Pinterest for Public Libraries

Recently, a blog in which I follow -- Ideas from The School of Library and Information Science -- shared two posts written by Laura Brown on how public libraries can utilize the ever-popular Pinterest:

10 Ways that Public Libraries are Using Pinterest
10 More Ways that Public Libraries are Using Pinterest

(Thanks, Laura!)

Practicum

My practicum site has been arranged: Caro Area District Library. I start in September.

Very geeked...and yet quite nervous.

In other news, last night I attended a lecture at the Holocaust Memorial Center -- Hate Speech in Cyberspace -- by Dr. Jack Kay, Eastern Michigan University. Tomorrow, I am attending a workshop hosted by the Michigan Historical Society -- Copyright Issues for Historic Collections.

Adventures in the Z Class

Yesterday, I seized the day by visiting the Library of Michigan while I am still on break between semesters and got lost in the Z class for a few hours browsing my favorite topic: censorship and intellectual freedom.

Between interviewing directors and practicing librarians as well as reading a fabulous book titled True Stories of Censorship Battles in America's Libraries -- edited by Kathy Barco and Valerie Nye -- I seem to have a pretty good grasp on the patron-side of challenges and censorship which prompted me to explore materials from the view of  librarians that are actually pro-censorship. So...I picked up Censorship: Opposing Viewpoints and read Thomas Storck's essay titled, A Case for Censorship: Defending the Poor from the Jaded Rich. 

Needless to say, I was pretty floored and as a result ended up logging into Facebook to capture a sentence in the essay's introduction. My status update read, "There is something wrong with the following sentence: 'Storck, a librarian in Washington, D.C., insists that censorship can both prevent harmful acts and facilitate society's intellectual pursuit of truth.'"

Thomas Storck (1994) posits: 

"For, human nature being what it is, it is naive to think we can freely read and view things that promote or portray evil deeds without sometimes feeling encouraged to commit such deeds. And if this is the case, then censorship can sometimes be a necessity...[case for censorship]...It can be stated in the following simple thesis: ideas lead to actions, and bad ideas often lead to bad acts, bringing harm to individuals and possible ruin to societies. Just as the state has the right to restrict and direct a person's activities when he is a physical threat to the community, so also in the matter of intellectual or cultural threats, the authorities have duties to protect the community." (Pages 18-19)

Further... 

"The ideal censor is not some ill-educated, parochial bigot, but someone of liberal education and continued wide reading, someone with a grasp of first principles and enough experience and wisdom to see how they should be put into practice." (Page 23)

"A final point that must be noted is the connection between anti-censorship arguments and the free market...It is primarily the rich who promote and subsidize ideas and art that undermine traditional ways of life, and it is primarily the poor who suffer on that account. Society exists to protect and promote the welfare of all, but especially of the poor and the workingman. To exalt the free and irresponsible expression of the individual is to take up a position contrary to the community's duty of protecting the poor...Only those with sufficient money and ennui have the time or resources to produce ideas or art that corrupt or debase." (Page 23 - 24)

My thoughts...
I wholeheartedly concur with the sentiments of Lester Asheim -- "Selection seeks to protect the right of the reader to read; censorship seeks to protect—not the right—but the reader from himself from the fancied effects of his reading. The selector has faith in the intelligence of the reader; the censor has faith only in his own."

While some might be disgusted by the availability of a book they deem 'morally bankrupt', I align myself with good old Ranganathan and his 5 laws of library science -- specifically: (2) Every reader his (or her) book; and, (3) Every book its reader. We live in a free society and people have the right to read what they wish to read...and not be censored by some "well meaning" individual. I wholeheartedly believe that a good public library will truly have something to offend everyone...and if it doesn't...then it's someone's private library.

Rosenburg's First Law of Reading

My response to The Power of Young Adult Fiction published by The New York Times:

TIME magazine columnist, Joel Stein said, “The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy on the plane looking at pornography on his computer is seeing a guy on the plane reading ‘The Hunger Games.’ Or a Twilight book. Or Harry Potter. The only time I’m O.K. with an adult holding a children’s book is if he’s moving his mouth as he reads.” (Newsflash: you're a bully, Joel Stein.)

It’s really disheartening to know that grown adults are sometimes hesitant to pick up a book because others might judge them for reading something other than adult fiction. Judging a person based on what they read is petty and small – in fact, as library professionals, it is our ethical duty to uphold intellectual freedom and resist efforts to thwart access to materials based on age, sex, background, etc. I believe in the freedom to read -- be it children's fiction or erotica, if that's your cup of tea.

I couldn’t agree more with Rosenberg's First Law of Reading which states: "Never apologize for your reading tastes."

Author Patricia McCormick stated, “We’re competing with Facebook and smartphones, DVRs and iPods – not to mention SATs and extracurriculars. We have to capture and hold our readers’ (limited) attention on Page 1 and sustain it until the end.” And McCormick was only considering the YA spectrum – in this world of instant gratification, I am pleased to know that people are still reading. Who cares what they’re reading?! I only care that they are reading.

I not only appreciated, but wholeheartedly concurred with the following comments:

“It’s because adults are discovering one of publishing’s best-kept secrets: that young adult authors are doing some of the most daring work out there. Authors who write for young adults are taking creative risks – with narrative structure, voice and social commentary – that you just don’t see as often in the more rarefied world of adult fiction.” – Patricia McCormick, Authors Taking Risks Isn’t Kid Stuff.

“So what do regular adults see in young adult fiction? It's a different experience from reading, for example, literary fiction. Not better or worse, just different. The writing is different: young adult novels tend to emphasize strong voices and clear, clean descriptive prose, whereas a lot of literary fiction is very focused on style: dense, lyrical, descriptive prose, larded with tons of carefully observed detail, which calls attention to its own virtuosity rather than ushering the reader to the next paragraph with a minimum of fuss. That kind of writing can be marvelous, but sometimes you're just not in the mood for it…Bottom line, there's one thing that young adult novels rarely are, and that's boring. They're built to grab your attention and hold it. And I'm not as young as I once was. At my age, I don't have time to be bored.” – Lev Grossman, Nothing’s Wrong With Strong Plot and Characters.

