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Use the comments box to respond to the week 1 Intellectual Freedom blog topic-
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Initellectual Freedom Resources
- ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF)
- Banned Books Week
- Censors and Children's Literature
- Censorship: An Educator's Guide
- Chris Crutcher Answers the Censors
- Freedom to Read Foundation
- Judy Blume Talks About Censorship
- NCTE Anti-Censorship Center
- Profane Offensive and Great
- School Library Media Centers and Intellectual Freedom (ALA)
- Thinking About Intellectual Freedom
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDelete-I do not think that students should be able to check out ALL resources in the library. Some resources are very expensive and you run the cost of the student not returning that resource. I do however think that if students are unable to check out certain resources that the library should have extended times for such students who need these resources.
Should the age of the student affect which material they can access?
-As long as students are able to read a book I say let them check it out! Now I know a 1st grader does not need to read a romantic novel that may be appropriate for a 5th grader. This may come down to the MS when the student is checking out the book. I hate when teachers or MS will not let a student check out a book that is lower than their reading level. I say LET THEM READ! As long as they are reading and enjoying themselves they will continue to read. They may also have a higher level book, this may encourage them to keep reading and try new strategies for harder words.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves
-Our school library does not have any restricted shelves. As of right now our parent involvement is not very high. Our parents do not typically speak English and do not read with their children. I think this eliminants most of the restrictions taking place in schools. There might be a time and place for material to be restricted but the the proper steps should be taken before restricting material of any kind.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
-I think this should fall on the parents, students, teachers, and MS. Students should have the right to decide what material they want to check out. Younger students will need more direction than older students. But why should I tell a student what book to check out. If parents do not want thier children reading certain books than it is ultimatly up to them to make that decision.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
-As I was reading the article from ALA I started thinking about "blocked" items from the Internet and how they are suppose to keep students safe. I remember back at Christmas time that my students wanted to listen to Christmas music while they were in writing workshop. So I got on the Internet and connected to a radio station. The next week it was blocked! Now I know this is only a radio station but my kids were upset. In my opinion this site should not have been blocked. It was not hurting the students, there was not any language being used. This is only one small example I have experienced with the Internet but it is one that really iritated me.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
-I am thinking of the school I am in now and knowing that the parents are not always involved in their childs reading life. What if there is a book that I as the teacher or MS think is unacceptable to have in the library. Is the procss still followed or do I have the right to remove the book without following the process since I am the MS?
Based on this week’s readings students should be able to check out any resource owned by the school library. The resources were, after all, purchased for their use. Even materials purchased as classroom resources should be accessible to students.
ReplyDeleteAccess to materials should not be limited to or based upon a child’s age. The needs and abilities of all students are different. Not allowing a kindergarten student interested in humorous fiction to check out Captain Underpants is as much a violation of his intellectual freedom as not allowing an eighth grader to check out Junie B. Jones. Just as “selection of materials should be objective and completely free of personal bias” so should the checking out of the same materials. (Scales, 2009, pg. 2)
In my educational career as a student and an educator, the only materials I ever considered restricted were reference materials. My personal belief is that materials that address critical life issues such as sexuality, abortion, and certain levels of violence should be placed on restrictive shelves. However, it is nearly impossible to do this without infringing upon students’ intellectual freedom rights
My school library does not have restricted shelves, but it does have a few materials located in the librarian’s office. They are available upon request, and their use is limited to the media center.
Though Scales (2009) states that schools and school boards should make the decisions about access, I believe that parents should be involved in the development of policies for student access.
The most surprising realization is that it appears that schools are maintaining more control over what students’ access on the internet than over the books in the media center. When it comes to the internet, filters are blocking any and everything that looks questionable. However, there are no filters for our libraries. Though blocking internet content is a violation of intellectual freedom it appears to be more acceptable than refusing a child the right to check out books with the same questionable content that the internet filter just prohibited.
As a future librarian, I would like to know how to involve parents in their children’s selection of materials from the library. Though children should have the right to check out any materials they wish, I believe parents should know what is available so that they can discuss these topics with their children so that they are not caught off guard when their children bring certain materials home.
1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think students should be able to check out any resource they need, but with limitations. For instance, limitations need to be placed on technology equipment. If a student needs a camera or video camera for a project and the library at school has one then the library should let students check the item out over night. Alpha Smarts (word processor) and available laptops should be checkout to students for a set amount of time. A policy needs to be in place to notify parents when their student checks out technology equipment. This puts the responsibility of the care for the equipment in the parents’ hands.
In regards to Reference books, students should not check these items out. Students should be given access to them before or after school or during class if they need them. Since the Internet is readily available students do not need to check out Reference books because most of the information is now online for their use.
2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
Yes, the age of the student should affect the materials they can access. For instance, a middle school student should not be able to check out mature high school reading materials. If a middle school student needs a book that is high school age appropriate then the media specialist needs to find a book that is comparable to the high school book.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves?
No, there is no reason for items to be placed on a restricted shelf. Students need to be able to access any books/items that are available to them in the school. If there is a problem with a book then the book needs to go through a review with the library committee.
4. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
The library needs to have a policy in place stating what student should and should not be able to checkout. The decision also needs to come from a committee of people and not just one person.
5. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
What I found intriguing about the reading this week is the narrow-mindedness of peoples beliefs. I understand that is a person beliefs, but I don’t think people should push their beliefs off on library and its books. A library is a place to learn, and form your beliefs about subjects and issues.
6. I know having a media committee is very important for a media specialist and a library, but at our school we are just now starting a committee and we have been open for 5 years. How important is having one? Do you have to have a committee in place before the school even exist or within the first year, and not the fifth year?
Q1.
ReplyDeleteShould students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
The First Amendment extends the same rights of adults to students and court cases have affirmed that students have the right to view and check out any materials they wish to read according to The First Amendment, even at the school library. Of course, there may be some nuisances about restricted check out but they should be addressed in the policy and also apply to all students.
Q2.
Should the age of the students affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?
Students, according to The First Amendment and related court cases does not allow students to be discriminated based on age. When advanced readers who are young may begin to gravitate to advanced reading levels with correlating advanced/racy topics/issues, it seems to be a good idea to ask their teachers what books those students might be expected to read, like classics, but ultimately the choice is up to the student. If a parent sees a student reading a book they do not approve of, the parent can deal directly with the child. If this does not work and the parent approaches the school about a particular book, then the parent can participate in the reconsideration process.
Q3.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested?
Restrictions can exist, such as requiring that reference materials be kept in the MC for sharing. This restriction of course must be written in the policy and consistently applicable to all students.
Q4.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
Students should make the decision about what they are interested in reading and make their own check out decisions. Some students need guidance, but the final decision is the students.
Q5.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I found the court cases most intriguing.
Q6.
What do you still want to know about Intellection Freedom in the school library and your role as a school librarian?
I would like to know more about crafting policies that are general and applicable in nature to appropriately address the depth and width of the details surrounding First Amendment rights and The Right To Read.
Students should be any to check out any type of resource that the school library owns; this includes reference materials. However, if reference materials are removed from the media center they should be only be checked out for that particular evening or weekend and returned the next morning so that the rest of the school has equal access. Some students need additional time with these resources and not all students can afford to copy pages from these resources. I know that these resources are the most exensive in the media center, but our students come first. As a media specialist, we should know the students and if there's someone we are truly concerned about losing resources, then I think we should copy the pages needed for the report and provide them to that student in a private setting.
ReplyDelete2. Age should not pre-determine what books a student can check out but maturity and reading readiness. Like the Scales book advises, media specialists should have a working knowledge of exceptional students and be prepared to provide books that are equivalent to reading level and maturity of our students.
3. I agree with the Scales book on this topic. Any time we place books on restricted shelves, we are drawing attention to the group of students who are permitted access and denying access to those students who do not have access or permission. We do not have a true restricted section. However, there's a group of adult reading materials that we share that are housed in the teacher section of the media center. They are not considered a part of our collection, however.
4. The students should have the final say on what the choose to read. If a parent does not want his/her student to read specific books, then they would have expressed that to the child. However, it is the student, not the parents' nor the media specialists', decision to withhold books from that student. All parties should have conservations with the students about the content of the books.
5. What I found most dismaying was the Olathe School district's decision on removing Annie on My Mind. Their process would be a good exercise in discussing a weak argument. Even before the court ruled, there was ample evidence that the board was violating the First Amendment. It bothers me that people continue to use the Bible and its teachings as part of an argument, failing to acknowledge that not everyone is a Christian or a follower of the Bible as well as the belief that what one person thinks about human behavior is shared by all. When educators use this criteria to evaluate the collection, we move into the world of Fahrenheit 451. What books are left on the shelf that are not offensive to at least one person or group?
6. I'm not sure if this is a what I want to know, but I would like to throw out this question: Is it the responsiblity/expectation of the media center specialist to have read the entire collection in order to be able to defend that collection? or is it enough to have read the reviews and talked about books that are considered as possible additions to the collection? I believe that our media center has a faculty member read any book being considered before allowing that book to be added.
Karen
Q1: Perhaps it is because I am exposed to primary and elementary students, I’ve noticed that many of them do not want to check out any and all of the library resources. The library within my school does not allow students to check out reference materials (like dictionaries and encyclopedias) or technology (like video cameras, ipods, laptops). Most of the students, however, have never to my knowledge expressed interest in checking them out. I suppose the library, in a sense, has become the core arena for inventory because all of the resources and materials are stored and must go through the library’s system. For this reason, many of the classroom materials and curriculum packages are located in the library and are checked out by teachers. Of course, however, students are not allowed to check out these materials. It seems to me that the library has two set of customers- the students checking out books and the teachers checking out the technology, curriculum resources, and other instructional materials. The students are not allowed to check out these items because they are restricted just for teacher use within the classroom. The teachers are not even allowed to keep the technology materials (ipod, video cameras) overnight. To an extent, since this is a small school with a very limited budget, students are not allowed to check out certain materials because they are specially designed for classroom instruction. I do think, however, some of these materials are also restricted because of the price and the specific item’s durability. For example, there are videos or e-books within the library that teachers are allowed to check out, but the students are not. Many students could use these materials at home with their own DVD players, but I believe that the cost and delicate nature of these items prevent the school from allowing such young students to check them out. I can understand this reasoning, especially since there is a very limited budget for replacement. On the other hand, however, I can see where some of these materials can benefit the students’ education, especially for those that do not learn from visual modalities, which are what books pertain most to. I suppose I would be more of an advocate, however, if there was an obvious interest from students in checking out and using such items. With such young students, however, it is not such a trend. For this reason, I think the policy is acceptable at the moment, but may certainly need to change based upon the needs and desires of the students.
