Arly

Rural Libraries Conference: Photos

I didn't take many photos from my time at the conference, but here are a few
that I managed to snap. (After all, I was busy learning!)

I managed to snap a photo of a sign for the Rural Libraries Conference and the sign right next to it: GVSU's Master of Social Work hooding ceremony. Why? Well, if I had stayed in my previous career, I would've been pursuing a MSW. It was an interesting moment when I saw the two signs side by side...made me think of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Rural Libraries Conference: Day 2

Day 2 of the Rural Libraries Conference is now officially complete and I cannot even begin to adequately explain about how wonderful it was and the fun I had while learning more about the LIS field.

This morning's keynote session, Powerful Interactions: Taking Inspiration from Small and Rural Libraries, was presented by Saroj Ghoting an Early Literacy Consultant -- it was so packed full of interesting and useful that I didn't want it to end. Here are some of the notes I scribbled down in my notebook:

• A common theme between small and rural libraries -- besides serving diverse communities -- is the number of partners and collaborative projects within their communities. Ghoting showed a graph that indicated that the small and rural library has almost double the partners/connections with their community than their suburban and urban counterparts.
• I need to check out the book Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Massee.
• Librarians are social entrepreneurs. 
• A statistic from the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS): 57% of libraries service a population of 10,000 or less.
• In Michigan, that would be a Class 3 agency or smaller. 
• Class 3 = 7,000 - 11,999
• Her presentation touched on two facets to early literacy emergence: learning to decode + reading is understanding the meaning.
• Singing text actually slows down the language which helps kids to learn the soft sounds of the words.
• The whole room of about 200+ read aloud the text of the Itsy Bitsy Spider. It went relatively fast.
• Next, the whole group sang aloud the same text. It went much slower. 
• It's more important for the interaction around the book to be positive rather than long. 
• A book is a discussion starter.
• Factual books actually tend to produce more interaction and discussion; however, parents/teachers/caregivers need to mix it up. 
• A toddler at the age of 2 will know 5x's as many words than their counterparts who've been spoken to only a little. 
• On a budget (aren't we all)? Consider creating your own magnetic literacy toy by using laminated pictures with magnets glued to the back and cookie sheets! (I loved this idea.) 
• I also loved the idea of hanging different mirrors with an emotion on the endcaps -- kids will love making faces in the mirror!

My break-out sessions were as follows: Digital Resources and the Rural Library: Not as Simple as It Seems presented by Dr. Robert P. Holley, Got GLBT? presented by Melanie Earley, and Thingamabobs and Doodads: Tech Support IS Reference presented by Holly Hibner and Mary Kelly.

Digital Resources and the Rural Library: Not as Simple as It Seems

• This session touched on a lot of the concepts and topics that Dr. Holley presented in his Collection Development class. 
• Having the opportunity to see Dr. Holley actually present really made me wish I would've taken a face-to-face class rather than just online format. (He has a great sense of humor which is difficult to fully appreciate online.) 
• Many of the databases in which libraries subscribe might contain content that would never be considered for purchase if it was in print format. 
• Also worth considering: digital resources might consist of content that was previously weeded by the library.
• Memorable Dr. Holley quote: "One of the major points -- Amazon wants to take over the world."
• Participant point: "Digital resources can provide opportunities to access to information that wasn't previously available in Large Print format."

Got GLBT?

• Great presentation! It was mostly a literature survey and review. Free books were available thanks to generous publishers. 
• I was very disappointed by how few people attended this session. The 'why' questions -- why didn't they attend -- currently bumping around in my head actually make me feel sick and dizzy. 

Thingamabobs and Doodads: Tech Support IS Reference

• These ladies could have a comedy show. Highly entertaining! 
• Mary Kelly quotes:
• "I do everything at my library including moving the dead deer out of the parking lot before story time."
• "We are bartenders with books instead of booze."

Another passion of mine: library architecture. I got a complete charge out of looking through the design books of architect Alyce D. Riemenschneider -- she reworked and refreshed a butchered Carnegie Library and the photos gave me goosebumps. I plan on following her work by touring libraries in which she has redesigned and built. (Note: she's merging with Quinn Evans Architects.)