And, writer Ilsa J. Bick:

“Really, what it comes down to? It’s the story. YA or not, if the story sucks, people won’t read it. If the story is great and just happens to be YA, people will. End of story.”

(To read Bick's full opinion, please visit her blog.)

This Week in Review

This has been a pretty crummy week with the untimely deaths of Pamela Mantey and Andrea Costa whom were both battling downright aggressive cases of cancer. As a result, I've been feeling pretty down in the dumps.

Here's an attempt to capture my bookish thoughts and actions from this week:

• Since Andrea is the daughter of a close family friend, RB and I will be making a donation to Eastpointe Memorial Library in her name for the youth department. 
• Ray Bradbury passed away on Tuesday at the age of 91. 
• Wednesday marked 68 years since the invasion of Normandy, France (aka D-Day).
• I have three possible sites for my practicum this fall -- now I'm left just to wait-and-see as to where I'll be assigned. Per SLIS policy, as a student I can only recommend -- the practicum coordinator has the final say.
• Frustration: Because I am interested in rural libraries, I'd like my practicum site to be in a rural community -- preferably in the Thumb area. Unfortunately, it's the policy of the SLIS that the supervising librarian hold an MLIS. Fact: the majority of rural librarians in this area do not have a MLIS (and in some cases not even a Bachelor's degree). 
• I am disappointed because to follow the policy means that I am deprived of the opportunity of interning under a number of very kind and rural experienced librarians who would love to share their knowledge and experience! 
• The 30Y.30L project really helped me network and talk to directors about the possibility of hosting my practicum.
• In this week's YA Lit lecture, instructor Sue Todd made the following statement when introducing a piece of literature to the class. She said, "This book is not for everyone, but it deserves a place on library shelves for those that may be dealing with these issues." I loved the statement and plan on incorporating it into my library-speak. Thanks, Sue!
• Historical fiction novels in verse helps to mix up and refresh a genre that is commonly labeled as "stuffy" with the tween and teen crowd. It also can engage the reluctant reader as well as inspire young people to learn more about historical events.
• Fact: my favorite genre is historical fiction. (Big surprise, right?!)
• Before Lit to Film Club this week, I met up with fellow MLIS candidate, Camille, and had dinner in downtown Rochester at the historic Red Knapp's Dairy Bar. It was great to finally meet her and the conversation was first rate: archives, books, and libraries. She attended Club with me!
• I didn't end up reading this month's selection for Lit to Film Club -- The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan. I read the first section on apples and felt incredibly guilty spending any amount of time reading for pleasure when I had a stack of books glaring at me for the YA Lit class I'm taking this term. 
• Yet I still attended the Club and found myself really getting into the documentary. When I have more time, I definitely plan on picking up the book again.
• For my YA Lit class, I had to select a different author to focus on for my project. Unfortunately, Veronica Roth is too new of an author and hasn't published five books as of yet. I am now focusing on Ursula K. Le Guin instead.
• I read the first two books in the Earthsea series last fall semester when I was taking LIS 7560: Vampires, Wizards, and Superheroes -- A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan.
• Over the past two weeks, I've worked my way through the series and actually started the last book yesterday afternoon -- The Other Wind.
• I used MeL to interloan Conversations with Ursula K. Leguin edited by Carl Freedman.
• I am working on a new bibliography -- supernatural / paranormal YA fiction. 
• When I'm feeling down, besides reading a good novel or playing my drum set, I love going for a country drive in my truck with the roof open and windows down. On Thursday, I ended up cruising over to Frankenmuth and informally touring their library -- James E. Wickson Memorial Library. (I'll create a separate post at a later time to share my thoughts and observations.)

On Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Earlier today I read an article published by the Wall Street Journal which got me pretty fired up: Darkness Too Visible by Megan Cox Gurdon. The tagline: "Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?"

Maybe Amy Freeman lives under a rock and doesn't visit Barnes and Noble all that often, but based on her inept description of the YA area, "it was all vampires and suicide and self-mutilation, this dark, dark stuff," it certainly sounds like she lives under one. Why? As a frequent customer of BN as well as the public library, the YA genre is not all about vampires, suicide, and cutting; however, popular reads right now tend to be a bit more weighty and focus on issues beyond finding the perfect dress for prom. BN typically stocks bestselling fiction and well as those works which have received favorable reviews from trending sources such as Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Another student aptly labeled their post on the discussion board "supply and demand" -- the heavier and deeper types of books are selling and they're selling for a reason.

The library context...
In 1931, Ranganathan created the 5 laws of library science -- two of the laws are pertinent to this situation:

(2) Every reader his (or her) book -- "This law suggests that every member of the community should be able to obtain materials needed. Ranganathan felt that all individuals from all social environments were entitled to library service, and that the basis of library use was education, to which all were entitled. These entitlements were not without some important obligations for both libraries/librarians and library patrons. Librarians should have excellent first-hand knowledge of the people to be served. Collections should meet the special interests of the community, and libraries should promote and advertise their services extensively to attract a wide range of readers" (Wikipedia).

(3) Every book its reader -- "This principle is closely related to the second law but it focuses on the item itself, suggesting that each item in a library has an individual or individuals who would find that item useful" (Wikipedia).

In my personal statement which I included with my application for admission into this program, I cited an overwhelmingly heavy caseload of incest cases which involved teenage girls as victims -- their perpetrators: fathers and brothers. It was absolutely heart-wrenching to see these cases come in -- many of them had withheld their stories for years. As of result of what they were going through, several of these young women had turned to abnormal coping strategies such as substance abuse, cutting, eating disorders, pulling out hair, and promiscuity. In counseling sessions with adult victims of domestic violence, a great many of them cited being sexually abused as children or young adults. And these are just the cases in which the victims have come forward and chosen to speak out -- how many are out there walking around holding onto their nightmare-reality? Chances are that there is an overwhelming number of victims and survivors out there -- their friends and non-offending family members are commonly referred to as secondary victims and they too are affected by the trauma.

