[CALIBK12] Breaking up K-6 Collection into 2 Libraries

[Susan Dubin]

Dear Karen,
It is a bad idea to separate your collection in such an artificial way. Many children in upper elementary still enjoy reading picture books and may need a simpler book when looking for information. Many children in primary grades are more mature readers and may want and need books that are normally thought of as middle grade. Publisher designations are also often wrong. Some publishers peg Sounder as 4th grade level and some put it at 8th grade. Charlotte's Web, which is checked out frequently by our 1st and 2nd graders has an official reading level way above that. Picture books have a reading level of around 4th grade, but interest level can be as young as preschool. 

Judaically, most of the holiday books are picture books. Will you deprive your 4th and 5th graders of enjoying Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins or Mountains of Blintzes? Will you stick Honi The Circlemaker in a 4th-6th grade collection and not share that delightful story with 2nd graders?

Splitting a collection doesn't make sense!
Sincerely,
Susan Dubin
Association of Jewish Libraries
International President
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Karen Morgenstern 
  To: CALIBK12 at lists.sjsu.edu 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 2:04 PM
  Subject: [CALIBK12] Breaking up K-6 Collection into 2 Libraries


  Please send me your thoughts (and literature to back up them up if possible) regarding making a second elementary school library (4th-6th grade) separate from the K-6 library that already exists (which would then become a K-3 library).   I urgently need feedback on whether or not this is a good idea so that I can present it to our administrators. We are a small independent school in West Los Angeles.  

  I really appreciate any responses you can send to me.

  Karen Morgenstern
  West Los Angeles


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