I'm off to dinner...

A Corporate Bully

If you thought bullies existed primarily in schools: think again. The retail-giant, Amazon.com, is the epitome of a bully. A corporate bully.

The Frankfurt Book Fair, via Facebook, shared an interesting article titled Amazon.com trying to wring deep discounts from publishers. (Also included is a humorous parody of Amazon's logo -- sporting a tail and horns.)

This touches on an article in which Dr. Holley shared in LIS 7340 (Collection Development) last spring/summer term which was similar to this piece: On Amazon, buy buttons still off for some Macmillan titles.

Meeting Mein Kampf

A young JC..

The Preamble of the United States Constitution cites several rationales for the creation of the document -- among the reasons: "[to] secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." Enter intellectual freedom. Under the first amendment of our beloved Constitution, Americans are granted not only the freedom to express their views (excluding slander and libel), but to read what they wish to read. In the context of libraries, specifically the public variety for the purposes of this essay, efforts made to thwart library patrons from reading and/or having access to certain material(s) is deemed as censorship -- a threat to intellectual freedom and the first amendment.

My fascination with intellectual freedom and censorship began not when I entered library school, but rather during the tumultuous years of my adolescence. It initially began as a pseudo-experiment in a suburban public library involving an infamous book and evolved into something much bigger. Perhaps my fascination could be attributed to teenage rebellion and testing of boundaries rather than a budding love for the field of library and information science -- regardless of my underlying motive, I was intrigued and still am...

The Ramblings of a Dead Man
After learning about the mere existence of the controversial book Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler at school, I headed to my local public library in order to find it. Not only did I want to read the book for myself and attempt to understand why it was so controversial, but I wanted to see if I would be allowed to check the book out. Using the library's newly computerized catalog, I did a basic search and located the book on my own without involving staff. I sat down at a table out of view of possible prying eyes and began quickly leafing through the book.

At that very moment in my life, being both naive and somewhat limited in historical knowledge, I was searching for text that could possibly cause a parent or teacher to become upset and disapprove -- such as glaring obscenities. Nothing jumped out -- to my juvenile eyes, the book consisted of nothing but the long ramblings of a dead man. I walked to the circulation desk and proceeded to produce my library card for the clerk.

Possible Outcomes
Based on policy set by the library and even the personal beliefs of the clerk working the circulation desk, there are a number of possible outcomes to the anecdote in which I purposely left hanging. The following paragraphs will propose several possible outcomes:

Outcome (1)
Handing my card to the clerk, she takes a look at me and realizes that I am the daughter of Russ and Diana. In scanning the barcode on the book, the clerk takes a look at the cover and states, "I know your parents. We play golf together and I know they wouldn't approve of you reading this book." The clerk refuses to continue the transaction and places the book on a cart behind the circulation desk for re-shelving by a library page. Feeling embarrassed and dejected, I leave the library and head for home.

Outcome (2)
Handing my card to the clerk, she scans the barcode and glances at the computer screen. In a blink of an eye, she is walking away from the desk and going into the back office from where she reappears with an authoritative-looking woman. It is explained to me that based on the library's policy, patrons under the age of 18 are not allowed to check out materials from the adult collection. Feeling embarrassed and dejected, I leave the library and head for home.

Outcome (3)
Handing my card to the clerk, she smiles at me and inquires if I found everything in which I was looking during my visit. I smile back, "Yes, thank you." She scans the barcode on the book and promptly reminds me of the due date. I put away my library card as the clerk smiles, yet again, while wishing me a good evening. Surprised at my luck, I leave the library before she has a chance to change her mind.

Discussion
The Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz defines in loco parentis as a Latin phrase meaning, "'in place of a parent,' usually a person who temporarily assumes parental authority." In the case of outcome (1), the clerk is acting in loco parentis  by deciding what content the patron should or should not be accessing. Outcome (2) depicts the library director and clerk abridging services to a patron based on age. While the spirit of library staff might be to "protect" a child or young adult -- in actuality they are infringing upon the patron's right to intellectual freedom as provided by the First Amendment of the Constitution as well as violating Article V of the Library Bill of Rights. Also to be considered, what is offensive to one person or culture might not be to another.