We live in a pretty ugly world today. In reality, I think it's been ugly for ages but now people are choosing to break their silence which has likely prompted the changes in today's contemporary realistic fiction which now not only includes stories about sexual abuse, but also the realities of 'coming out', bullying, teen sex / pregnancy, eating disorders, substance abuse, cutting, and suicide.

If Freeman isn't comfortable with her child reading certain materials, than she simply doesn't have to purchase them; however, to complain about the mere availability of such materials smacks of ignorance and only facilitates in thwarting those experiencing certain situations from having access to information which could possibly offer comfort and encouragement. If she's looking for a good, safe, "clean" read for her teen than I would strongly suggest sticking to the Inspirational / Christian Fiction genre. However, chances are pretty high that Freeman's teen knows someone or has personally experienced a situation spelled out in a piece of today's contemporary realistic fiction.

Here are some statistics that pertain only to the dating violence aspect:

• About one in three high school students have been or will be involved in an abusive relationship.
• Forty percent of teenage girls ages 14 to 17 say they know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.
• A survey of 500 young women, ages 15 to 24, found that 60 percent were currently involved in an ongoing abusive relationship and all participants had experienced violence in a dating relationship.
• One study found that 38 percent of date rape victims were young women from 14 to 17 years of age.

(Source: Alabama Coalition Against Dating Violence)

Rural Libraries Conference: Day 3

The past few days have been a whirlwind -- my apologies for not posting a synopsis for Day 3 of the Rural Libraries Conference sooner.

I won one of the fabulous gift baskets: Dream Big -- which contained picnic supplies: decorative paper plates, a pinwheel, a bottle of blueberry wine, dark chocolate, a bubble wand, and a "chillable" gel wrap designed for a wine bottle.

Our morning keynote speaker was the "amazingly informed & therefore properly opinionated" Librarian in Black, Sarah Houghton! *virtual applause* 

• "Digital content forces us to be ethical people." 
• There is a significant difference between the lingo salespeople use when talking to libraries about digital resources -- they commonly use terms such as buy, sell, and own. On the flip side, the contract for these services utilizes a whole different lexicon -- license, subscription, and lease. 
• Houghton referred to the publishers whom are not lending e-books through libraries as the "Naughty Six." 
• "If you don't play nice with libraries, than you're an evil villain!" 
• Recently, a new director purchased several Kindles and using a smattering of faux Amazon accounts loaded bestseller content onto the devices which are now being circulated in the library!
• After 6-9 months, still no word from Amazon.
• Sarah Houghton, who just became director of San Rafael Public Library, plans on following suit. 
• Digital resources I want to look into: Open Library, Podio, Gluejar, and LibriVox.
• Barnes and Noble have remained library-friendly. In fact, they have a loophole in their TOS that allows the purchase of a title and placement onto 6 different devices. Impressive. 
• If I buy an e-reader, it's definitely going to be a Nook of some variety. 
• Patrons using Kindles + OverDrive are unknowingly having their personal data collected and stored by Amazon. Creepy!
• Houghton cited Doctorow's First Law (Cory Doctorow): "Any time someone puts a lock on something that belongs to you, and won't give you a key, they're not doing it for your benefit." 

After the morning keynote, we split up into various break-out sessions. I attended Non-Fiction Reader Advisory for Everyone which was presented by Holly Hibner, Plymouth District Library, and Mary Kelly, Lyon Township Public Library.

• As I stated in my notes from Day 2 (Thingamabobs and Doodads: Tech Support IS Reference), these ladies could easily have their own comedy show. For now, we have their fabulous blog Awful Library Books. 
• Hibner and Kelly didn't focus on all new books for their presentation -- as it's beneficial to have back-ups when the newer materials are all checked out. 
• "Eye appeal is appeal." --Mary Kelly
• "You need to pair David Sedaris with the right reader." --Holly Hibner, (I think)
• Note: I am that reader.
• When working with patrons, librarians need to go with the moment, start a relationship, and share the pain of everyday life. 
• "There is such stereotypes out there. People feel the need to be serious when talking to us. Lighten up!" --Holly Hibner
• Think broadly when working with teens -- they read all over the place -- from children's to adult materials.
• Keep cool things/objects on your desk -- they're great conversation starters.
• Keep creep out things nearby -- teen boys love them.
• Stop using the word 'read' and try using 'look at this' instead.
• You don't necessarily have to read the book to have it on your go-to list -- patron recommendations work just fine. The key is knowing where the book is located that way you can keep the conversation with the patron flowing.
• When constructing your go-to list cover the gamut of the entire Dewey range.
• There was some discussion of interfiling / inter-shelving of adult, YA, and children's non-fiction materials. Popular reasons:
• Size driven -- frees up much needed space;
• Stigma -- people with different reading levels are spared browsing in the juvenile area and vice versa.
• Keep a 'cool book cover' pile on your desk -- another great conversation starter with patrons. 
• Ruth Hughes Memorial District Library in Imlay City had a unique idea 'Blind Date with a Book' 
• Books are wrapped in brown paper and a bow adorns the cover
• Barcodes are placed on the front or back of the brown paper for circulation ease.
• Encourages patrons to broaden their reading territory. 
• Has been received very well by the library's patrons! (Great idea!)

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...

Rural Libraries Conference: Day 1

Day 1 of the Rural Libraries Conference is now complete and I must say: it was an absolute blast. Hopefully there aren't too many typos in this post -- I'm pooped.

It was great seeing a number of familiar faces -- Thumb area directors -- as well as making new acquaintances. I absolutely love hearing the seasoned librarian reflect upon his/her career and the amount of passion and pride in their voice for the field. While I am without a doubt that I have found my calling, it's moments like these that just help to cement the fact and further inspire me.