ReplyDeleteQ2 : The school that I work within only serves pre-kindergarten through second grade. For this reason, the books are limited in their scope and reading level. Many of the books are picture books, which are appropriate for all grade levels. I suppose the question of what books certain age-students should be allowed to check out will become more of an issue in large schools that serves a wider range of students, such as a kindergarten through fifth grade school. Some of the libraries are designed for younger readers and older readers; this way they are kind of influenced in one area or another. I don’t believe I support a complete policy that students of a certain age should be restricted to a certain set of books. I do believe, however, that the librarians, teachers, and parents should be allowed to help the student find a book that is appropriate for their grade level and their reading level. This is not because I don’t support the themes within these books; I simply believe that a library’s focus is enhancing a student’s reading ability as well as interest. In order to enhance their reading skills, however, the student should be reading books at or near their grade level. On the other hand, however, I do not believe students should be overly pressured, or even banned, from checking out certain books because they do not meet their grade level. For example, many schools place strong emphasis on the accelerated reading program and pressure students into selecting books that are within their reading range for the program. I feel this is extremely limiting to the students and does not allow for their freedom of interest to prosper.
ReplyDeleteQ3: I support my school’s policy that some materials must be requested and check out to certain individuals, like teachers. For example, the technology within the classroom is not place on the shelves available to all incoming individuals. These materials are located in a locked storage room that is only accessed by the media specialist, clerk, or administrators. Upon request, however, the teachers are allowed to check out and use these materials. They are simply removed from the storage room by the media specialist and checked out, like any other item, to the teacher. I support this policy because of the fragile nature and price range of these items. There is a list located on the door of the locked room of what technology is available to be checked out. For this reason, teachers are knowledgeable of what is available to them, and can certainly check them out upon request. For the students, the reference area of the media center is not available for check out. This is because there is a minim amount of recourses, like encyclopedias and dictionaries, within the media center. They are allowed to use them within the library, and teachers may check them out to use within their own classrooms. I think that this is an acceptable policy because students are given extensive opportunities to use the materials within the library and classroom without actually taking the books home.
Q4: I am a strong supporter of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to policy development within the media center. For this reason, I do not believe that one individual, who includes the media specialist, should be responsible for making any overarching decisions within the library. As our reading from this week describe, materials are not selected for the library by one individual, so I do not believe the usage of those materials should be decided upon by one individual. For this reason I am a strong supporter of the committee-based policy decisions, which includes what should be place on restricted shelves. As the article details, I think the media specialists, teacher representatives, parents, and administers, should serve on a committee to decide what should and should not be restricted. This way all perspectives are addressed and accounted for. This also removes subjectivity and the burden of the complete responsibly from the media specialist.
ReplyDeleteQ5 & Q6: This week I was slightly dismayed that libraries actually have a rather extensive collection that is restricted. While our school uses this policy to protect high-price items, the majority of the materials are open to the public. I suppose I just don’t see the point of having books and materials within the library that are not readily available for its audience, which of course are the students. I think it should be the library’s goal to collect and select items that are going to aid the students in their reading growth, which of course includes being appropriate and allowed for check out. I would also like to learn more about typical protocol for the selection and restriction process. I would like to learn who is involved and what type of factors are considered so that I am able to determine why certain materials are restricted from the students.
• Yes, students should be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns, although I think they need some sort of supervision when those resources are electronic or reference materials, since those are often very expensive and usually limited in number. According to Scales, “Students should have access to the entire collection…” (p. 55) Scales also states, “A child’s ‘need to know’ should be so important to a library media specialist that she includes (the) books in the school library collection regardless of (the) potential controversy.” (p. 57) These statements are supported by the First Amendment and the Library Bill of Rights. Restricting access to materials violates these rights. Students’ right to check out materials in their school’s library has also been supported by the courts (Counts vs. Cedarville School District).
ReplyDelete• Again, according to Scales, the age of a student should not affect which materials can be accessed. “Any student should be free to explore and use the entire media collection.” (p. 61) Not having all materials available to all students means that materials are restricted.
• This week’s readings stress that no materials should be placed on restricted shelves. Even so, selection policies should be carefully written and reviewed on a regular basis. There should also be a policy in place through which individuals can challenge materials they may find objectionable. I am not aware of a restricted shelf at the school I am working with (I am not currently teaching) but I do think some books are “tagged” as more suited for teens when those books are checked out. This school is a middle and high school, so a wider variety of materials at different maturity levels is contained in the collection.
• I think the students should make the decisions about what materials they can check out. Hopefully, students choose materials acceptable to parents. If that is not the case, the parent can certainly recommend that the child make other choices.
• In this week’s readings, I was most surprised by the extent to which some people or organizations will go to try and impose their beliefs on an entire school or district’s library materials.
• I’m curious as to how media specialists in elementary/middle or middle/high schools implement selection policies that are inclusive enough to address the needs of their learners of all ages without having many materials challenged.
Q1. Yes...I think students should be able to check out different types of resources that the school library owns. However, they should be held accountable to the same policies as the teachers. For example, the teachers at my school are required to return all technology that has been checked out for the day, back to the library by closing time. If a teacher checks out a digital camera for a project that day, policy states that it must be returned by day's end to recharge the batteries overnight. As for reference materials (dictionaries and encyclopedias), these cannot be checked out simply because the reference materials are minimal. If a set of encyclopedias is in a teacher's room all day, then a student visiting the library to do some research in those particular encyclopedias is not accommodated.
ReplyDeleteQ2. Students should be able to check out whatever interests them. I see so many 5th graders who are "burned out" on AR. Previous teachers they've had have restricted their choices to only AR books, and all this did was choke their freedom to choose and destroy their love of reading. When I tell them it doesn't have to be an AR book, their eyes light up! I do agree that younger children need some direction and guidance in choosing books until they mature and develop their own tastes in books that satisfy their own interests, not someone else's. I do think parents should have some say so in what their children read, but not the MS or teacher.
Q3. My school library does not have a restricted shelf. If a library has a restricted shelf of materials, or it's kept in the media specialist's office under lock and key, my question would be why it is there in the first place if it cannot be shared according to Intellectual Freedom?
Q4. Students should make the decisions about what materials can be checked out for their own use. Essentially, the decision should be made between parent and child. Hopefully, parents will be involved enough in their child's reading, that they will guide and direct their child in making wise choices that are best for them.
Q5. In Elizabeth Friese's article about inquiry learning and selection policies, the topic of who is involved in the selection of library materials interested me. I love the comment she made about how the students pay a particularly important role in creating the library media center. We always think about administrators, teachers, parents, and technological input into the media center, but we sometimes lose track of who we are supposed to be catering to in the first place...our students. We need to encourage more student involvement in developing our selections for the media center.
Q6. As a future LMS, I would like to know more about the process of challenged materials. I would also like to know how experienced media specialists manage to keep their own biases from affecting the selection process and interfering with Intellectual Freedom.
Q1-I think children should be allowed to check out material the school library owns only if it is material that is appropriate for them. I think it needs to be on their reading and understanding level. Children need to be exposed to all sorts of materials, but if needs to be appropriate for them.
ReplyDeleteQ2- As a second grade teacher, we give the STAR test three times a year. This test determines their readability level and sets a range of books that they should be reading. I certainly think that a student, whether in Kindergarten or 8th grade, needs to be reading materials and books that are on their level. A Kindergartner does not need to be reading books too high from their level for the sake that they may not understand some of the material and the content will be to high for them at that age.
Q3- Yes, I do believe their could be circumstances where a book needs to be on a restricted shelf and only allowed to be checked out on a requested basis. Not all books are acceptable for all children to check out and then can be placed on theses shelves so that it is still accessible. My school does indeed have a restricted shelf in the media specialists office.
Q4- I think parents, teachers, students, and the media specialist should all work together to determine the materials a student can check out. The teacher and student would know the reading level, as well as the parent. The media specialist and teacher could then work together to determine books and other materials that would be appropriate for the student to check out.
Q5- I found most intriguing the article in the Scales book on Board Of Education v. Pico. I love to see both students and board members (higher up people) work for an outcome. The students in this article stood for what they thought was right and they should have in the professional manner they did.
Q6- As a future Media Specialist, I want to learn more about the selection process. How a m.s. goes about choosing books that are right for the particular age school the are serving.
After reflecting more about the last question for this week's module (and studying for the Praxis II) I'd like to know:
ReplyDeleteWho should approve and adopt the selection policy?
Who/Whom should you consult in selecting resources for purchase?
What questions should be asked when considering purchases?
These are all realted to the policies and procedures that support the First Amend Rights, Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read - all centering around this weeks topics.
Victoria
1. I don’t believe that students should be able to check out any TYPE of resource the library owns. Students should not be allowed to check out expensive and delicate equipment such as camcorders, LCD projectors, etc. Risk of damage to or loss of these items can put an undue burden on the student and their family. Student should not be able to check out videos and professional materials since teachers need to have access to these items for teaching purposes and they also tend to me more expensive items. More delicate resources such as maps and rare books should also not be available for student checkout. Reference books are also generally not available for student checkout. However, in certain situations, exceptions can and should be made for overnight checkout of reference books.