Article V of the Library Bill of Rights as developed by the American Library Association posits, "A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views." The ALA offers an interpretation of the Article:

The "right to use a library" includes free access to, and unrestricted use of, all the services, materials, and facilities the library has to offer. Every restriction on access to, and use of, library resources, based solely on the chronological age, educational level, literacy skills, or legal emancipation of users violates Article V...Children and young adults unquestionably possess First Amendment rights, including the right to receive information through the library in print, non-print, or digital format. Constitutionally protected speech cannot be suppressed solely to protect children or young adults from ideas or images a legislative body believes to be unsuitable for them. Librarians and library governing bodies should not resort to age restrictions in an effort to avoid actual or anticipated objections, because only a court of law can determine whether material is not constitutionally protected.

Furthermore, Vaillancourt (2000) helps break down the intellectual freedom discussion by offering three points to consider: (1) It is up to the child and his or her parent to determine what material is appropriate for him or her; (2) The librarian may not impose his or her own personal or moral views on people seeking information; (3) Individual parents cannot speak for any children but their own.

Opinion
Many libraries include a statement of responsibility on their patron applications, such as the application used by Oxford Public Library, which states, "I accept responsibility for materials borrowed on the library card issued from this application. Responsibility for the choice of materials rests with the person(s) whose signature(s) appear the signature lines below and not with the library system or its staff." The application includes two signature lines: one for the parent/guardian and the second for the minor child.

When dealing with an ethical dilemma, the situation is never straightforward; therefore, I find it imperative that libraries take a proactive stance by implementing a statement of responsibility for patron applications similar to the practice at Oxford Public Library. Initiative should not stop there; librarians need to take time to talk with parents and guardians to educate them about the library’s mission, roles, and limitations when it comes to their children’s needs and access to information. The American Library Association developed and amended the Library Bill of Rights for good reason and professionals have an obligation to align themselves.

The Outcome
According to Vaillancourt (2000):

Teens are often interested in controversial topics. Subjects such as sexuality, religion, drug and alcohol use, music, philosophy, and psychology are often explored for the first time during adolescence. Reading and talking about these issues allows teens to discover how they feel about things, which leads to an understanding of who they are on a variety of levels. It is essential to healthy development.

Fortunately, my anecdote concludes with outcome (3) -- I was able to check out Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler without issue or even an obviously raised eyebrow. As a relatively naive fourteen year old, I found Mein Kampf to be unremarkable and a complete chore to read cover to cover -- which I did. Also fortunate, I cannot cite a single instance of being thwarted while browsing or checking out materials from the adult collection. In the past when I inquired at the reference desk for assistance with school projects, I was always shown both juvenile and adult materials which, by the way, were shelved in different areas of the library. I am pleased to say that the library's philosophy and practices aligned with the Library Bill of Rights.

Note: I would like to let the record reflect that I've re-read Mein Kampf and found it to be disturbing and still tedious to read (in the context of being full of ramblings). Currently, I am working on a case study for LIS 7790 (History of Books, Printing, and Publishing) which focuses on the publication history of the book. Hopefully, this time next year, I will be researching the topic of Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Issues During the Third Reich (think: clandestine publishing, underground libraries, the Nazi book burnings of 1933, the banned book list, and textbook censorship).

Sources

• American Library Association. (2011). Free access to libraries for minors: an interpretation of the library bill of rights. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/freeaccesslibraries
• American Library Association. (1996). Library bill of rights. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm
• Oxford Public Library. (2011). Application for smart card. Oxford, MI: OPL
• Reitz, J.M. (2010). Online dictionary for library and information science. Retrieved from http://www.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/about.aspx
• Vaillancourt, R.J. (2000). Bare bones young adult services: Tips for public library generalists. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

30Y.30L Tour (#25): Bad Axe Area District Library

Image by Andy Thompson

On Wednesday, January 11, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mimi Herrington, director of Bad Axe Area District Library.

Like Nartker (director of SDL), Herrington has consistently been a go-to person for asking questions pertaining to the LIS-field. For example, just last summer Herrington provided me with the BAADL's collection development policy which put LIS 7340 (taught by Dr. Holley) into rural library terms for me.