Nancy Robertson, the State Librarian, presented the LSTA Five-Year Plan Needs Assessment. The 6th priority, which I found particularly intriguing stated,"Targeting library and information services to persons having difficultly using a library and to underserved urban and rural communities, including children (from birth through age 17) from families with incomes below the poverty line..." What I found interesting is the fact that she used the word "underserved" while referring to both urban and rural areas -- a fact in which I feel my library school and much of the student body as the tendency to overlook. (It came as no surprise to me as I am familiar with State and Federal grant data collection from my time in the human services field.)

A memorable quote from Robertson after the microphone was passed around the room allowing librarians to share innovative programs their libraries are offering, "Even while we're drowning, we're doing really good stuff."

Representatives from Gale Cengage Learning gave a presentation titled "How to Tell the Story of Your Library's Impact." While the whole presentation was very informative, a key point I'd like to share touches on the evolution of library marketing: there is a shift from hard information such as citing data and generating reports to utilizing more soft information such as sharing feelings about the library as well as stories. Several examples were shared and I especially liked the notion of utilizing OCLC's Geek the Library as a launchpad or "springboard" (a term they used) as a means of getting patrons to share their experiences and stories.

After the opening luncheon, I headed to Get Anime-ted! Get Graphic! Adding Graphic Novels, Anime, and Manga to Your Collection which was facilitated by Roy Soncrant and Robert Gorney from the Genesee District Library. Not only was it very informative, but also quite entertaining! I learned a great deal more about the history of comic books and some finally tuned methods for purchasing.  Here are some facts and points that I found interesting:

• Author Jodi Picoult actually did a Wonder Woman comic. 
• Famous Funnies -- 1st American comic book that featured original content.
• The comic book / graphic novel business is a billion dollar industry -- is any more rationale needed for inclusion in your library? 
• The notion of telling stories via images is ancient -- think: cave paintings.
• Many comics from the WWII era are quite rare as they were commonly pulped and the ink squeezed for paint thus making surviving editions very valuable. 
• When America went to war, comics became much more violent in nature. 
• After the war, the superhero fad cooled and horror comics became much more popular. 
• The Comic Code actually had a ban on vampires until 1970. 
• Chatting with a rural librarian after the session, she mentioned the benefits of having a relationship with an area comic book store -- they really make easy the confusing business of purchasing series and crossovers. What a great idea!

From this session, I headed to Problem Patrons: Addressing and Responding to Patron Behavior which was presented by Anne Seurynck from the law firm of Foster, Swift, Collins, & Smith, P.C. Like the first session, I also found it to be quite interesting -- especially when directors and staff shared their horror stories some of which included patrons spreading feces on bathroom walls and even a potential internet prostitution ring ran out of the library. Trouble happens in Mayberry, too. Naturally Seurynck shared several key cases relevant to libraries: Kreimer vs. Morristown, Armstrong vs. District of Columbia Public Library, Neinast vs. Board of Trustees of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, and Brinkmeier vs. City of Freeport.

Rural Libraries Conference: Sessions

Tomorrow, the Small & Rural Libraries conference begins and like just about every conference there will be multiple concurrent break-out sessions. For me, which sessions to attend is always a challenge because there are so many interesting topics.  It's times like these that I wish I had learned to clone myself or had access to Hermione's time-turner necklace procured from the Department of Mysteries.

Here's a breakdown of which sessions I plan on attending...

Wednesday, May 2
1:45 - 3:00p -- Torn between two sessions and decided upon...

Get Anime-ted! Get Graphic! Adding Graphic Novels, Anime, and Manga to Your Collection
This introductory program is focused on practical advice for developing and maintaining a graphic novel/manga/anime collection. It includes a brief history of the literature, information about selection of materials and other resources, displays and marketing, and using various types of feedback to build the collection.

3:15 - 4:30p -- No-brainer:

Problem Patrons: Addressing and Responding to Patron Behavior
Do you have patrons who consistently break library rules? Do you have patrons who are disruptive? Has patron behavior ever shocked you? This session will help libraries identify what policies they need to effectively deal with problem patrons and provide guidance on how to enforce them, as well as how to respond to police involvement in patron behavior situations.

Thursday, May 3
10:00 - 11:15a -- No-brainer! Dr. Holley is presenting!

Digital Resources and the Rural Library: Not as Simple as It Seems
Access to digital resources including ebooks, databases, and digital collections greatly expands the amount of information available to the users of rural libraries. These resources, however, require rural librarians to consider some potentially challenging issues. Should the small library provide access to digital resources that it would never add to the print collection?

1:15 - 2:30p -- No-brainer:

Got GLBT?
This presentation will explain the importance of having gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender material available in small and rural libraries. Online resources for collection development, what types of organizations are available in your area to provide informational presentations, popular authors that cover the topic and what to do if a patron objects to this type of material will be covered.

3:30 - 4:45p -- Torn between three and decided on this:

Thingamabobs and Doodads: Tech Support IS Reference
Library users often rely on staff for technology support. This session will describe core technology competencies required by library staff, especially at the reference desk, to capably help library users. We will discuss how tech support is directly related to customer service and library relevancy. Librarians and support staff will be inspired to provide tech support as a means to market library services - and themselves – as vital resources to the community.

Friday, May 4
10:45a - 12:00p -- Torn between two and decided upon:

Non-Fiction Reader Advisory for Everyone
Not sure how to break the ice and “sell” non-fiction? Not a big non-fiction reader? No problem! Everyone has something to share in the world of reader advisory. This program is designed to help librarians develop strategies for talking about non-fiction with all patrons and create a personal go-to list of titles -- even if your knowledge and experience of non-fiction are limited.

Wag Your Tail

In LIS 7250 (Programming for Children and Young Adults), course instructor Sue Todd asked the following question: "How can a librarian make a name for herself/himself professionally?"