ReplyDelete2. I don’t believe that the age of a student should affect which materials they can access in a library. If an elementary school student is checking out a book from his own school library, those materials should have been selected as being suitable for all ages of students attending that particular school. With proper teacher and parental guidance, every student should be choosing age and reading-level appropriate books the majority of the time. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have access to materials outside their ranges if they wanted to read them, whether for fun or curiosity.
3. There should never be circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves. The only restriction that should be placed on book checkout is in the case of reference books that do not circulate. There are no restricted shelves in the library at my middle school, nor are there any in the librarian’s office that have to be requested. The fiction books in the library are sorted by genre, and there is a “young adult” section. In the past, parents have requested that their students not be allowed to check out from the young adult section, but there are no restrictions placed on them by the librarian.
4. Parents should make the ultimate decisions about what materials a student can and cannot check out. If a parent finds certain books are inappropriate for or offensive to their student, parents should instruct their student not to check out those types of books. Suggestions as to reading level appropriateness can come from the parent, teacher, and media specialist based on the student’s reading ability, not necessarily on material content.
5. While I didn’t find anything that surprising or dismaying, I do find it frustrating when teachers construct and strictly enforce student reading levels based on a computerized reading program. It kills me when a student comes into the library, browses for a while and finally finds a book they really want to read, only to decide they can’t read it because it’s not in their reading level!! I tell them over and over they can read whatever they want to read, they just have to (according to their teacher) quiz only on books in their assigned level. It can really squash a child’s love of reading to be told they can only read certain books or in a certain book level.
6. What I would really like to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library is how a media specialist deals with an administrator who tells them to purchase, not to purchase, or restrict circulation of items that conflict with the Principles of Intellectual Freedom and the Library Bill of Rights. I’ve heard stories from librarians who have said “my principal made me,” or “my principal won’t let me” whatever…. I know you would have to maintain a professional relationship with your administrator but it must be very difficult to have to go against their direction and instruction.
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteStudents should be able to check out just about anything except for any equipment or materials that the institution doesn’t allow because of the price of the equipment or special age restrictions. Otherwise students should be permitted to check out anything that the library has within its walls. I think that since students are not often allowed to gain access to expensive equipment, the responsibility falls on the teacher to get the technology into the hands of the students. The adult can supervise to ensure that students are properly and respectfully using the equipment for its intended purpose. If a teacher doesn’t make use of the available resources, that is unfortunate for the students and actually doing them a disservice by not providing the experiences that they need and deserve.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
Yes, the age of the students may be a factor, but the maturity level, which is far less measurable, should be what is used to determine what a student can or cannot handle. An elementary aged student should certainly not be able to check out a book suited for eleventh and twelfth graders. We must consider the parents role in this as well. If students, who are mostly minors, have written consent from a parent, we should honor their wishes. There are some very strong readers who are not challenged by the titles in their media center and need to look elsewhere. Finding books that are at a higher reading level, but not inappropriate for younger gifted readers would present a unique set of challenges.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
I don’t think restricted shelves have a place in any school setting. If students cannot have access to a title, then it shouldn’t be in the media center. Our school library does not have a restricted shelf and has never had to.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
The student should ultimately be able to decide and in some cases parents can have input. I think it is much safer this way, for liability reasons, while still respecting 1st amendment rights.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
The most intriguing thing is that this is even an issue that must be discussed at all. Students are exposed to many other influences outside of school coming from the media, movies, and internet. If they are completely sheltered, they will not know how to think for themselves. I don’t feel like it’s the responsibility of the government or a committee to determine what is most appropriate for students. I think that it should be the responsibility of parents, who know their children and what they want for their children. Some parents may allow their children to read just about anything, while others may not. I understand that with intellectual freedom that people need to be free to grow intellectually and not stifled in their growth. I hope that most parents would support that.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would like to know how to handle parents who are opposed to certain books being on the shelves for whatever reason. There are very popular books that some parents oppose. I live in a very conservative area and want to be prepared for that situation, since I would probably have titles in the collection that some may find offensive.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteShould children be allowed to check out anything in the Media Center? I think that unless the cost of the item prohibits students from checking it out, everything should be available. Unless, there is a limited number of the items, like encyclopedias, or atlases. We have just a few in our Media Center, and so students are not allowed to check them out.
ReplyDeleteShould age level affect what materials are available to a student? No. However, students are limited to a certain degree by the materials that are selected for the school. A elementary school media center wouldn't have a 11th grade book on its shelves. It would be a waste of resources. I also believe that the majority of students would not want to check out books that are really above, which is the real issue, their reading and maturity level. If they can't read them, or find them interesting, they won't read them.
Should there be a restricted shelf?
I don't believe there should be, and neither does our school Media Specialist. I thought the case studies in Scales were very insightful. I really wouldn't want to present the opportunity for a child to be labeled as "evil" because they are allowed to check out books from the restricted shelf. I would never want a child to feel that way because of a reading choice.
What was most surprising in the readings?
I think that the most surprising thing was that people would think to try to limit what my own children would be allowed or not allowed to read. I mean, be concerned about your own children, but don't try to tell me what is appropriate for my own.
What more would I like to learn?
I think I would like to know how to handle parents who do try to impose their beliefs on the school Media Center. Is there a way for them to be "handled with care", without them getting their way?
1.Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the text students should have access to all of the material in the library. I understand why certain materials are not allowed to be checked out such as reference materials and technology equipment. The price to replace these items are not in the budget for the school and if lost by a student many parents in our school could not pay to replace the items if lost or damaged. With this in mind it seems better for everyone right now for those items to stay in the library. As for regular books purchased for the library I feel that students should have access to all materials that are purchased to be checked out. We should not limit the students choices.
2.Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
If the book is in the media center students should have access to the book. Middle Schools students should not have access to the books from the high school but the materials in the middle school media center should be accessible to all students. The m.s. should help guide students to books that are age appropriate.
3.Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
No, all books that are purchased for the library are on the shelf and available to all students that want to check them out. I feel that books are there for the use of the students and they should have access to all books that are in the library.
4.Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I feel that the students should make the decision about what they should check out. I feel that the media specialist and committee (if available) should make the decision about materials such as resource items and technology equipment and materials.
5.What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I found the court cases intriguing. The library should be a place of learning an many people seem to feel that they should be able make decisions about the library based just on their personal beliefs. However, the library is there for all students not just a select few.
6.What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
After the collection development project I realized what a huge responsibility it is of the media specialist to choose books that he/she has never read before. Do most media specialist read the books before purchasing or is it merely enough to read reviews? Also, if the book is challenged and you have never read the book how would you defend the book? I have also read about committees that are set up are these necessary because I do not think that we have one at all.
On the matter of whether or not students should be allowed to check out everything in the library, I think schools have a good reason not to allow particularly expensive items to leave the room. The students should have access to these items, but I can understand, especially given how many of my students never return their textbooks each school year, not allowing the most expensive items to leave the room. Other than that, if the item is appropriate for that school's media center, then I cannot understand why there should be any barriers between the student and the material.
ReplyDeleteI think the age of the student is important. There are certain subjects I don't think are appropriate for certain ages of students because they are either frightening or too complex for a student that age. By high school age, I think the range of inappropriate subjects is closing in on zero. A Kindergartner probably doesn't need to have access to books dealing with sexual activity, drug use, or suicide, but I honestly can't imagine why a kid old enough to read a Harry Potter book shouldn't be allowed to read it. There are some more frightening parts in some of those books, but a kid reading at that level is probably going to be okay with that and they won't be permanently scarred. The witchcraft concerns are a matter for the parents to deal with. I don't think this would be a mainstream enough concern for the media center to be bothered with. I think the media center should probably consider concerns when a large percentage of parents would consider it inappropriate. If any parent with an idea about what was appropriate was able to dictate was and wasn't on the shelves there'd be very few books left.
Finally, I don't think there should be restricted shelves with the exception of materials that cannot leave the library for the reasons of value of the item. If the item is deemed appropriate for the media center, then it should be available to the students. All of them. Even according to reading level. I always hated when librarians wouldn't let me check out books above what they assumed my reading level was. I always read well above my age and usually found the books at my age level pretty boring. If my school librarians hadn't allowed me to read more advanced books I may have never gotten into the habit.
Parents should always have a right to have some control over what their children are exposed to. That doesn't mean they should have the right to have control over what other children are exposed to, though. The media specialist and school administration should have the control over what goes into the media center and the administration should realize that the media specialist is the specialist in this area and not micromanage in this area. The media specialist should help guide children in their reading choices, but as I said earlier, if it's in the library it shouldn't be controlled.
The surprising thing is something that's already been discussed here, but I think someone trying to control what a student reads based on their reading level is pretty rough. For one, students need to be challenged with what they read to improve. If the subject is interesting enough, the student will be motivated to work through the more difficult reading. Also, the media specialist should keep this in mind to help counsel students to try another book at a different level if a student checks out one that was too difficult and brings it back because they've lost interest. I can understand the worry that reading too far above their level can turn them off to reading, but there are ways to handle that without basically banning levels of books for a kid.
I want to know exactly how I can tell what is appropriate by age level without having to basically guess. I've got a feeling that there's no real answer for that, though.
I do not think that students should be able to check out any type of resource the library owns. Some materials if lost or broken would be too expensive for them to replace.
ReplyDeleteI think the age of the student should affect what he/she can access. I think that parent permission should be sought if the material seems too mature for the student. It seems better to ask permission now than to stir up a controversial issue later.
I do think there are circumstances where certain items need to be on a restricted shelf as of now. I have read and considered what the text has to say about them. In some way it just seems inappropriate to give a child complete control to different types of information on many different age levels and beliefs that the parent might not want them to be exposed to at a young age. Once the literature has been seen or read, no one can give back that child’s innocence. On the other hand, I understand also that we do not want children to be ignorant either. I am torn on the issue. Our media center does have a restricted shelf.