My connection to BAADL: When I was working in Huron County as Shelter Operations Manager / Legal Advocate (and interim Executive Director, for a spell), I was putting in incredibly long hours. The distance between my home and work was 40 miles. By the time I was back in Sandusky, the local library would often be closed; therefore, I opted to procure borrowing privileges from BAADL which was based on an annual fee. The fee of $40.00 was well worth it to me as I would no longer feel guilty about using the library's services for free. Thus BAADL became my library away from home, allowing me a quiet place to work on homework and projects before heading home to unwind. Since leaving my post in order to focus on graduate school, I still frequent BAADL as a place to study and use the library's collection for projects (e.g. LIS 6510 with Suzanne Todd).

Location
As the library's name hints, BAADL is located in the City of Bad Axe, Michigan which is the county seat of Huron County. For those not familiar with the area, Huron County is located at the tip of the Thumb -- a peninsula of a peninsula. From my home library (Sandusky District Library), BAADL is 35 miles northwest or about 45 minutes. From Purdy-Kresge Library, home of the School of Library and Information Science, BAADL is 112 miles north or about 2.5 hours.

The library is located just off of Huron Avenue -- next to the court house, City Hall, and Bad Axe Police Department.

Service Area, Size, and Operating Budget
Bad Axe Area District Library serves the Bad Axe school district which is compromised of the following townships: Bingham (portions), Colfax, Grant, Lincoln, Meade, Verona, and Sheridan. The population for the area is between 6,400 - 6,600 giving the library a Class 2 designation.

According to the Library of Michigan, a Class 2 library serves a population of 4,000 to 6,999 and needs to:

• Be open a minimum of 20 hours per week;
• Employ (at least 20 hours per week) a director with at least a Level 4 certificate.

Facts and Relevant Figures:

• Operating budget: $248,000
• BAADL has a staff of 7 -- one of which is full-time (the director)
•  36,000: number of items in the collection
• 73,000: annual circulation which is up from last year
• 56: number of hours open to the public each week

About the Director
When Mimi was home visiting the area from Chicago, she saw an ad in the paper for an opening with Bad Axe Area District Library. Longtime director, Marilyn Berry, was retiring. "It planted a seed in my head," said Herrington. "It's such a great job: being up late grading papers versus being the director of a beautiful library." Mimi has been director since September 2003.

Like many librarians, Herrington was in the education field for several years before entering the LIS field. (Even before her years as a teacher, Mimi practiced law!)

Favorite parts of the job: "Successful children's programming...seeing the excitement...a really good book club -- everyone has read the book...watching them get into the book and characters. Watching children read and learn."

Favorite review sources: Publishers Weekly and Booklist.  (Note: Mimi got me addicted to PW. I get so excited reading about trends and upcoming books!)

Advice to those entering the profession: "I'm very glad I had my legal and education background. It's been so helpful to me. I feel really comfortable. Take an array of classes...stay well-rounded. You see all aspects of society."

Notes and Observations

• Elimination of the personal property tax will cut about $100,000 in revenue to 6 Huron County libraries. Putting it into local terms, its the equivalent to a 10% cut or eliminating 1 service day.
• During Mimi's first month on the job, an issue with the library's insurance popped up. Thanks to her background in law, she was able to quickly and comfortably draft a memo to an attorney to have the issue resolved.
• The library participates in the New Parent project (Huron Medical Center) by supplying the kit with information about the library and its services to babies and families. 
• A rarity worth noting, Bad Axe Area District Library has had excellent collaboration with the schools in the area! Every fall students visit and are provided with a library orientation. Mimi has given presentations to teachers about Michigan e-Library and the many resources available to them as well as administered surveys to students about their various library needs and interests.
• BAADL has a janitor that works 6 days a week for about 2 hours a day at keeping the library looking pristine and beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
• Youth and young adult non-fiction items are shelved with the adult non-fiction collection. Orange dots on the spine labels help patrons identify youth materials.
• Interesting reference questions:
  (1) When MeLcat was likely new on the scene, the library received a phone call from an out-of-area woman looking for a specific dessert recipe. BAADL had the cookbook, copied, and faxed the recipe to the woman's home library.
  (2) An author writing a book was researching bank robberies committed in the 1960s -- specifically looking for information about a blown safe.
  (3) Research was conducted by several local authors including Jacki Howard, author of The Thumb Pointed Fingers, and Richard W. Carson, author of Murder in the Thumb.
  (4) Locating a wedding announcement from 1963 for a 50th wedding anniversary party. 
• Special collections: Tumblebooks, cemetery records, local history, Bad Axe Historical Society books and records, BAHS yearbooks, microfilm collection, Golden Jubilee, and the Wall of Flame. 
• My favorite quote from interviewing Mimi: [About her library job] "I never get that pit in my stomach on Sunday nights."