My response: "Beyond being creative and innovative, which are quite obvious, I think a librarian needs to be approachable. If someone has great ideas, but they dislike working with people (and/or others find them difficult to be around), than those creative ideas won't go very far. As the Amish say, 'take a lesson from the dog -- wag your tail instead of your tongue.'"

The Ice Cream Ocean

From an assignment I submitted for LIS 6510 with Sue Todd:
Back in the day, I attended an elementary school in the northern suburbs of Oakland County. If my memory serves me well, it seemed that every two weeks our class would make a visit to the media center (back then, we referred to it as “the library”). For many of the popular books, such as the Choose Your Own Adventure and the Box Car Children series there was often times a rather long waiting list. One day while browsing the stacks for something different, I spotted a brightly colored spine in amongst a sea of dark and boring-looking rebound books. Leaving my wooden stick in its place, I spent the remainder of my time in the library thumbing through its pages. Over the course of several weeks, I renewed my time with the book and it soon became a favorite. The title of my find, The Ice Cream Ocean and Other Delectable Poems of the Sea – selected and illustrated by Susan Russo.

As the title hints, each poem selected for the book has something to do with life in the sea with several pieces also including themes of food. Referring to chapter 8 of Charlotte Huck's Children's Literature (9th edition), the author cites findings from a study conducted by Ann Terry. The third point encompasses what elements influence a child’s selection of poetry: (a) the poetry form, (b) certain poetic elements, and (c) the content, with humor and familiar experience being particularly in enjoyed. Common threads: the poems in this book rhyme and many of the pieces have a very specific rhythm that make them fun to read. Familiar elements, such as a see-saw and a classroom environment, humor loaded into the poetry, as well as the illustrations (which include candy, ice cream, and other sweets) quickly draw the reader into the book’s pages.

The Ice Cream Ocean by John Mackay Shaw

If the ocean waves could ever
Be of ice cream made,
I could swim in them and never
Be the least afraid.

If they made the finny fishes
Out of lollypops
And the pebbles were delicious
Little lemon drops,

If the sand were sugar candy
And the rocks were cake,
Just imagine what a dandy
Dinner that would make.

I would never more be lonely
With my pail and spade,
If the ocean waves could only
Be of ice cream made.

Through the use of creative language, Shaw (pages 8 – 9) has transformed natural elements of the sea, such as the sand, pebbles, and fish scales into delectable treats that play with a child’s senses and imagination. Not only can a child draw upon their experiences with sight and taste, but they can also imagine the texture of sand as sugar candy or pebbles as lemon drops. In addition to the fantasy element, the natural rhyme and rhythm of Shaw’s poem makes the piece enjoyable for a child to read. Russo’s illustrations add to each poem by creating a scene for the child to visually digest thus helping to further cement the ideas presented by the various authors. The illustrations are appropriate for a range of children and even peak the interest of adults.

Referring back to my story of how I initially found this book, as a child, I was drawn to the bright colors on the book’s spine. The selected poem, also one of my favorites as a child, features a sugary ocean with frothy waves that could be frosting topped with ice cream. Deep in the sea, fish made of lollypops swim amongst peppermint sticks and rocks made of torte and cupcakes – truly a child’s dream. As an adult, I found myself enjoying Russo’s creativity and was reminded of the fantasy world created by Chris Van Allsburg.

Facts from WorldCat:

"Humorous poems about the ocean from poets such as Ogden Nash, Jack Prelutsky, Jane Yolen, John Ciardi, and X.J. Kennedy.”

Out of 270 libraries that own the book, only two are in Michigan: Plymouth District Library and the Bruce T. Halle Library at Eastern Michigan University.

For collectors and those interested in the out-of-print market:

To date, the book is no longer in print. In a search for a copy to add to my personal collection, I found former library copies going for just a few dollars, but those are usually a nightmare for the collector. (Library stamps and stickers, while completely necessary for the library, are a nightmare for collectors!) Privately owned copies of the book started around fifty dollars and spiked into the mid-hundred dollar range.

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.

Can You Name 3 Illustrators?

Sue Todd, my instructor for LIS 6510: Survey and Analysis of Current Literature for Children Preschool - Grade 3, posed the following questions: Do illustrators receive the credit they deserve?  How can librarians and teachers educate patrons and students about illustrators?

My Stance:

Beatrix Potter

For picture books and books targeted at young children, the current shelving practices in public libraries, school media centers, and even bookstores focus on the author's surname thus not drawing any attention to the illustrator. If a parent wanted to browse books by a specific illustrator, then he/she would need to utilize the library's OPAC or the search feature via an online bookstore (and be aware of the illustrator's name for refined results). As a result of this practice, illustrators are not given the credit or recognition that they deserve. In fact, I would be surprised if the average adult on the sidewalk in front of an elementary school could name 3 illustrators. (Without cheating, off the top of your head can you name three illustrators of children's books?)

Many libraries make an effort to feature Caldecott books via displays, lists, and even special spine labels; however, in reality they are only "advertising" a very small thumbnail of the entire picture book collection. In addition to the efforts for raising awareness of the beloved Caldecott books, appropriate displays should be set-up that feature other attention-worthy illustrators. For ease of access, attractive bibliographies and online pathfinders featuring illustrators with subject listings can be developed for parents and teachers. Bookmarks available at the circulation and reference desks can also help raise awareness of illustrators and their extraordinary work.

A few of my favorite illustrators:

David Small

Maurice Sendak

Chris Van Allsburg

Eric Carle

H.A. and Margret Rey

Ludwig Bemelmans

Mary GrandPré

And a new one in which I just stumbled upon this week:
Giselle Potter

The Stranger: A Classic Reviewed

Wagons loaded with pumpkins, soybean crops yellowing, tillage work in the already harvested wheat fields, and of course, the availability of fresh apple cider traditionally signals the advent of autumn for those living in an agricultural community. Not having ever read The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg, but being familiar with his beautifully rendered illustrations in other works such as Jumanji and The Polar Express, this piece was selected for review due to its agricultural and autumnal themes.