Ultimately, I think the media specialist, media specialist paraprofessional, and the teacher of the student should make the decision of what students can check out unless the material is considered questionable by the three in which I think the parents permission should be asked. If the media specialist, paraprofessional, and teacher are having difficulty deciding then the principal’s opinion can be sought.
I found the examples of different lawsuits to be surprising. It is sad that a controversial issue about books/materials has to go to court.
If a parent does have an issue with a piece of literature in the library and does want to take legal action, will that affect the media specialist negatively if there is a policy in place?
Faith Yaughn
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I believe students should have access to all materials in the collection, but I agree with some of the previous posts about expensive materials. I believe those should stay in the school or maybe a parent should be responsible for checking those particular items out. I don't really know the answer.
ReplyDeleteShould the age of the student affect which materials they can access? I don't believe children should be denied access to materials based on their age. I feel children will recognize their own limitations. This is a learning process critical to their development. I always learned in child development classes that you answer a child's question with just enough information that they can handle and will satisfy the inquiry. When dealing with certain information that might be above their level of understanding, they just shut off and tune you out if you continue to go on and on. I feel the same is with books. When I read something I did not completely understand in books as a young child (i.e Forever by Judy Blume), I just kept on going. If we insist children stick to "appropriate" age levels or reading lists, won't they get bored?
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? I do not think there should be restricted shelves in a school library. I don't understand having the materials in the collection if they are to be restricted. This whole topic reminds me of the children's book The Library Dragon.
The media center at my school does not technically have a restricted area. There are a couple of books that have caused problems that she pulled out of circulation. There is also a display section of autographed books. Students are not allowed to check these out, but she did purchase extra copies for the collection.
1. I do not think that students should be able to check out any resource in the media center. I do think that all resources need to be accessible to them though. Some equipment is too expensive to send home and some students (and parents as well) will not take care of it.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think that the age of the child should affect what materials they can access. I do feel that the media center should only house materials that are appropriate for the age of the whole school.
3. I believe that if the materials have to be restricted, then they should not be in the media center to begin with. Our school does not have a shelf for restricted items.
4. I don't feel that it is the job of one person to make the decision about what materials can be checked out. It should be the job of the Media Committee. If there is no committee, then the media specialist should bring it before the principal and maybe the School Council or BOE.
5. I was most surprised by the restricted items. I have never heard of a media center having a restricted area and not being allowed to see or check out certain items(except reference materials). If it is restricted that much, why have it in the media center to begin with?
6. I would like to know more about a Media Committee and their role in over-seeing how and if the media policies are followed.
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I think this decision should be left up to the kids parents. Many times things that I prohibit in my class the kids have permission to do or say at home. I don't allow my students to say lie in my class, but some parents find it okay at home. I feel that the parents should be surveyed on the kind of materials for their child and the information should be keep on record.
ReplyDeleteShould the age of the student affect which materials they can access? I think that the age students are should affect what materials they have access to. As a parent and a teacher I feel that many students are exposed to things that they may not be ready for. Students need to have someone to help guide them in the learning and the maturing process.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Personally I think their are some things that should be restricted. Those things to me are not restricted for everyone, but they should be age appropriate. The things that we are restricted in our curriculum are religious materials. We are not able to read religious books to the students. I can agree and disagree with this. The students are so young they are very impressionable. On the same page there are many students that will not remember what we read at all. There are times when we should look at the materials as reading materials.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? I feel that parents, teacher, and students should work together on reading materials. I don't think there is one right answer for this one. There are times when parents don't think outside of this being their child. Teachers know and understand what level students should be learning and students know what materials they like to read. I feel that if the students are reading we should encourage them.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? It is really surprising to me that we want to remove books from circulation that students are reading. My daughter loves to read and when I question the materials she may be reading, she reassures me on my parenting. She often says I can think for myself and I know not to let the material influence me. Me personally I love reading religious books. The thought of the books being out of my reach discourages me about reading. I think people should be able to read information that is intriguing to them.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian? Should librarians look at materials as sources of information or should the information be based upon curriculum. I am thinking more on religion and other content like this. I understand older students are not as influential as young students.
1. I personally think that students should not be able to check out any and every resource that the school library owns. There are certain resources like technology equipment and reference materials that should remain on the school grounds at all times. I believe students should be able to use any resource available in the library when needed during the school day-even the technology equipment. In my school, students are forbidden from touching or using the technology equipment. I think students need to be able to use these resources because they were purchased for the students therefore they should be used by the students.
ReplyDelete2. I do not think age should affect the materials that a student can access. One of my priorities as a teacher is to motivate my young students to learn to read and to help them gain a passion for reading. If I restrict them from reading certain books then I am not doing my job. Every child is different and students have differing ability levels as well as interests. I had a first grader last year that was fascinated by money. She wanted to learn about money in different countries and how it compared to our US dollars. There were no books on a first grade reading level that addressed these topics so we had to search in higher level books. She soon found the answers to her questions, but that would not have happened if I had restricted the books that she had access to simply because of her age.
3. Our media center does not have restricted shelves in the sense that students are not allowed to check certain books out located on certain shelves. Our librarian believes that students can check out any books that they want from the library. She does however, only show young children certain shelves in the media center from which they can pick books to be checked out. For example, she has shown my first graders the Easy and Easy Non-fiction sections only and these are the only shelves that my students choose books from. I believe she is trying to steer my children toward books that are more age and reading level appropriate. Older children are allowed to check out any book in the library, excluding the reference materials.
I do not think there should be a reason to have a restricted shelf in the media center. If there is a resource in the library that is being challenged to the point where it is placed on a restricted shelf then the resource needs to be brought before the library committee and examined to determine whether it is appropriate material for a school library or not.
4. I think that decisions about materials that students can or cannot check out should be left up to the teachers and media specialists. Parents should also have a voice in this decision. If they do not want there child to check out certain books then it is their right to set those boundaries. Being a first grade teacher, I see things a little differently than some do. I think my students need a lot of guidance when it comes to books that they should or should not check out. Our media specialist does an excellent job of directing my students toward books that are appropriate for them, but she never refuses to let them check out any books in the library. The students make the ultimate decision about the books that they want to check out.
5. I have thought a lot about the sites that are blocked on the internet since reading the articles this week. There are so many useful sites that have been blocked on our computers at school. I get so aggravated when I want to show my students something on the computer and I get the message that the site has been blocked. I think that the filtering system used should be looked at carefully. I agree that some sites should be blocked, but there are so many that should not.
6. As a future librarian, I want to learn more about the students’ rights and freedoms in the library. What rights do they have? What exactly does my school system have to say about the freedoms and rights that our students have?
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? No, some items may be too expensive to replace and require adult supervision. For example, some media centers are purchasing eReaders for electronic books. Until prices drop, these devises my only be available for use in the media center.
ReplyDeleteShould the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?) From what I’ve read in Scales’ book, if a kindergartener wants to checkout a title that is above his or her reading level, let them have it! There’s nothing wrong with it. The third title poses a different situation, which should warrant discretion. What’s Happening to My Body may not be educationally suitable for a kindergarten student to read without parental guidance. I feel it should be placed on a restricted shelf in a primary school setting. So, yes, age of the students DOES affect which materials they can access.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)? Yes, there are a few reasons why items should be placed on a restricted shelf. Our school has an area like this in the library’s work room. There are probably 350 books there that date back to the early 1900's and are so old and valuable that we only allow students to make copies out of them or look at them under strict supervision (their pages are brittle). They are, however, listed in the catalog, so the students may search for them.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? Parents should have ultimate authority over what materials a student can check out. Teachers and media specialists are entrusted by parents to help students find resources that are educationally suitable.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? Pat Scales’ does a terrific job of presenting what otherwise may seem like a mundane topic in a fascinating set of scenarios. I’m not selling this text back.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I am unclear on what is lawful and ethical when sharing student records. On page 48, Scales describes a scenario where a teacher insists on viewing a student’s library records to present evidence to parents about their child’s time management problem. From what I’ve read in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act on page 75, school officials may have access to student records if they have a legitimate educational interest. Isn’t it logical that a teacher could obtain this information, as described in Scales’ scenario? If not, what about the fact that the information was being shared with the student’s parents?
#1 Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteIn our media center, the teacher collection of teaching materials, kits, videos, and technology are housed in a separate room. This room is off limits to students. I don't feel that students should be allowed to check out designated teaching tools because of the cost and the need for them to be available to the staff for instructional purposes. Coming from an elementary background, I understand not letting students have access to these resources because of issues with items not returned on time or lost and/or damaged.
#2 Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? Under their First Amendment rights, the age of the student shouldn't affect which materials they can access. In Scales, Chapter 3-Case Study 3 the author states, " Any student should be free to explore and use the entire library media collection. A library media center should be the one place in the school where students are treated as individuals, without labels attached to their names or restrictions enforced because of such labels." I know many teachers want their students to check out books they can read, essentially, on their own reading level. Many of my students love the non-fiction books, especially the ones that gives facts about animals. These books are above their reading level, but they enjoy looking at the pictures and asking questions. If a parent objects to a child's choice, then the parent needs to let the teacher or media specialist know what books they child shouldn't check out. I've given a link below to a story where two media specialists were fired for refusing to let a student check out a graphic novel. They felt the material was not age appropriate for the student but this went against their district's policy. Interesting story!
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6705443.html
#3 Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves?
ReplyDeleteI feel materials should not be placed on restricted shelves because in the end this does draw more attention to them. In our elementary media center, we do not have restricted shelves. If a book is challenged and the committee chose to place the book on a restricted shelf, then I would have to abide by the decision of the committee. I read an article by Pat Scales about restricting access to books to younger readers by placing them higher on the shelves out of their reach. Here is a link to that article.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6685539.html
I never thought of restricting books by height.
#4 Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? I think this decision lies with the student and their parents. Ultimately, the parents are the decision makers for what materials they want their child to read.