Technology Tool Chest

Since starting library school in spring of 2010, I been able to experiment and play with different sources of technology. Among my favorites:

Jing: First introduced to me this semester in LIS 7420: Client-Based Website Development. Jing is a free software that can capture images and video on your computer. For a project, I used this software to create an instructional video on how to use MeLCat to interloan a book.

Googledocs: This was first introduced to me in my third semester via LIS 7040: Library Administration and Management. Google hosts online applications that can create word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, drawings and tables. Since winter term 2010, I have used this application every semester for group collaboration (LIS 7340, LIS 6510, and LIS 7560).

Google Wave: This application was first introduced to me during my first semester of library school in LIS 6010: Introduction to the Information Profession. My group used this application to collaborate ideas and content for a ethical scenario. Later, I introduced this application professionally when working on a federal grant with a consultant whom was based out of Okemos.

Dropbox: Like Google Wave, this online data storage was first introduced to me during my first semester of library school in LIS 6010. My group used this application to store our individual segments of a movie we created.

Blabberize: Also introduced to me during my first semester of library school, my group used this fun application to add voice-over to images of various animals for an ethical scenario skit. I also used this application to create an introductory video for LIS 6080.

Filezilla: This free FTP program was first introduced to me in LIS 6080, but I didn't actually use it until LIS 7420 for uploading html and css files to the server.


An oldie, but a goodie from fall of 2010...
Instead of a traditional, "Hi, my name is JC" video, I created monster using Blabberize and an application by AMC MadmenYourself.

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky

In my children's literature class (LIS 6510) with Suzanne Todd, we are covering stereotypes in children's literature. Via a discussion earlier today, I was reminded of an assignment I worked on last semester for collection development with Dr. Holley. The assignment required us to survey and analyze several review sources and give our impressions without doing outside research until the very end of the assignment. It was a pseudo-experiment! Since I am studying public libraries and services to children and young adults (see "about me" for an explanation), I chose to evaluate a collection of reviews for the children's book Brother Eagle, Sister Sky by Susan Jeffers. The following post contains some of my observations and opinions from various parts of the assignment -- to fully understand my commentary, please read the linked articles by Murray and Fry.

Article: The Little Green Lie by Mary Murray (BusinessWeek, 10.29.2007) 

My Stance: Due to the fact that many of the reviews mentioned that the text had been adapted, and several pointedly state that the text bears no resemblance to Chief Seattle's original speech, I was not completely surprised reading this article. Considering that a few of the more detailed reviews openly classified Jeffers's book as "nonfiction," my feeling is mostly disgust directed at the public, who seemed to be more caught up in the "achingly beautiful" pictures rather than the truth and fidelity of the book. If a parent stumbled upon a review of Jeffers' book that classed it as an factual, juvenile non-fiction piece, they wouldn't likely bat an eyelash. The more I ponder this, the more angry I get!

Article: Translation Loses True Meaning by Donn Fry (The Seattle Times: Entertainment & the Arts, 8.22.1993)

My Stance: I actually laughed when I read this commentary. Does Jeffers', her attorney, and publisher have no shame? Perhaps I am a bit naive, but it truly seems that they are in it for the money. I wonder how many people read this article in the Seattle Times and Mary Murray's piece. What is even more frustrating, beyond the producer modifying the credit, is the notion that people did not fact check and readily devoured garbage!