Prior to Reading
While not a wordless book, The Stranger can be classified as a children's illustrated story book, or in other words, a picture book with narration. Prior to reading the story, based on mere observation of the book, a reader is likely to anticipate from the title a mystery or an adventure involving a stranger with the dust jacket illustration further cementing that notion. The dust jacket features a darker illustration of a young man, seated at a table, being served soup from a tureen by a woman with a soft smile on her face. It is a curious illustration because the young man has a somewhat shocked look about him with eyebrows raised and eyes quite open -- the cover certainly adds to the mystery or adventure-feeling that the title incites.

Because this is an illustrated children's book geared for those in early to mid-elementary school, it is not a chapter-style book with headings -- if it were, Van Allsburg would certainly include an illustration on each chapter page. As it is, Van Allsburg's illustrations are placed throughout the book -- from the dust jacket, to the title page, and the verso-side opposite the story's narration. The font size selected for this work is quite comparable to the size of subheadings found in Charlotte Huck's Children's Literature textbook or around 14 - 16 points. For ease of reading, works targeted at younger age groups typically select a larger font size. Older children reading a book with a larger font are sometimes quick to label it as a "baby book" or classify it as remedial reading; however, in the case of this piece, the font size was found to be appropriate for a wide range of readers.

The Plot Thickens
The Stranger features a very unique plot that moves while playing with both fantasy and reality -- certainly a draw to children and for those reading the story aloud. Action begins on the very first page of the story:

It was the time of year that Farmer Bailey liked best, when summer turned to fall. He whistled as he drove along. A cool breeze blew across his face through the truck's open window. Then it happened. There was a loud "thump." Mr. Bailey jammed on his brakes. "Oh no!" he thought. "I've hit a deer."

The story continues to unfold when Mr. Bailey learns that he has hit and injured a young man. The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data, included on the verso, concisely captures the overview of the plot: "The enigmatic origins of the stranger Farmer Bailey hits with his truck and brings home to recuperate seem to have a mysterious relation to weather." In a well developed plot, Van Allsburg has the young man stay with the Bailey family for several weeks and as the story progresses they begin to notice idiosyncrasies and eccentricities such as his clothing, inability to speak, behaviors and mannerisms, relationship with animals, and as the cataloging summary hints, a curious change in the weather. Events in the story are presented in logical order, cause and effect, with appropriate preparation leading into the various situations. For example, as a direct result of Bailey hitting and injuring the young man, he drives him back to the farm and calls for a doctor. The story climaxes when the stranger realizes that the trees surrounding the Bailey's property have changed colors yet the trees on the farm have remained green and summer-like.

The Setting
While Van Allsburg does not give an indication as to a specific location or part of the world, The Stranger takes place in a rural agricultural setting in a climate that is supportive of growing wheat and pumpkins, as indicated by the illustrations on pages 14 and 18. Furthermore, the opening page of the story notes seasonal change and the story wraps up with illustrations depicting trees changing color. The story's setting has the universal implication that it could occur anywhere these conditions may exist such as the Mid-Western United States, the United Kingdom, and even Michigan, for that matter.

Throughout the story, the characters visit other locations which are presented to the reader with obvious affect on action of the characters. For example, when the characters are inside of the Bailey's house, they are eating at the table and enjoying musical entertainment in what looked to be the family room. When the various characters are outside, they are taking in their surroundings, such as when Katy and the stranger are watching the migrating birds, and working on the farm by loading pumpkins and pitching wheat shocks onto a wagon. Van Allsburg's illustrations support the narration by giving the reader a visualization of the characters' location and the overall setting.

Like the setting, Van Allsburg does not openly declare a time in which the story took place; however, by noting the actions of the characters, such as calling a doctor to the home and loading horse drawn wagons, as well as the illustrations, such as the wheat shocks stacked in the field drying in the sun, the reader is lead to believe that the story takes place in the late 1920s to early 1930s. In other words, this story could easily be labeled as a Depression-era tale. From the late 1930s until the advent of the self-propelled combine in the late 1950s, farmers threshed wheat by way of a pull-type combine behind a tractor. Earlier yet, as indicated in this story, farmers such as Mr. Bailey and the stranger, manually pitched cut and dried wheat onto wagons pulled by teams of horses. The farmer then fed the wheat from the wagon into a stationary threshing machine that separated the grain from the stalk which resulted in the residual grain being dumped into burlap or cloth sacks. However, the mere existence of Farmer Bailey's truck (think: if a farmer had a truck -- where is the tractor and/or combine?) and stylization which sings of the 1940s-era conflicts with time as indicated by the rest of the agricultural practices. To this reviewer, when drawing conclusions as to when this story took place, it is safe to say that the inclusion of the truck was an error, but rather a very necessary error for the story to have taken flight as the believability factor would be challenged if it had been a team of horses that hit the stranger.

Theme
This story calls to mind several themes and concepts that are certainly worth transmitting to children: (a) never judge a book by its cover; (b) extraordinary things can happen to ordinary people; (c) family and compassion, as well as, (d) making amends when mistakes are made. As the story progresses and the stranger recuperates, the themes unfolded naturally without creating an overtly "educational" piece by moralizing the story. The theme of family and compassion is transmitted to readers by way of the narration and several of the illustrations rendered by Van Allsburg. For example, in two instances the narration indicates that the family is seated at the table eating dinner together with the stranger -- although, in the latter situation, while the stranger is present at the table, he is not eating. On the book's dust jacket, and within the story, an illustration shows Mrs. Bailey caring for the stranger by serving him soup. Midway through the story, a scene is depicted in which the characters are together and entertaining themselves with musical instruments and dance. At the story's close, the family is shown together outside looking for the stranger with Mrs. Bailey comforting her daughter Katy.