#5 What did you find most surprising about the readings this week? I liked reading the court cases in Scales and about different library vandalism statutes enforced in different states. This is considered a misdemeanor in several states. I'm looking to see if Georgia has such a statute. Does anyone know of such a statute?
#6 What more do I want to know?
ReplyDeleteI want to know what agencies or groups I can rely on when needing more information about challenged books for the media center. Also, one question I have is about when coding new books into the collection. If I have a book that could be controversial, like Uncle Bobby's Wedding, when coding should I only list it as Uncles-fiction, weddings fiction and leave out the same sex marriage reference? Would I be considered "withholding information" from those searching?
Are there organizations like PAGE/GAE that media specialists can become members with liability insurance? Just thinking after reading some articles where ms have defended their choices of materials for the library and have been fired or contracts not renewed because of them protecting the intellectual freedom of their patrons.
1. I believe that students should have access to all of the resources in the media center, but I do not believe that all resources should be available for check out. As others have stated, reference materials are expensive to replace and these items need to be on the shelves at all times. I can see the point of having a policy of no check out for reference materials. Much of this information can be accessed online, so students can obtain the information without having the physical items in hand. I don't have a problem with students using the technology resources (digital cameras or camcorders) if teachers check out these items and supervise student use at school. How else will some students gain experience using this type of technology?
ReplyDelete2. After much thought on this topic, I have concluded that the materials at a school should be appropriate for the ages of students who attend that school (in theory). In this case, the age of the student shouldn't matter. In my school, however, we currently have pre-k through 7th grade. There is definitely a vast difference in the content of the books in our collection. It ranges from easy picture books to Twilight. I believe that there are some resources that the younger students don't need to check out. After more thinking,though,I realized that most students don't try to check out materials that are too hard to read or understand. I just can't see students in first grade really trying to read a 5th or 6th grade level book. Even if they could read the words, would the topic be interesting to them?
3. Based on the information in the book by Scales, there should be no restricted shelves in the media center. I don't like the idea of restricting materials, but our media specialist does this. She keeps a few books in her office and students must ask for them. Even then, the ms questions them about their experience with chapter books and performance on AR before releasing the books to them.
4. According to Scales, students should make the decisions about what they check out (of the materials available for check out). I agree with this, but I am aware that parents have preferences about their children's reading materials. I'm not sure what my response would be in the actual situation. I am torn between thinking that I should honor a parent's wishes if I am aware of them, but then I feel that I should allow the students to use materials that they select. With my own children, I simply told them what books I did not want them to read. If the books had appeared in their bookbags, I would have told them to return them to the library. They never brought the books home, and it did not occur to me to notify the ms about my wishes.
5. I was dismayed to read about school districts who did not follow their policies for challenged materials. I do not like the fact that books are pulled from a collection without the proper procedures being followed. Even though I may not agree with certain materials, I realize that we cannot pull resources without evaluating them appropriately.
6. I am wondering how a school librarian can begin to provide intellectual freedom in a library when restrictions have been in place in the past. Teachers and administration may not react positively to efforts to ease the restrictions. Also, how does a school librarian respond to efforts to bypass the policy for challenged materials, such as a principal pulling a book from the collection with no thought given to policy?
1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? Students at our school aren't allowed to check out reference materials (we just don't have enough and they are expensive, however teachers can check them out and students can use them in the classrooms). Students are also not allowed to check out videos which are for instructional use.
ReplyDelete2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? I believe that age should be a factor. Even if a child in 3rd grade is on a 6th grade reading level they may not be mature enough to handle some of the material that is presented in middle school literature. We encourage parents at our school to come to the library with their child after school. This helps ensure that children are checking out material that is age appropriate as well as reading level appropriate.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? In our library, we do not have a restricted area. However, when I went to get the book that I have chosen to read (which has changed to King and King because I couldn't find And Tango Makes Three), the children's librarian at the local library pulled the book from the "Family Resource" section of the children's library area. So there is a separate section for "restricted" material at our public library.
1. Yes, all students have the right to access any material available in their library. It is wrong and creates a bias to keep students away from certain materials or to make them bring in notes to grant access. Even Scales states: “Any student should be free to explore and use the entire media collection.” (p. 61)
ReplyDelete2. I think that the age of a student should be taken into consideration when a student is looking for a book. Just because their reading level is above their grade level does not mean that the content in higher level books is appropriate for someone their age. The media specialist should help the students find books that will be enjoyable to read and is age appropriate. However, the media specialist can only suggest age appropriate books and can’t deny a patron from accessing a book that might be too advanced.
3. The only instance where I can see materials being restricted would be materials that are expensive or very fragile. Students should have access to these materials but they need to be used in the library so they are not damaged. All other books should be placed in regular circulation. Why would you have books in your collection that you would keep from your students? I agree that it would just cause attention to the books and make the students more curious to understand why they are being hidden.
4. Teachers, parents, administrators, media specialists, and students should all collaborate together to come up with books that should be in the media centers collection. However, once the books are chosen the student should be the overall decision maker about what they can check out.
5. I find that it is hard to believe that so many people would have issues with the literature that is available in the media center. If your family has specific beliefs that your child upholds than when they are in the media center they will naturally want to gravitate to the books that interest them, not go against what they believe. If you do not like horror movies, are you going to buy a ticket to go see one? If you and your family don’t believe in reading about wizards are you going to want to read the Harry Potter books? Probably not. So why does that book need to be taken off the shelf for the other students. If you don’t like the book, don’t read it. If your child is reading something you don’t want them reading, talk to them about it. Don’t try ruining the value of the literature for everyone.
6. I think that it is challenging to uphold the policies of intellectual freedom in some schools. I think that a main concern for media specialists would be the fear that they could be looked down upon or even terminated for letting students read books that seem inappropriate. I would want to know in what ways a media specialist can protect themselves in cases in which their administrators may not agree with such decisions.
1. After reading that intellectual freedom can exist only when all individuals have the right to “convey their ideas in any form they deem appropriate” and “access…information and ideas regardless of the communication medium used,” I have to acknowledge that students should be able to check out any type of resource the library owns. If they wish to convey their ideas through a project using a camcorder, they should be able to access this technology. If they wish to listen to an interview of a popular author they listened to in class again, they should be able to check out the CD and review it in their home. There would, of course, have to be effective supervision of these resources. After all, who are these resources purchased for if not the students?
ReplyDelete2. I do not think the age of the student should affect which materials they can access. A selection policy should ensure that the majority of materials in the media center are suited to the age range of the students in the school. However, a good selection policy should also provide differentiation for students who are gifted or read well above grade level. Therefore, materials which best suit the needs of all students should be available.
3. I do not believe there are any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves. The Library Bill of Rights states, “Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” Materials are carefully selected by a media specialist and students should have access to all materials owned by the media center. Restricting items places a stigma upon the item and, in turn, places a stigma on the student attempting to access the item. Although our school does not have restricted shelves or house materials in the media specialist’s office, we do honor the requests of parents in regards to their children.
4. I feel a strong selection policy will ensure students are presented with access to quality materials which provide educational value. I think the student has the right to choose which materials are accessed; however, I do feel parents should be supported by the school. If a parent wishes their child to read an alternative book, we should support that request. In this case, if a media center program is well developed, there will be plenty of resources on the First Amendment in which a student obtain supporting evidence to refute their parent’s decision. :)
5. I found it extremely intriguing that the MPAA is a private organization and that their rating system has no legal standing and does not consider educational significance when assigning ratings. Our media specialist did not want to purchase Schindler’s List due to its rating. A teacher, however, was determined to use parts of the film and the two reached a compromise in which a letter obtaining parental permission must be presented by students before watching the film. I found this ironic as the students are seniors (17) and would be able to purchase a ticket to see the film if it were currently in theaters. I couldn’t help but recall the comments from a student on p. 6 regarding her anger over Michelangelo’s statue of David being censored. She felt she was led to think of it as “dirty” rather than art. I can’t help but think the students in the history class will think of Schindler’s List as vulgar entertainment rather than an honest portrayal of historical events.
6. I reside and teach in a very conservative and religious county in which there are very strong views in regards to various issues. If a committee deems a book “inappropriate,” does this mean the voice in the minority that wishes to access the book is justifiably overruled? Is a policy providing power of access to a committee really in support of Intellectual Freedom if, in the end, it only represents the ‘majority’ rather than the minority?
1.)Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteAll of the resources in the media center are for the students. Teachers may use them to help students or the students may use them themselves. If we keep the attitude that the students are going to be using most of the resources somehow, then we are letting them use everything in the library. I think students should only be able to check out materials that they can use. Videos and that kind of stuff is usually reserved for teachers to use in the classroom. In this economic age we have to account for the cost of the extra materials and determine if it is worth it to the students to check these extra things out.
2.)Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body)
I would say yes, age is important. Maturity does not parallel reading levels. Many books are written for the actual reading level. If it is at a fourth grade level, then it is meant for students at a fourth grade maturity level. This isn't true for all books, but for many it is. This also raises the question whether or not the kids would even fully understand or enjoy the books, if they have not had the exposure to ideas in the book.
3.)Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves?
I think going by intended reading levels is important. YA books don't usually belong in an Elementary library. Many of the restricted books are YA books. I feel that in a elementary school, children should be protected from materials that have explicit content. Middle and High school, no, because whatever is in a book they probably know a real person that has done, said, or acted the same as in the book.
4.)Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
Some are kept in the office
5.)Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I feel that as teachers we work with parents, staff, and the community to teach our children. It takes a village... I would say that several people can suggest but a panel should make the ultimate decision. One person shouldn't be running the restricted shelves, it should be the entire community.
6.)What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I could not believe the amount of books that have been challenged for petty things. I have read a lot of these books and I was surprised by what people seem to get out of a book. So many great books are not in libraries due to fear of debate or banning.