After concluding the experiment, I browsed the ever-popular social media site, goodreads, and was taken by a review posted by Lynne in February of 2009 which is quite similar to the SLJ review:

Author, Susan Jeffers, wrote Brother Eagle, Sister Sky with an environmental theme in mind. I believe that her purpose was to pay respect to Native Americans and their connection with the land. With that said I feel that Jeffers missed the mark with this text and contributed to furthering Native American stereotypes.

Jeffers's illustrations perpetuate the Indian stereotype by including images of people dressed in feathers, headdresses, and fringed animal skins. In addition, Jeffers does not distinguish dress of customs between tribes represented in the text. I would not recommend using this text in our outside of a classroom. While it may have a moving environmental message in it, I am sure other texts could more appropriate deliver the message.

In doing a further bit of web-browsing, I stumbled upon an interesting blog titled American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL), which cited an evaluative piece by Paul Chaat Smith. Here is an excerpt from Smith's work:

Indians have been erased from the Master Narrative of this country, and replaced by the cartoon images that all of us know and most of us believe. At different times the narrative has said we didn't exist and the land was empty, then it was mostly empty and populated by fearsome savages, then populated by noble savages who couldn't get with the program, and on and on. Today the equation is Indian equals spiritualism and environmentalism. In twenty years it will probably be something else.

The more I read about this book, the even less inclined I feel to purchase the item for my "pseudo-library." Note: I never felt that this book would be an appropriate purchase for a small, rural public library due to the fact that there is no instruction/follow-up like there would be in a classroom setting.

Millage, Wheat, and Grades

First off, I have been delayed in blogging this; however, I would like to send my congratulations to both Troy Public Library and Benzie Shores District Library. The millage for both libraries past earlier this week! Cathy Russ, the director of TPL, posted a note on the library's website: A New Chapter for Troy Library -- please take a moment to give it a read.

The 2011 wheat harvest is officially over. Due to the cold and wet spring, our yield was lower than anticipated; however, every little bit helps and, as usual, being a former suburbanite, I thoroughly enjoyed the agriculture adventure. I am quite curious to see how the soybeans end up yielding later this fall. Farming subsidizes extra expenses incurred while in library school: books, travel, field trips.

This past winter term, I noted that the B+ in cataloging (LIS 6210) broke my 4.0 GPA. Final grades for spring/summer 2011 term and I received a 4.0 in collection development (LIS 7340). My cumulative GPA is now a 3.88. Graduating with a MLIS + graduate certificate with a GPA of 3.9-something will just have to suffice, my friends.

PC Term for Hoarders?

An LIS-related joke recently cracked via Facebook:
"Collection Development? Is that the new politically correct term for hoarders?"

That is a good one, but not quite. Without a collection development policy, a library could easily turn into a hoarding center.

According to Joan M. Reitz, author of the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science, the definition of collection development is: "The process of planning and building a useful and balanced collection of library materials over a period of years, based on an ongoing assessment of the information needs of the library's clientele, analysis of usage statistics, and demographic projections, normally constrained by budgetary limitations. Collection development includes the formulation of selection criteria, planning for resource sharing, and replacement of lost and damaged items, as well as routine selection and deselection decisions."

Reitz also offers on the subject, "Large libraries and library systems may use an approval plan or blanket order plan to develop their collections. In small- and medium-sized libraries, collection development responsibilities are normally shared by all the librarians, based on their interests and subject specializations, usually under the overall guidance of a written collection development policy."

School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) course description for Collection Development (LIS 7340): http://slis.wayne.edu/cour​ses/lis_7340.pdf

On Intellectual Freedom

ALA: Frequently Challenged Book/Series

"Does the public believe in intellectual freedom?"

There is a difference between believing and knowing. I think the public knows the concept; however, they are likely to be unfamiliar with the term "intellectual freedom" since it is LIS lingo.

I think it is safe to say that the majority of Americans have some concept of their First Amendment Rights, but might give a quizzical look if the term "intellectual freedom" was dropped during a cocktail party.

Noam Chomsky: "If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."

If a person truly believed in intellectual freedom, they would be supportive of expression of alternative points of view. Please note that they need not agree with the point of view... 

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- Evelyn Beatrice Hall under the pseudonym S.G. Tallentyre (Friends of Voltaire, 1906).   

