ca http://www.valleylibrary.ca
2011 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award Committee
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:30:42 -0700
Hi, Angela--
As a central selector, I too receive these same requests...mostly, I find m yself straddling the line between the starred review/professionally acclaim ed materials for children and what my colleagues (myself included) would co nsider 'junk food'. There's no question that the commercial/TV-based/Disney stuff drives circulation. The materials budget is limited so I weigh many factors when purchasing specific titles. Often, I ask colleagues for feedba ck. In the end, I buy many titles I wouldn't personally read at all. I thin k it makes for a more diverse collection.
I've been a public library book buyer for 6 years...and most of the censors hip I've witnessed has sadly, originated from professional librarians. I un derstand where they are coming from. However, it's our duty to override per sonal filters and biases. As far as library selection goes, censorship is a slippery slope. And I can't even say I'm not guilty of censoring...one cou ld argue that what I don't buy is censorship.
Last year, SLJ had an excellent piece called, "A Dirty Little Secret: Self- Censorship" http://www.slj.com/slj/articles/censorship/856811-341/a_dirty_l ittle_secret_self-censorship.html.csp That really explored the underbelly of professional librarian selection.
Earlier on this listserv, someone mentioned how much she disliked "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" and I'd wager she isn't alone. When that book first hit the shelves, I recall some of my colleagues saying how disturbing they found it, how they wouldn't buy it, etc. Thank god some libraries bought i t...because when a book is that disturbing, you have to explore why and you have to discuss it openly. We all have our own comfort range for reading m aterial.
OTOH, sometimes colleagues calling attention to a title is a good thing...s o many libraries buy books sight unseen these days. As one poster already s aid, we can't possibly read them all...there have been several instances wh en another librarian has said, hey, you need to take a look at this. They j ust might be right on the money. Even with the current trend toward central selection, public library collection development is still a team effort.
Celeste Steward Collection Development Librarian IV Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 (510)745-1586
Message-----
From: Angela J Reynolds
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:58 AM To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu Subject:
Being professional with books
Megan's comment "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." is well said, and something I have to remember often. I get many requests for books that will never get good reviews - the Barbie easy readers and the Dora the Explorer books (and other TV based paperbacks). But they are popular, and they will likely get some child to actually enjoy books. I always hope for that, anyway, as I grudgingly purchase another copy of the latest pink sparkly thing or humanized vehicle book. It is even harder when I get requests for books that truly are awful-- the illustrations are sub-par, the writing is terrible, but they fit someone's idea of a needed book. When the coffers are full, these books are much easier to purchase than when times are lean. In a small community such as ours, people will often ask WHY? when I say no to a request. I have my own methods of determining if I will purchase or not, and I really do make an effor t to keep my biases out of the equation. My question to you all ... how do you decide?
Angela J. Reynolds, Head of Youth Services Annapolis Valley Regional Library P.O. Box 640, 26 Bay Road Bridgetown, NS CANADA B0S 1C0 902-665-2995 Fax: 902-665-4899 areynold_at_nsar.library.ns.ca http://www.valleylibrary.ca
2011 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award Committee
---Received on Tue 28 Sep 2010 01:30:42 PM CDT