7.)What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
How can we let students read freely without being judgmental or trying to control their choices?
1. I think that students should be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns. At my school, students are allowed to check out reference books. However, the students can only check the reference books out for only 1 day.
ReplyDelete2. My school is a PK-8 school and the PK-4th grade students should not be allowed to check out books from the young adolescent section because there is a big difference in the reading levels and due to the fact that the content may not age appropriate. Therefore, I believe the age of the student should affect which materials students can access.
3. No! I do not think that any materials should be placed on restricted shelves. Students need to have access to all the materials in the media center. My school does not have restricted shelves.
4. I think that parents should make the decision about what materials their child(ren) can check out.
5. I was surprised to learn that restrictive shelves even exist. What the purpose of have the materials in the collection if the students do not have direct access to them.
6. I want to learn more how to deal with challenges to materials.
In my opinion, students should not be able to check out any type of resource that the library owns because some resources are too expensive. Many students lose books and refuse to pay for them. I don’t think it’s a good idea for students to check out more expensive materials but they should be allowed access to them in the library.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the age of the student should affect which materials can be accessed because all materials in the media center should be appropriate for learners. So many students are restricted to reading lower level or “at-reading-level” books when they are capable of reading and understanding more. I think we should allow the students to choose what they would like to read/
In my opinion, only teacher’s resources should be restricted. The library is the place to go to learn and gain knowledge. If material is deemed inappropriate, the media specialist should get rid of it, not restrict access to it in the library.
As an 8th grade reading teacher, I sometimes have to help my special students determine a book that is appropriate for their reading levels. A few students always check out books that they cannot comprehend and they can’t pass the AR test over the book. In these instances, I try to assist the student in selecting a book that they will enjoy. Otherwise, I believe that parents can make decisions about what their child can checkout (if they have a problem with certain reading materials.)
After reading the Friese article about inquiry learning, I do not believe that my school’s selection policy was written to facilitate inquiry learning. I think that unfortunately many schools are limited to a selection policy that supports a low budget for our economy.
I am curious as to who receives blame for inappropriate material in the library. If inquiry and intellectual freedom are core considerations for the selection process, who is held accountable for inappropriate books or resources? Obviously, the media specialist cannot read each and every book that is housed in the library.
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ReplyDeleteI do not think that students should be able to check out any resource a library has. For example, some resources may have been purchased for teachers to use in their classrooms and these should only be accessible to the staff. Reference sources are another example. Students need these for research and they need to be accessible to all students. Reference sources and professional materials should be allowed to be checked out by students. The only restriced shelves in my school media center are in the professional collection. The professional collection houses videos and DVDs for classroom use, lesson plans, and professional books and journals for staff members.
ReplyDeleteThe age of the student should not affect the material they can access. Any book in the elementary school media center should be appropriate for any student in that school. Students in third grade should not be limited to a certain set of books because every students in that grade level may have different interests and a different reading level. One child might need a book on a first grade reading level while another child from that same class might need a book on a fifth grade reading level.
I believe that it is the teacher or the parent's responsibility to help assist a student with what materials they can check out. A teacher will know a child's interests and so will a parent. If a parent objects to something that their child brings home from the library, the parent has the right to return the book and ask that their child not be allowed to check it out again. It is NOT the media specialist's job to make decisions about what children can and cannot check out. The media specialist should promote intellectual freedom within the school library and help guarantee that all students have fair and equal access to the materials.
What really dismayed me the most as a I read Scales' book was how far school boards would go in overstepping their bounds in censoring books and removing materials from schools. I was also surprised at how recent some of the dates on the lawsuits were, such as 1995 and 2001! What I would really like to know is how much censorship and book challenges are an issue in my own school district. I wonder how often the local media specialist that I work with deals with book challenges on a yearly basis.
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteStudent access to resources should be limited to resources that are appropriate for their needs. At the elementary level,generally speaking, a student shouldn't need to check out a digital camera or reference book for use outside of the supervision of a teacher. However, students at the secondary level may need to do so. I feel that this issue would need to be addressed on the basis of school and/or student needs. The media specialist's discretion could be used to determine who is and is not able to gain access to such materials outside the library. All in all, students should be able to access all books intended for their use, and should be able to visit the media center when necessary to use reference materials and other non-print resources.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
I do feel that students should be able to check out whatever they like, and this is because I feel that it helps students better understand themselves. For example, if a first grader reading on grade level checks out Harry Potter, more than likely that student will discover that this book is not for them because of the readability of the text, and as a result will not be bothered at all by the potential controversy awaiting within. Whereas the student who is able to read Harry Potter with full comprehension, will be mature enough to handle the content and make judgments for themself.
Permitting students to pursue their own interests should be implemented, and any concerns should be left in the hands of the guardian.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves?
Materials that have been challenged within a school/county may need to be considered for restrictive shelving to prevent an ongoing problem with a particular item. I say this because school communities are often close-knit, so being proactive about a touchy piece of literature may help others from protesting a specific book. Other than that, I would say provide books to the children and handle each concern that arises on an as needed basis.
Does your school library have restricted shelves?
We do have a tiny restricted section, it consists of two books. These books were placed there because of parent complaints. One is a picture of a fetus in the mother, along with a close up of the development of the fetus over time. Another book is discussing reproduction of insects, and the word "sperm" is found with it. At the elementary level I can see why this may cause a little fuss, but I still believe the students should have access to them. With that said, my media specialist allows these books to be checked out after calling the parent if a student requests them.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
Ultimately the parent is in control of censorship, but as a media specialist I do believe that careful consideration of materials should take place. Determining books for your collection should be based on the student age range predominantly, but if you know that there is strong opposition to certain types of materials within your school community, I would suggest housing those materials somewhere hidden so that student must request the item. As long as the book is available for reading for those who wish to do so, I do not see any harm in keeping those books somewhere else. I would only be opposed to not having the books at all. It is the responsibility of the library to have books that address all walks of life, beliefs, and topics. By promoting diverse topics with the books that are in our media center we are able to expose readers to unknown issues and ways of thinking. As a result the reader is encouraged to be a diverse, tolerant student, which is important in today's world.
These are all very tricky questions. First off, I want to say that I don’t think there is a black/white answer for any of these questions-because they all have gray areas. Also, what works in the schools of one community may cause an uproar in the next. Therefore, I’m going to answer the questions based on what I believe to be best for my school system-nestled in a rural community in Southeast Georgia.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I think students should be able to check out any resource in the media center. Sure, some resources should have special restrictions-like they can only be picked up after school and returned before school the next morning. And even though I think this is how it should be, I know it would be hard to implement this policy because of the elevated costs for some of the resources, like reference materials. However, the materials are there for the students, so let’s allow them to use them. :) Next, I would argue that the age of the student should affect what the student has access too. What is appropriate for a twelfth grader to read, is not always appropriate for a fourth grader to read. And while most libraries don’t serve such a wide range of learners, some do. The neighboring school system to my community has one media center for its middle school and high school. Therefore, the media center serves students in grades four through twelve. They color code the labels on the books, and all middle school students know they are not allowed to check out books that have blue labels. The parents in the community appreciate these restrictions. While these restrictions may not be necessary in only a middle school or separate high school, they are necessary for schools with such wide age ranges.
Now, as far as restricted shelves go, I don’t see where there is any sense in having them. It’s my opinion that if it has to go on a “restricted shelf,” maybe it just shouldn’t be in the library at all. If it’s in the library, it should be placed among the rest of the collection. Simply labeling it as “restricted” causes attention to be brought to the material, and I would argue would create more “issues” than it resolves.
Next, I think that while the library media specialist obviously has something to do with what students are allowed to check out, I don’t think it is entirely her responsibility. Instead, I think this is an issue that should be decided upon by a committee that consists of the media specialist, principal, students, parents, school board members, and teachers. The issue should be discussed and decided upon amongst representatives of these groups, so that policies are accepted by all parties.
The most surprising thing I found in our readings for this week is how most intellectual freedom advocates and policies seem to say students should have access to almost anything, and removing controversial material from the collection is a fringe upon their rights. Maybe I’m just reading it wrong, but this seems to be the jest of the information. Wow!
One of the major things I still want to know is what are the restrictions that can be placed on collections, without infringing upon students’ intellectual freedom? And also, how do I make the right, legal decision as the media specialist about what to include in my library?
Q1.
ReplyDeleteShould students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I feel that allowing students to check out any type of resource that the school library owns is simply not being a good steward of the money you are given to purchase materials. Generally, audio visuals, equipment and teacher resources are only checked out by staff members so they can’t be lost or destroyed by students. However, exceptions are made as needed, but with parent permission. For example, a learning disabled student who needs a book on tape can check it out with parent permission. Since reference books are much more expensive, these are limited to in library use. Parents complain when asked to pay for expensive items such as reference books that can cost $40 compared to a lost novel that cost $18. In my opinion it’s a good idea to protect a parents’ pocket book and preserve the more expensive books in the collection too. However, I want to give more thought to see if there is an easy way to get parents to sign for the cost of reference books in advance to allow them to be checked out.
Another blogger commented this can be considered restricting access according to Scales. I disagree because students can have access to the materials at school and in the classroom, but whether or not students take them home is the debatable point.
Q2.
Should the age of the students affect which materials they can access? I’d like to point out here that there is an implied trust that the school provides books that are age appropriate for their children. Even thought we can’t please everyone, I think we have to keep that in mind buy age appropriate books. Unfortunately, that’s not black and white. I empathized with Judy Blume’s frustration when her books were banned because I do consider her s to be good literature. However, I couldn’t completely empathize with her defense of the lines about masturbation when her book editor brought up the point that those lines would cause the book to be banned in places. This summer I read a controversial book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon. It’s a mystery told from the point of view of a 15 year old autistic boy that could be absolutely wonderful in helping middle school kids gain a better understanding of their autistic classmates. But because of the frequent use of the F word (I assume) it was in the adult section at Books-a-Million and I wouldn’t consider it middle school appropriate. I kept asking myself why couldn’t the author see and CARE enough about limiting the book’s acceptance for younger readers to use another word. So when do we say yes, that’s a great story but the author took it a little too far for a specific age? That’s one of the time consuming labors of my job, trying to navigate the gray area between adolescent and YA literature. The Scales book didn’t elaborate on this issue enough.