 

(Photo by Birchfield Studio, 2011)

Conquered: The Help

Last night I continued reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett until well after midnight. When I put the book down for the night, I had 66 pages left. Of course, first thing this morning I finished up the book.

I have many thoughts on Stockett's work, but cannot devote the time right now as I am focusing on wrapping up the semester and writing essays for my collection development exam. One of those thoughts: I am inspired. Hopefully, later this week, I will have time to review my reading notes and attempt to put something somewhat intelligent together.

Until then...happy reading!

Access to Minors

An excerpt from my latest essay on intellectual freedom which will be uploaded to my Academia Webpage soon:

The fifth article of the Library Bill of Rights, penned by the American Library Association, posits: "A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.  The interpretation of the article focuses on every citizen's First Amendment rights, which not only includes adults, but also children and young adults.  When selecting materials, librarians exhibiting either of Fiske's forms of censorship, conscious or subconscious, are abridging services to all patrons, regardless of age, and are in violation of not only the Library Bill of Rights but also the American Library Association's Code of Ethics.  Specifically, the second principle which states, "We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources."  And lastly, the seventh principle states, "We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources."  

In other words, the ALA believes that regardless of a librarian's personal views about providing access to the adult Holocaust materials, he/she has an obligation to the profession to provide equitable and unabridged access to information: assisting the patron with their information needs (the scenario).  What the scenario fails to consider is the availability of electronic databases geared specifically towards young adult populations.  Furthermore, when it comes to access to information, a librarian should not supersede the child's parent or guardian.  Many libraries include a statement of responsibility on their patron applications, such as the application used by Oxford Public Library, which states, "I accept responsibility for materials borrowed on the library card issued from this application.  Responsibility for the choice of materials rests with the person(s) whose signature(s) appear the signature lines below and not with the library system or its staff."  The application includes two signature lines: one for the parent/guardian and the second for the minor child.

A librarian practicing young adult librarianship in a suburban community stated:

I believe that all people, including teens, should be afforded the same level of access to read what they want and/or need.  In your scenario, I am not that girl's parent and so it is not my choice or place to censor what she reads.  I talk to my teens and their parents (if they are present) and tell them that if there's content in a book that they're uncomfortable with, they always have the option of closing the book and not finishing it.  We can find something else that will work for them. If the teen's parent was with her and objected to content in the books we have, I would certainly explain that s/he (the parent) has the choice to allow his/her child to read or not to read the information and offer other materials in our library, if they are available, or through ILL, if they are not.

I do not have a problem showing a thirteen-year-old adult books on the Holocaust.  It's history.  It's an uncomfortable subject, but it's an important one.  People need to remember their history in order not to repeat it.

(Footnote: A summary of Fiske's study can be found in the following article:

Niosi, Andrea E. An investigation of censorship and selection in southern California public libraries. Public Libraries, 37 (5), 310-315.)

Forgiveness

This morning, I caught up on my discussion board reading for my collection development class. One of the discussions broached the notion of library fine/fee forgiveness periods and a classmate stated that her agency collected nearly 40k in uncollected fines. Holy cats!

Geek

I am in need of a few days of focused work at a library in order to wrap a few projects for collection development. Which library shall I visit? Choices, choices...

Cockroaches and Fraud

Public Domain photo by Shari Weinsheimer

Seeking another source for definitions for my collection development class, beyond my textbook, I stumbled upon the definition of cockroaches in the Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz and had a giggle.

Reitz defines the pests as:

A very common nocturnal beetle-like insect of the genus Blatta, dark brown in color and of comparatively large size, known for its voraciousness and affinity for human habitations. It prefers kitchens where it multiplies rapidly if sufficient food is available. Cockroaches also feed on paste and glue and will chew through the binding of a book to get to it. They also excrete a dark-staining liquid that can be difficult to remove. The best way to prevent infestation is to prohibit food and drink near library collections. According to Jane Greenfield (The Care of Fine Books, Nick Lyons Books, 1988), boric acid powder sprinkled lightly on the shelves around books also discourages cockroaches. Click here to learn more about cockroaches and how to control them, courtesy of the University of Rhode Island.

For this week's discussion questions, I found an interesting article on library fraud relevant to collection development: $500K library fraud nets jail.

