[CALIBK12] Collection Development and GN After School Nightmare

Wed Sep 24 12:47:46 PDT 2008

Just wanted to gently challenge the notion that "at least they are
reading" is a "lazy response." 
Consider:
--77% of California's fourth graders scored below proficient on the 2007
NAEP reading test
--California ranked just ahead of the District of Columbia, Louisiana,
and Mississippi in its 4th grade reading scores. Students from all other
states outscored our 4th graders.
--70% of our 8th graders scored below proficient on the 2007 NAEP
reading test.
-- California ranked just ahead of the District of Columbia and
Mississippi in its 8th grade reading scores. Students from all other
states outscored our 8th graders.

One might suggest that "at least they are reading" is a teacher
librarian keeping her eye on the prize. Amount counts.

That said, we don't subscribe to Playboy in our library, either.

Good comparison map on NAEP reading scores at
http://nationsreportcard.gov/reading_2007/r0005.asp?subtab_id=Tab_1&tab_
id=tab1#chart.

Doug Achterman
Library Media Teacher
San Benito High School
1220 Monterey St.
Hollister, CA  95023
(831)637-5831 ext. 181
dachterman at sbhsd.k12.ca.us
http://www.sbhsd.k12.ca.us/sbhslib/library.htm
********************************************************
School libraries raise student achievement.

-----Original Message-----
From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Bianchi, Cynthia
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 11:18 AM
To: Thomas Kaun; ode2living at aol.com
Cc: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Collection Development and GN After School
Nightmare

A  quick thought--I think that it is just as important to ask ourselves
why we should provide access to material as it is to ask ourselves why
we shouldn't provide access. For example, Playboy Magazine was mentioned
and young people's access to the magazine at home (with or without
permission), in stores and probably at friends' homes. I do not think
that just because material is easily available in other venues and
because students will indeed read (or gladly look at) it eagerly, that
that is reason enough to provide access in an educational setting.
Material in school libraries must serve many purposes--support the
curriculum, advance literacy skills, engage and reflect the community in
which the school is found, assist integration into adult society and
assist students in gaining a historical perspective, among other
purposes such as enjoyability. The "Oh well, at least they are reading"
argument seems a lazy response to a topic that should require thought
about what mate!
 rials really are appropriate and important for minor students to
access. 

This is an interesting and important discussion to assist in quality
collection development.

Cynthia

Cynthia Bianchi, TL
Ellen Ochoa Learning Center
Middle School Library
Local District 6
5027 Live Oak Street
Cudahy, Ca. 90201-4428
323-869-1327
cbb0290 at lausd.net

________________________________

From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu on behalf of Thomas Kaun
Sent: Tue 9/23/2008 9:40 PM
To: ode2living at aol.com
Cc: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] Collection Development and GN After School
Nightmare

Hi, Connie.
You've raised some really interesting questions which could lead to
fruitful discussion.
I do think that it is ultimately your professional judgment which should
prevail here. That doesn't mean you don't get input from as many folks
as possible, especially with controversial items like ones you've
mentioned.
I've never had the luxury (or the burden) of any kind of a selection
committee in all my years as a TL. It's a somewhat lonely job and we do
make mistakes from time to time--I certainly have had my share.
On the tech's discovery that you have "adult" books as designated by
Follett, I hope we all have adult books. Follett does not categorize a
book as "adult" because it's pornographic or obscene, it merely is
saying the book is written for an adult reader as contrasted with a
young adult or juvenile title. Many books in our collections are
categorized as adult so that cannot be used as a way of deciding whether
a book is suitable for a high school library.
As far as "full nudity" in GNs go, it's interesting. I see kids in the
bookstore near me all the time reading GNs full of violent, sexualized
images which I probably wouldn't buy but I wonder why not. I guess it's
sort of like not providing Playboy in the school library even though
kids have access at home (with or without parental permission). And in
fact I know I have some quite "graphic" books in my library. I guess
once I've added the book to the collection based on whatever my
selection criteria are then I'll have to justify the selection when the
time comes that the book is challenged. Until then, I'll bide my time.
This is an important topic and I really like to see a thorough
discussion of it on a professional level.
I think we all need some help when it comes to selecting controversial
materials and the role that pre-censoring plays in our decision-making.
I am a little curious about your statement that CSLA recommended the
series. I didn't know CSLA did that kind of recommendation. Maybe you're
thinking of YALSA.
Thanks for asking.
Tom Kaun

On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 9:04 PM, <ode2living at aol.com> wrote:

	Hello. I was wondering how many of you carry the series, After
School Nightmare, or are familiar with the series. I ordered the series,
but Follett delivered just one volume because the others were out of
stock. One of my technicians was disturbed by the fact it is about a
hermaphrodite and that on one page, there is a sex scene (bare shoulders
in bed with no breasts showing). We also have a couple of students who
are manga "gurus"; they've read tons of GN and recommend a lot of titles
to me. Anyway, these girls told my tech that this series is NOT
appropriate for high school and that one volume (or more?) has a scene
that contains "full nudity." Does anyone know? My tech also said that in
the MARC record Follett has the series identified as "adult," which is
true. However, the publisher has the series classified as "OT: Older
Teens 16+," and it was named a Top 10 Graphic Novel series for teens by
CSLA.  

	So, this experience has me really thinking about:
	1. Should I carry this in my HS collection? If so, how do I
address the 16+ recommendation (if at all)?
	2. a. How do you address the issue when one of your techs
disagrees with your collection development decisions? Obviously, it's
ultimately the TL's decision, and we've been trained to deem what's
appropriate. However, I don't want to exclude my techs and would rather
get them "on board" with what we have in our collection, especially when
they, too, recommend these books to our students just as much as I do. 
	b. I also once had a different tech upset that I had purchased a
novel that, in her opinion, had too many vulgar words. Of course, she
hadn't read the book or the reviews. She is very conservative. I imagine
many of us are questioned about our purchases by our staff. When this
happens, how do you address it? Also, is this important enough for CSLA
to address? Would paraprofessionals benefit from having a CSLA
conference session on censorship and collection development,
particularly those paraprofessionals who are in charge of collection
development and don't have the benefit of a TL?

	If you've made it this far, thank you! This post is really
two-fold. TIA for any input. 

	Connie Joyce
	Teacher Librarian
	Rancho Cucamonga High School
	Rancho Cucamonga, CA
	= 
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-- 
Thomas T. Kaun
Teacher Librarian
Bessie Chin Library @ Redwood High School
395 Doherty Drive, Larkspur, CA 94939
tomkaun at gmail.com | Library Web site: http://rhslibrary.org
<http://rhslibrary.org/>  | Professional development blog:
http://tomlmt2.blogspot.com/ | Library news blog:
http://libraryleaves.blogspot.com <http://libraryleaves.blogspot.com/> 

Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day,
something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else
would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of
unanimity.
- Christopher Morley

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