Q3.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested? The only materials restricted from students are audio visuals and teacher resources.
Q4.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? The media specialist and media committee should guide the selection process as well as determine what resources should be used within the school or media center only. Parents can have input, but rarely exercise their right.
Q5.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? I found the Scales book to be inadequate in helping me gain a better understanding of navigating my way through YA literature in middle school.
Q6.
What do you still want to know about Intellection Freedom in the school library and your role as a school librarian
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteI think students should have access to and be able to check out most of the items in the media center. Resources that are in the media center for teacher use such as technology items and lesson planning resources should be restricted from students. Also, the technology resources in the media center are pricey and the costs associated with replacing or fixing these items may not be possible financially, so adults should be the only ones to use or check out these items. As for books, I don’t think any books should be restricted from students.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
No, I don’t think age should have any effect on materials accessed by students. Age and grade level does not necessarily identify the child’s intellect. Parents may have issues with this but that is another issue that media specialists must deal with.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
Just the materials strictly for teachers should be placed on restricted shelves. This will make the materials always available when teachers need them. For the students, I don’t think there should be a restricted shelf. If the items have been deemed inappropriate for students by the school, they should not be in the media center at all.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I think the media specialist should collaborate with the teachers to determine what students should not be checking out such as the resources for lessons. If videos are to be placed on the restricted shelves, then I think the library should have videos that the students may check out in addition to the ones for the teachers.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
The court case of Counts vs. Cedarville in Scales was intriguing to me. Here is a classic case of parents with conflicting opinions on what the library shelves should contain. The school definitely made an error in having parents sign a paper in order for their child to check out the Harry Potter books. The courts ruled that this was a violation of the First Amendment. The book points out that library media specialists should be quite cautious in the rules and limitations of check out policies in the school library.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would like to know more about certain instances such as the court case I mentioned above, especially concerning school districts in my area. This could help get an idea of how much these types of situations come up and how intense they are.
1. I don’t think that students should be able to check out every material that the media center houses. For instance, I feel that students don’t necessarily need to check out reference materials for their personal use. They should definitely be give access to them inside the media center, and teachers should be able to check out a set of encyclopedias for their classroom to use if needed for an extended period of time, but individually students should not be able to check out one encyclopedia. I also think that video’s, technology equipment, and teacher resources fall in this category as well. These are materials that the students may have access to through their classroom teachers, but it is not wise to allow them personal checkout for these items. Videos may be something to consider checking to students in a high school library once the students become more responsible and accountable for materials.
ReplyDelete2. The age of the student should not effect which materials they should be able to check out. I think in pursuing the act of teaching them to be effective users of materials it is our job to help teach them which materials are within their specific range of learning and understanding. Students should be taught and guided in how to choose materials that they are able to use and read effectively. If they choose a book that is outside of that specific range then that will allow them to discover themselves what happens when the information is too hard. They will learn for themselves that as a consequence for choosing a book outside of their range then they are unable to understand, gain information, or enjoy the text.
3. The only circumstance I think that warrants a book being placed on a restrictive shelf is if it has been challenged and taken through the steps that are outlined in the county policies. I don’t think a book should be taken off the shelf immediately if someone simply raises an issue, but it there is a genuine concern and the steps are taken to investigate the controversial materials then it may be necessary to get it off the shelf while a decision is being made about whether or not to ban the material. We do not have a restrictive section in the library at the moment, but there have been times in the past when materials were still in the collection and under review.
4. I think that determining what materials a student should check out should be a collaboration between the media specialist, teachers, and parents. Ultimately, it is the parents’ discretion as to what their child should and should not read. However, all of the parties named should work together to develop guidelines for the school that help lead students in effectively choosing information to check out. If there are specific materials that all parties feel may not be relevant, necessary, or helpful for a specific age or group of students then I think it is wise to take that under consideration.
5. I was most surprised by the fact that if you restrict any material/information from a student then it is infringing upon their first amendment rights. Although, in theory that statement sounds simple and right, it is extremely hard and controversial to carry it out. The fact is that some (most) people feel that some information really isn’t appropriate for young learners, but it is against their rights to keep them from that information. This topic and task is not an easy one by any means!
6. My question is who do you go to as the media specialist if your county policies are not clear about controversial materials? If a parent or teacher questions a material and your county/school does not have specific guidelines what are the steps you should take? Should you make a professional judgment call? If so, what happens if the people above you simply tell you take something off the shelf simply because there has been a complaint?
1. I think that video collections and DVD’s that the library has are usually very expensive and are used by teachers for whole group instruction. Students should also not be able to check out reference materials because generally a school only has one set of these for all of the students to use. I think that most libraries also have teacher instructional books and books for teachers and these books should not be checked out by students.
ReplyDelete2. I think that students should be able to check out whatever book that they would like. Most schools are classified as elementary, middle, and high school. The library at each of these schools carries materials that are appropriate for the students at these schools. A kindergarten student may not be able to read a chapter book but who is to say that mom or dad wont read that story to that child before they go to bed that night…
3. I think that there are some materials that some parents may not want their child to read or bring home. I think that students should have access to all books that are available in the media center collection. The media center only purchases books that a board of people for the school system approves. If the book was approved to be bought then it should be available to all students.
4. I think that students should make the decision about what materials they should be able to check out. We as teachers and media specialist want our children to enjoy reading. Children are more apt to read a story that they find interesting, that they can relate to, that they can understand. I think that when students choices are limited and the books that they can read are not interesting to them then the students may begin to dislike reading.
5. I find the whole idea of intellectual freedom interesting. I am all about Constitutional rights and freedoms but some of the books out there for children and for adults definitely go against my beliefs and I would not like for them to be in a school for my child to read. However, as a parent I should be aware of what my child reads and monitor what they are reading.
6. What are the laws of intellectual freedom and can I as a librarian refuse to purchase certain books because I do not think they are appropriate for the students in my school.
My personal opinion is that students should not be able to check out all resources in the library. I receive stacks of notices for over due books weekly. Although many books are returned, there is still a host of them that are not accounted for. Resources that are priced in the premium range should remain in the library, due to the high cost of replacement. As with so many budget cuts, many valued resources may be hard to replace.
ReplyDeleteAge Restrictions
The age of the student should be a factor in what is checked out. Older students began to have more responsibility and they are presented with more topics for research. This is a reason for them to have access to checking out more material.
Younger students should have restrictions on the amount of books to be taken out by grade level. As students age they began to understand the concept of borrowing and returning books.
Shelf Restrictions
Books should represent the world around us. With some material covering subjects that are not aligned with some people beliefs, this calls for careful monitoring. When looking at topics such as homosexuality or abuse, these would probably need to be placed in a controlled environment. This should be done in order to not offend one person or group.
My school does not have restricted shelves, probably because the system is very good at monitoring their collections.
1. Students should not be allowed to check out any type of resource that the library owns. Some of the technological resources available in the media center such as an Elmo, video camera, etc. tend to be very expensive. Because the budget is so slim, and is getting slimmer each day, funds will not be available to replace those types of materials.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, age is not what is important when it comes to the materials that students have access to, the reading level is much more important. If a child is in 2nd grade but can read on a 5th grade level, he/she should be able to access those materials. The same is true for 5th graders reading on a 2nd grade level. I don't think that students should be locked in based on a reading level, though. Often times students who use AR are given a reading level and is not allowed to read outside of that level regardless of interests. I believe that students should be allowed to read what is of interest to him/her.
3. In some cases, placing materials on restricted shelves is appropriate. If a particular book contains language that is offensive, sexual content, racism, political views, etc., then it should be put on a restricted shelf. These books should only be allowed to be checked out with signed permission from the parent(s). In a very conservative county, such as the one in which I teach, parents would be extremely upset if their elementary school aged child came home with a book about homosexuality. Because the majority of the parents in this particular county shelter their children, they believe that it is totally up to them as parents to decide what their children are exposed to, even through the school media center.
4. Yes, my school media center does have restricted shelves. Often times the books on this shelf are books that have been pulled in the past due to what was considered inappropriate content. However, during library orientation at the beginning of the year, the media specialist makes the students aware of the books and let them know that their parents were welcomed to come and browse those books. If after that the parents saw fit, they could give their child written permission to check out those books. However, the books are not restricted due to personal views or beliefs of the media specialist.
5. As a parent and a teacher, I believe that the decision about what a student checks out is ultimately up to the parents. Because the parent is teaching their children certain religious beliefs or certain political views, it should be up to the parent to direct their children as to what they need to check out. After the parents, the media specialist should be second in line. Because of his/her training in media collection, he/she should be very well aware of what content is contained in certain books.
6. The most intriguing thing about the readings this week is that there are so many facets to be considered when deciding what students have access to in the media center. Because of the numerous case studies that were presented in the reading, I became much more aware of what a media specialist faces when trying to serve her students. I was also amazed at the explanation of the rating systems for movies as well as video games, etc.
7. Because the readings were so informative this week, I don't have any other questions or concerns right now. I do wonder, though, when will the debates about media collection restrictions end? Will the governmental agencies always be the ultimate decision makers when it comes to the Intellectual Freedom of our students?
I do not believe that students should have access to everything that the school library owns because some of it are resources designated for teachers only. There are laptop computers that may be accessed by students but I don't think they should be able to check them out and leave the school with them. Equipment is very expensive and may not be able to be replaced especially with the cuts in budget.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the age of a child should be the reason for restricting access to materials. Children mature differently and can read on different levels. Certain books might not be appropriate for everyone but I do believe that they should have access to all materials.