Characterization
Van Allsburg introduces the characters in this piece via the story's narration, illustrations, and action. The following is a rank order list of characters presented in the piece based on their appearances in the story: The stranger (name unknown), Mr. Bailey, Mrs. Bailey, Katy (the Baileys' daughter), and the Doctor. Based on the various actions throughout this piece, mainly compassion and curiosity, the characters certainly seem convincing and credible in the context; however, if the piece took place in the present day or perhaps even in a more suburban setting, a reader might be more skeptical about the characters. When this piece was introduced to a family member who was unfamiliar with the story, a question was broached after the scene in which Mr. Bailey took the stranger home and subsequently calls for a doctor, "Does something bad happen to this family?" This leads to the next point of stereotypes.

Stereotypes about agricultural communities are still persistent and rampant in our society regardless of era: the notion of a "simple" life, farmers always wearing overalls, and the women spending their days cooking meals and caring for the family. Women played larger roles on the family farm than what is traditionally portrayed in books and stories. It was (and still is) not unusual for the woman of the house to be up before sunrise getting breakfast ready for the family and the kids off to school, while quickly making the transition from the kitchen to the dairy parlor in order to milk cows next to her husband and the hired help. In the afternoon, after lunch is served, she might be stacking bales of hay and straw in the barn's mow (hayloft), hauling grain to the elevator, ordering seed and fertilizer, and doing the farm's bookkeeping. In reality, the woman of the household often works double-duty -- caring for her family as well as carrying out her responsibilities on the farm.

While much specific detail about the characters is not given by Van Allsburg, strengths and weaknesses are revealed as the story unfolds though the action of the characters. At the opening of the story, to the reviewer, Mr. Bailey shows weakness by paying too much attention to the weather and not enough to road when he accidentally hits the young man in the road. The stranger's inability to verbally communicate is initially shown as a weakness; however, by mid-story, the stranger demonstrates that he can communicate in other ways. The Bailey family shows strength of character by allowing the young man, who is inexplicably different, to recuperate in their home while treating him like a family member on holiday.

Development and growth of character is portrayed in this piece when the Bailey family breaks from their routine by opening their home to an injured stranger. With the stranger's arrival, the autumn-like weather around the farm ceases and the days begin to resemble, once again, the summer months. Through opening their hearts and minds, as well as, collective observation as narrated by the Van Allsburg, the Bailey family begins to realize that the change in weather is connected to the stranger's presence on their farm; their suspicion is confirmed at the end of the story when the stranger leaves. On the other hand, if the characters had been stubborn and close-minded, the story would have likely taken a different path.

Style
Van Allsburg's straightforward style of writing is supportive and appropriate for a children's fantasy story. He gives the reader enough detail and information, at the right times, to move the story forward while keeping the reader interested and engaged. For what little dialogue there is in this piece, it was found to be natural and fitting for the characters in their various roles. By writing the collected observations of the characters and not providing probable explanations, the mood created was of inquisitiveness which leaves the reader pondering and yearning to read more of the story. For example, when helping Mr. Bailey in the field, the narration mentions that the stranger did not tire or even break a sweat. A very curious observation! Another example is the scene in which Katy, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey, observed the stranger interacting with the rabbits. Katy was completely surprised when the rabbits did not take to the woods, but rather let the stranger hold one of them. An air of mystery is certainly created by the narration and illustration of this scene.

Through the Looking Glass
Throughout the story, the point of view varies from character to character depending on who is in the stranger's presence. Having the point of view centered on the current character's observation does, indeed, limit the reader's horizon; however, it suits the story quite well. Considering alternative methods for delivery, young readers could become confused and the story rendered moot. For example, if the narration took an all-knowing or omniscient point of view, the mystery-element of the story would be eliminated with the readers being aware of the stranger's identity, Jack Frost, before the storyline could be unfolded -- not conducive to holding a child's attention. In reading and reflecting upon the story, it seems that Van Allsburg's point of view centers on the notions of keeping an open mind and not judging which was transmitted to the reader by way of the characters' actions throughout the piece.

Further Considerations
Van Allsburg's beyond satisfying illustrations enhance this piece by drawing the reader into the story's environment -- absolute perfection. Readers can imagine themselves watching the curious events unfold as if they are alongside the characters. The format and overall size of the book makes it easy to hold for teachers, parents, and librarians when sharing this piece in a story time format. With the narration shared on the verso and illustrations on the recto, the story flows very nicely and is conducive to being read and shared aloud. The book used for purposes of this review is a trade binding rather than a library binding. Due to the beautifully rendered illustrations, a trademark of Van Allsburg's work, in which children will enjoy perusing, library binding is recommended for classroom use. The paper selected for this book is slightly glossy, beneficial for wiping away sticky fingerprints, which allows the illustrations to pop without extra glare.

In comparing Van Allsburg's The Stranger to Smoky Night by Eve Bunting (illustrated by David Diaz), both stories are very unique in their own way and have a serious tone. With oil pastel being the medium of choice for Van Allsburg and a blend of acrylic and photography employed by Diaz, both works feature strong and prominent illustrations. Both books have the same formats -- text on the verso and images on the recto; however, differing from Van Allsburg's work, Bunting's text is set over busy backgrounds rendering white space non-existent which creates a loud and busy feeling. In contrast to The Stranger, dialogue used in narration is quite prevalent throughout Bunting's book giving a slightly deeper dimension to the characters.

Other works created by Van Allsburg also fall into the children's fantasy genre with three of his books translated onto the silver screen: Jumanji, The Polar Express, and Zathura. Not all of his illustrations feature the warm and colorful palette as exhibited in The Stranger; several employ monochromatic techniques such as with The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, Ben's Dream, Probuditi, and The Widow's Broom. His other works include: The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979, Caldecott Honor), Jumanji (1981, Caldecott Medal), Ben's Dream (1982), The Wreck of the Zephyr (1983), The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984), The Polar Express (1985, Caldecott Medal), The Z Was Zapped (1987), Two Bad Ants (1988), Swan Lake (1989, illustrator), Just a Dream (1990), The Wretched Stone (1991), The Widow's Broom (1992), The Sweetest Fig (1993), The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1994, portfolio edition), Bad Day at Riverbend (1995), A City in Winter (1996, illustrator), The Veil of Snows (1997, illustrator), Zathura (2002), Probuditi (2006), and Queen of the Falls (2011).