The Secret Garden

1911 Edition. Project Gutenberg Photo.

For LIS 7340, my group just wrapped up the Collection Development Policy assignment in which we wrote several policies for a rural public library. I enjoyed the assignment and walked away feeling much more confident in my policy writing abilities.

Next up, two individual assignments: a book selection exercise and an opinion paper on a censorship/collection development issue.

Saturday, I visited Sandusky District Library's Geek the Library booth at the Thumb Festival. Glad to see the library in the spotlight!

Later last week, I used a search tool recommended by Dr. Holley, used.addall.com, to look for an early edition of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I stumbled upon a 1915 Heinemann edition in which I ordered from the UK.

A quote from The Secret Garden:

One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever. One knows it sometimes when one gets up at the tender solemn dawn-time and goes out and stands out and throws one's head far back and looks up and up and watches the pale sky slowly changing and flushing and marvelous unknown things happening until the East almost makes one cry out and one's heart stands still at the strange unchanging majesty of the rising of the sun--which has been happening every morning for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. One knows it then for a moment or so. And one knows it sometimes when one stands by oneself in a wood at sunset and the mysterious deep gold stillness slanting through and under the branches seems to be saying slowly again and again something one cannot quite hear, however much one tries. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with the millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in someone's eyes.

And a quote from Burnett in which I adore:

If nature has made you a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart. And though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that.

Bubbles

Blogging from my bookish hideout at Oxford Public Library...

Loving LIS 7340!

A classmate in my collection development class, taught by Dr. Robert Holley, raised a really good discussion point: due to the customization and personalization of the current Internet environment, she is unlikely to stumble upon books and materials outside of her interest. Think: Amazon.Com's recommendations. (An interesting concept!)

My classmate's point got me thinking about an interesting link that Dr. Scout Calvert shared a few weeks ago, via the SLIS listserv, to a presentation by Eli Pariser titled "Beware online 'filter bubbles'." TEDTalks describes the presentation:

As web companies strive to tailor their services (including news and search results) to our personal tastes, there's a dangerous unintended consequence: We get trapped in a "filter bubble" and don't get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview. Eli Pariser argues powerfully that this will ultimately prove to be bad for us and bad for democracy.

Take a moment to check it out...


(Thank you, Scout!)

Lepo Pozdravljeni

Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR

Lepo pozdravljeni! (Readership in Slovenia is up.) Guten Morgen! (As well as in Deutschland.) Goedemorgen! (And the Netherlands, too.)

I am thoroughly enjoying the book review assignment in my collection development class -- so much, in fact, I plan on doing both reviews (youth and adult). The extra exposure will be beneficial since those working in rural libraries do a bit of everything. Here is the language for the assignment:

Compare and contrast a set of book reviews on the same book. (Those that have chosen the youth services packet should also evaluate the supplementary material and its relevance to the book reviews. The two final documents in the packet are not book reviews but articles about the book.) Evaluate the usefulness of these reviewing sources for libraries in general and specifically for your type of library.

This morning, I had a dream nightmare about my childhood bedroom. Totally book related! In the nightmare, stacks of books were scattered throughout the room. Some stacks were waist high and others just consisted of a few books. Slithering on the floor, between the stacks, were three snakes: white, green, and brown. Just before waking up, I was contemplating on using books to kill the snakes, but couldn't bear the thought.

Spring and Summer Term

Enjoying the sunshine...

Today marks the first day of class for the Spring/Summer term -- I am taking LIS 7340: Collection Development and Selection of Materials with Dr. Robert Holley. A brief blurb about on the course (taken from the SLIS website):

Philosophy, principles and procedures for provision of materials and a collection that will meet the needs of the library's clientele. Concepts and procedures of community study, intellectual freedom, evaluation of materials, the use of selection aids and an introduction to the publishing world.

And a workshop in Lansing that I just registered for...

Hopefully, a post with more substance soon...I am intrigued by the recordable storybooks offered by Hallmark, but you will likely get a history lesson on the Nazi Book Burnings.

And I leave you with music from The 30 Day Music Challenge (via Facebook):

Day 18: Music that you wish you heard on the radio