Tag: school libraries

School Library Journal

The School Library Journal’s Survey on Weeding: An Analysis

The School Library Journal’s survey on children’s/YA collection development and weeding, published this past June, paints the picture one would expect: circulation of print materials was down 73%, circulation of ebooks was up 91%, and both public and school libraries decided to purchase more digital materials. However, the report did contain at least one surprising piece of information: a “quarter of respondents…say their weeding criteria have changed over the last few years.” One reason for these changes? A growing “awareness of unconscious racial bias, inclusion and diversity.”

Michael Kirby Diversity, School Libraries
Oregon Battle of the Books sponsored by the Oregon Association of School Libraries

Alex Gino’s George and the Oregon Battle of the Books

Recently, Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) released its reading list for the 2018-2019 school year. On this list is the award winning middle grade novel George by Alex Gino. The story centers around a young transgender child, George, who was born a boy but knows she is a girl. The book tackles the difficult, and too often undiscussed, situations and emotions a young transgender child might experience. Many parents in Oregon have taken issue with this selection, saying that the book is not appropriate for the grade level for which it was chosen.

Rebecca Slocum Banned and Challenged Books, LGBTQIA+, School Libraries
authors Ellen Hopkins, Gayle Pitman, and e.E. Charlton-Trujillo speak about being disinvited from schools

Author, Please Come! Nevermind. Please Don’t.

Setting aside the fact that it’s just rude, rescinding an author’s invitation to speak because the content of their book is controversial is, in fact, censorship. The physical book may not be off the shelf, but the author’s message is still being stifled. One person is making a choice for the entire school community, that what this author has to say is not of value.

Rebecca Slocum Banned and Challenged Books, Censorship, School Libraries
Teens and Sexual Education

Interview with Kyle Marshall: Sex Education and Teens

One of the consistently controversial subjects in many cultures is sexuality and youth. To many, it invokes some disgusting subjects that I do not wish to think about, none-the-less write about. But, for teens themselves it is an important subject that they require access to truthful and honest information about. Some governments and parents feel as uncomfortable as I do about discussing these things, or may reduce the access to honest sexual education information that teens have in some ignorant desire to “protect.”

Kenneth Sawdon General Interest, Information Access
Just One Day

The Great Debate: What is “Appropriate” for Public School Libraries?

We come back to the question: what is ‘appropriate’ for public school libraries or libraries in general? It is more likely that this ongoing debate will never be solved.  For as long as libraries have collected materials to share with patrons, there is inevitably someone who wants to sanction the types of materials purchased and made accessible to the public. It remains our jobs as librarians, the disseminators of information, to uphold the ideals of intellectual freedom as well as encourage libraries to cultivate written collection development policies and procedures. A well balanced collection should have appeal to each and every patron. We must encourage the act of viewing a piece as a whole and not singling out words or scenes to devalue the novel as a collective entity.

Linsey Milillo Censorship, School Libraries