CCBC-Net Archives
RE: Sex/Sexuality: Weighing Quality and Visibilty
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Arethna, Armin <AArethna_at_ci.berkeley.ca.us>
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:01:48 +0000
I agree with Norma Jean, that " if the early books are not well reviewed, to buy/not buy should depend on the demand for the subject matter in the community."
Of course, our first preference would be for our patrons to be able to use a book that perfectly fits their need. However, sometimes books are just used as conversation starters or discussion pointers. The purpose that the book serves is just to introduce the topic - that is all the adult needs in order to start a conversation with their kid/kids. In that case, depending on demand for the subject matter in the community, and the availability (or non-availability) of materials, I would prefer to have a mediocre book on my shelf than no book at all. May be the child reading the book without an adult, may not get as much out of the book. But at least the patron goes home with one book in their bag to use for their purpose - and a little bit of hope that it will help.
Of course, if there are inaccuracies or misrepresentations in the book, I do not think I want it on my library shelves at all.
I'm enjoying the stimulating and thoughtful discussion. Thank you, CCBC community!
~Armin
Armin Arethna Children's librarian Berkeley Public Library
(510) 981-6223
From: Megan Schliesman [mailto:schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu] Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 6:55 AM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject: [ccbc-net] Sex/Sexuality: Weighing Quality and Visibilty
This message is from Miriam Lang Budin, who had trouble posting:
Like Megan, I am grateful to have colleagues with whom to discuss books I--for one reason or another--hesitate to add to our collection.
One of the recurring questions I struggle with is whether it is better to have a mediocre (or poor) book on a subject for which there is no other material than to have nothing at all.
To give a real-life example, I was immensely relieved and pleased to see MORRIS MICKLEWHITE AND THE TANGERINE DRESS by Christine Baldacchino at ALA MIdwinter. And the reason for that (apart from the fact that I think Baladacchino's book hits all the right notes concerning a boy who wants to wear a dress whenever he likes) is that our children's room had recently purchased a different book on the same subject which I thought was...let's just say "less successful."
Though the rest of the children's librarians on our staff persuaded me to keep the "less successful" book in our collection (we're still waiting for our order of MORRIS MICKLEWHITE to arrive) I am not entirely convinced that a bad book is better than no book at all.
I'd like to hear what others think about this.
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:01:48 +0000
I agree with Norma Jean, that " if the early books are not well reviewed, to buy/not buy should depend on the demand for the subject matter in the community."
Of course, our first preference would be for our patrons to be able to use a book that perfectly fits their need. However, sometimes books are just used as conversation starters or discussion pointers. The purpose that the book serves is just to introduce the topic - that is all the adult needs in order to start a conversation with their kid/kids. In that case, depending on demand for the subject matter in the community, and the availability (or non-availability) of materials, I would prefer to have a mediocre book on my shelf than no book at all. May be the child reading the book without an adult, may not get as much out of the book. But at least the patron goes home with one book in their bag to use for their purpose - and a little bit of hope that it will help.
Of course, if there are inaccuracies or misrepresentations in the book, I do not think I want it on my library shelves at all.
I'm enjoying the stimulating and thoughtful discussion. Thank you, CCBC community!
~Armin
Armin Arethna Children's librarian Berkeley Public Library
(510) 981-6223
From: Megan Schliesman [mailto:schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu] Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 6:55 AM To: ccbc-net, Subscribers of Subject: [ccbc-net] Sex/Sexuality: Weighing Quality and Visibilty
This message is from Miriam Lang Budin, who had trouble posting:
Like Megan, I am grateful to have colleagues with whom to discuss books I--for one reason or another--hesitate to add to our collection.
One of the recurring questions I struggle with is whether it is better to have a mediocre (or poor) book on a subject for which there is no other material than to have nothing at all.
To give a real-life example, I was immensely relieved and pleased to see MORRIS MICKLEWHITE AND THE TANGERINE DRESS by Christine Baldacchino at ALA MIdwinter. And the reason for that (apart from the fact that I think Baladacchino's book hits all the right notes concerning a boy who wants to wear a dress whenever he likes) is that our children's room had recently purchased a different book on the same subject which I thought was...let's just say "less successful."
Though the rest of the children's librarians on our staff persuaded me to keep the "less successful" book in our collection (we're still waiting for our order of MORRIS MICKLEWHITE to arrive) I am not entirely convinced that a bad book is better than no book at all.
I'd like to hear what others think about this.
-- Miriam Lang Budin Head of Children's Services Chappaqua Library, NY 2014 Chair ALSC Melcher & Bound to Stay Bound Scholarships Committee -- 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<mailto:schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu> www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/<http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/> My regular hours are T-F, 8-4:30. ==== CCBC-Net Use ==== You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: aarethna_at_ci.berkeley.ca.us<mailto:aarethna_at_ci.berkeley.ca.us>. To post to the list, send message to... ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu<mailto:ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu> To receive messages in digest format, send a blank message to... digest-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu<mailto:digest-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu> To unsubscribe, send a blank message to... leave-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu<mailto:leave-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu> ==== CCBC-Net Archives ==== The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members. The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion topics (including month/year) is available at... http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp To access the archives, go to... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net ...and enter the following when prompted... username: ccbc-net password: Look4Posts ==== CCBC-Net Use ==== You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: ccbc-archive_at_post.education.wisc.edu. To post to the list, send message to... ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu To receive messages in digest format, send a blank message to... digest-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu To unsubscribe, send a blank message to... leave-ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu ==== CCBC-Net Archives ==== The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members. The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion topics (including month/year) is available at... http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp To access the archives, go to... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net ...and enter the following when prompted... username: ccbc-net password: Look4PostsReceived on Tue 11 Mar 2014 01:02:11 PM CDT