Because of Van Allsburg's popularity, a number of reviews and evaluations of his work are available for parents, teachers, and librarians to read. For the purposes of this review, three commentaries from notable sources were selected. For the School Library Journal, Patricia Dooley wrote:

Grades 2 - 4. The Stranger is a down-homey modern myth about the phenomenon of Indian Summer, but the opening owes less to the folktale than to The Twilight Zone. Farmer Bailey, rapt on an end-of summer day in his 1940s pickup, suddenly hits something: the next page shows a young man's body, dramatically foreshortened and stretched out at eye-level in the evening shadows. The terror-stricken victim quickly recovers but has lost both speech and memory. Invited to stay with the farmer, his wife, and little girl, he spends idyllic days with them while autumn's advance is unaccountably delayed. The text scatters clues to the stranger's identity (Jack Frost); but the moment of recognition is cleverly given over to the electrifying illustration alone. Characteristically, the bold simplifications of Van Allsburg's warm pastels look back to the American regionalist paintings of the 1930s and '40s especially to Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood. The story is too low-keyed for most children, although several action compositions provide suspense with their unorthodox points-of-view, out-of-frame action, and play with effects of light. Here the interweaving of fantasy and reality is more complex than in Van Allsburg's earlier books, and the effects more subtle; but the surface pleasures of color and form are still enticing.

A review from the Horn Book states, "The author-illustrator has woven a thread of fantasy in and around his realistic illustrations to give the reader, once again, a story that stays in the imagination." And last, but not least, Dr. Phyllis Kennemer of Children's Literature stated the following: "...Van Allsburg's tale of the origins of Indian Summer will continue to both charm and mystify young readers....Each page of the text has a facing picture in full color. Van Allsburg's signature illustrations illuminate the surreal feeling of the story…Ages 7 – 11."

The Stranger, when published in 1986, became an immediate classic. In summing up this piece, Van Allsburg's talent for writing and illustrating is certain to entertain and engage children of the intended audience (4 - 8); however, this reviewer feels that this book is more than appropriate for children of all ages including adults. Parents, teachers, and librarians looking for a magical story to share with children about the coming of autumn should definitely consider this book. This piece is one that I will cherish and share with others for years to come.

Sources

• Bunting, E. & Diaz, D. (1994). Smoky night. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.

• Dooley, P., Jones, T., Gale, D., & Doxsee, E. (1986). The stranger (book review). School Library Journal, 33(3), 84.

• Kennemer, P. (1986). The stranger (review). Retrieved from http://www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/mai_vanallsburg_chris_qa.html

• Van Allsburg, C. (1986). The stranger. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin.

Religious Search Engines Yield Tailored Results (NPR)

I am subscribed to WSU's School of Library Science Listserv. A thread has been started discussing this specific article and its impact on the information sciences field.

Religious Search Engines Yield Tailored Results
by Habiba Nosheen (NPR)
September 13, 2010

In a world where Google has put every bit of information at our fingertips, some people are now demanding less information when they surf the Internet.

Some Jews, Muslims and Christians are abandoning Yahoo and Google and turning to search engines with results that meet their religious standards.

Shea Houdmann runs SeekFind, a Colorado Springs-based Christian search engine that only returns results from websites that are consistent with the Bible. He says SeekFind is designed "to promote what we believe to be biblical truth" and excludes sites that don't meet that standard.

Houdmann says a search on his site would not turn up pornography. If you search “gay marriage,” you would get results that argue against gay marriage. And if you type in “Democratic Party,” your first search result is a site on Marxism.

But SeekFind isn’t the only search engine carving a niche market among religious Internet users. There is also Jewogle for Jews and I'mHalal, a Muslim search engine that started in the Netherlands.

Husain Benyounis, a 44-year-old Muslim man from New Zealand, starting using I’mHalal about eight months ago, and now he says he’s a fan.

“I do use it at home, at work and everywhere,” Benyounis says.

He says the search engine offered him content that he can trust would be appropriate for him as a practicing Muslim. And he is much more comfortable allowing his teenage son to surf the Web using I'mHalal. For example, a search for “sex” would return results giving the Islamic view on sexuality.

But there are glitches. Sometimes the search engine’s filters are too restrictive. A search for “sexuality” returned no results on I’mHalal.

I’mHalal creator Reza Sardeha, 21, says the search engine is still a work in progress. Sardeha got the idea for I’mHalal about a year ago after finding that for some in the Muslim community, the Internet was effectively off-limits.

“People were avoiding the Internet because they were afraid they or their children would bump into explicit content. It’s a shame,” Sardeha says.

Currently, Sardeha says, most I’mHalal users come from Pakistan, and the second biggest group comes from the United States.

Inclusive and Exclusive

According to Michael Gartenberg, a partner at technology research firm Altimeter Group, these religiously centered search engines are bringing new users to the Web.

“You have an emerging generation and emerging culture that wants to take advantage of technology … search engines and the things that they provide but at the same point, be true to their heritage … and not stray from their belief system,” he says.

But not everyone has been supportive of the idea. Some people call it censorship. SeekFind's Houdmann disagrees.

“In a sense, I guess kind of what SeekFind does is a form of censorship, but I would more describe it as selective inclusion,” he says.

Some who oppose such search engines argue that allowing people to only access material that they already agree with will lead to an intolerant society. But Gartenberg says he does not see it that way.

“It’s no more censorship than if I find something on television that I find offensive to me and I could change the channel,” he says.

I’mHalal says that within the first year since its launch, it is already getting 10 million users a month. With that kind of traffic, these search engines are likely here to stay.