I don't think that there should be materials placed in restricted shelving areas. The media center at my school does not have restricted shelves.
I believe that the parent or guardian should have the right to choose what is appropriate for their own child but should not hold the school responsible for enforcing this individual opinion on all students.
I find it surprising how many restricted shelves and limited access to materials exist even though according to the Library Bill of Rights, everyone should have a right to access these materials.
Shannon Petty
It is my belief that students should be able to check out all books, including reference books, playaways, and read alongs for use inside and outside of the school. Regarding the selection of DVD’s I feel that students should be able to check them out for use in the classroom, or in another section of the school. In reference to the electronic equipment, items such as older video recorders and digital cameras, I say they should be allowed for check out within the school, and with parental consent for home use. As for the higher end electronics such as HD video recorders, digital camera, Elmos, DVD players, TVs, computers, etc., I believe students should not have the ability to check them out for neither home nor unsupervised use, but should be able to us the equipment with guidance and supervision on school premises.
ReplyDeleteI am of the opinion that students should not be limited in their selection of reading materials. I say this because, although a kindergarten student may not be able to read the words on a book such as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Rowling, 2005), perhaps someone outside the school environment is reading to the child. We do not always know what is happening outside the school setting.
At my school, we do not have a restricted shelf, nor do we have a special holding place for what some may deem questionable selections. All students at my school have access to every book. Students have the right to select their book of choice.
The most surprising information I discovered in this week’s reading was that in some schools, there are “physical and virtual restrictions” on the materials to which a student has access. I have never been employed at a school that has placed books and other items out of the immediate reach of a student.
The area I want to explore further is the selection process and the idea of a “Media Committee.” I know that my school does not have a media committee, and according to the media secretary, she is not aware of any written policies regarding the selection process.
Students are the heart and soul behind education and should be our heartbeat as a media specialist. Scales (2009) states that "a completely open door policy promotes an intellectually free environment and guarantees students...a library media program that the supports the overall missions of the school..." I agree with this to a great extent. Students should be given access to the entirety of the resources offered. With the exception of electronics options and certain reference materials, I believe students should be able to check out the contents of the library. (Even recently, our ms allowed my son to check out a reference book about the Academy Awards, so there are exceptions to most rules.)
ReplyDeleteWhile age may be a determining factor in checking out expensive items, I believe maturity would be a better factor to use in determining need for other items. It might help us to SUGGEST if items would be a good match for a student. I did find it to be very intriguing that the Intellectual Freedom Act recognizes that it is the job of parents to guide their children as to what they should check out. This, as a parent, is very important to me. I believe that parents have the ultimate say-so in the lives of their minor children and should be able to restrict certain things if they wish. I do recognize that it would be difficult to keep up with, but might be done by flagging check-out accounts of students whose parents place requests.
This being said, I don't know that materials need to be totally restricted, but students' accounts could be flagged if they have individual restrictions. I am not aware of any materials at our school that are restricted due to content. I do know that certain materials are not typically checked out by students due to the format--videos, reference materials, or large numbers of books. I hope that during this class I can find out about how books can be fairly offered without unnecessariy offending students. I also hope to be able to choose books wisely so that I can interest, serve, and work with a great variety of students to be a positive educational influence to them.
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library has?
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't feel students should be limited to having to have AR books (I tell them all the time that there are LOTS of great books w/o AR tests.), they really should be encouraged to get books that they, at least w/ help from an adult, can read and enjoy. My patent response about this to students is, "It's not going to do you a bit of good to carry this thick book that is so far above your reading level back and forth from school to home. The only thing it's going to do is give you a back ache b/c your book bag is going to be too heavy."
I believe this because
a) the kid can't read it
b) when checking more difficult books, the student may be exposed to content that is not appropriate for him/her
c) 9 times out of 10, the books are not even opened and often are damaged (from being in book bags too long) and many times lost because he/she never intended to read them in the first place.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? At the elementary level, restriction is more of what each child's parent deems appropriate or inappropriate. However, I do feel like as an educator, someone who is often placed in the position of making parental decisions for students, that it is my responsible to suggest other options if a child is veering towards making an inappropriate book selection. I would really try not to intentionally put material on the shelves that could be a problem for a certain reading level.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed in restricted areas? And Does your school have a restricted area? I felt this question could be answered together.
Yes. These books are located in the media specialist's office on a bookshelf. In order for a child to check them out, he/she must have a written note by the parent. This note is kept on-hand for future reference. This was a decision made by the GSES media committee following a book challenge submitted by a parent during our first year open.
Students should be able to use any resource that the school library owns. However, that does not mean that they should be able to take those resources home. There are some resources that are for school use only because some parents won’t be responsible for their children. There are some items that the media center shouldn’t have to risk because of irresponsible or dishonest parents.
ReplyDeleteA child’s age should affect what materials they have access to. There are just some things that younger children should not have access to. I’ve had to deal with this recently, my nine year old daughter wanted to read Goose Bumps. She was not able to until I sent a signed note to school. I appreciated that because the media specialist would not have to deal with her nightmares if she had read something scary before I found out what she was reading. As an involved, responsible parent I know my daughter. We had a several talks about the Goose Bumps series before I gave her permission to check them out. Yet, many parents are not involved or responsible and as educators it’s our jobs to help our students make good choices about the materials they read.
I think the only reason that materials should be placed on restricted shelves is because a class is using them for a project. If the books can not be checked out but the students may use them then they should be out for their use. I remember when I was in elementary school there was a set of maps on poles like they use for newspapers some my friends and I would look at the maps. It was fun. It was educational, student directed and we were careful not to tear the maps. We would dream of places we wanted to visit. But if they were behind a desk those maps would not have been used at all (we didn’t have a library/reference skills class).
I think that students should have access to all of the resources and the ability to check out the majority of the resources housed in their school's media center. The only time that I believe check out access may be limited is in the case of a technology related media resource that is of a high dollar value. In those instances students may be able to have full-access on campus but just not to take home. It is a very big responsibility especially for an elementary-aged student to check out a resource that they would not have the means to replace if something was to happen to it on their time. (I know some academic libraries place a hold on the student's records until a fine for a lost or damaged item is reconciled. These students are aware of this policy and its consequences when checking out an item of this nature and also 18+ years old.) As far as books and any other resources, students should feel free to roam the shelves and choose any title that they like. I went to a private school that was 4K -- 12th grade so our media center had all kinds of books that ranged from a 4 year old reading level to adult. I remember we were limited to the "easy reader" zone for most of elementary school (when I had since moved on at the public library) and feeling very boxed in as far as choices. In about 4th grade we were allowed to start checking out the more young adult books but our teacher divided the class into sections of 3 or 4 students. One section could start reading the more challenging books one week, then another section the next week, and the next and so on. At that age, it seemed unfair when some students were granted permission to move ahead in their reading while others had to wait weeks. I think these type of tactics can also create feelings of inadequacy among classmates and diminish the freedom and joy of reading and the media center. I think it is interesting that after all these years I still remember our teacher doing that with our class and how it altered the atmosphere of the library during our weekly library time! I also remember in elementary school there was a Judy Blume book that some of the girls tried to check out and our librarian was very harsh and made them return their copies to the shelf because it was inappropriate. In a way she made the students feel as though they were behaving badly for chosing this particular book. I think it is a bad idea when a teacher or media specialist associates shame with reading when they should be encouraging reading for pleasure first and foremost. I do agree parents should have a say so in their child's reading choices but that it is the parent's responsibility to be pro-active and take that active approach in discussing the reading material with their student. I was very fortunate that my mother was a teacher and took us to the library frequently and never once interfered with our reading choices -- while I thought it odd that one of my classmates was not allowed to read any book that her mother had not read first -- even books assigned for summer reading had to be reviewed. But this was her mother's right in looking out for what she felt was in her child's best interest. The ALA article "Restricted Access to Library Materials: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights" discusses the restriction of materials in public library systems, and I agree that picking and choosing titles to keep behind a desk will only create discomfort for patrons. People are more likely not to ask for the title. When I think about my own personal trips to the public library over the years, I have never once requested a resource behind the desk -- because I did not know that items are held back. I just think it would cause the resources to be easily overlooked and forgotten, and at that point the libary may as well have never added it to the collectionin the first place.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I would like to comment on something that "lastbacon" user stated way earlier in his/her post...You made the statement that educators are blocking content on the Internet while our libraries are not blocked. In our school, and I have a strong feeling that it happens quite a bit in other schools as well, we are blocking content by our selections in our purchases. When I am given money to spend on books, there are certain books that I will definitely not choose to order because of content. Even though our libraries may not be set up that way, of having a blocked content, we are initially blocking the content when we order new materials.
ReplyDeleteShould the age affect access to certain materials? I think it should to a certain extent...Kindergarteners are still in the process of learning what a just right book is and I don't think that all of them will realize that Little Women is not readable at their age, not just because of content, but also because of reading ability. I don't think materials should be denied to students, but I think it's part of our jobs to guide students in learning what is just right for them at the moment.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? If someone donated a book to our library on homosexuality, I would have an extremely hard time putting it on our shelves for students. That's just my personal belief. This is my first year in our media center as specialist and there is quite a large restricted shelf in the back with crazy reasons for the books being restricted. One informational book was banned because it showed two frogs on top of each other. I do NOT agree with reasons like that.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? Unfortunately, we have quite a few teachers who make that decision for that classes. For example, one of our 4th grade classes is not allowed to check out Captain Underpants, Drawing books, I Spy books or even Easier fiction books. Yikes! However, I think a student should make the decision about what to check out, but should also be taught about the different types of books in hopes that they will understand that a 6 year old can not read Harry Potter yet.
Most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings: On one of the articles on ALA, there was a link to Free Access to Libraries for Minors and the folllowing comment caught my attention: "Libraries should not limit the selection and development of library resources simply because minors will have access to them. Institutional self-censorship diminishes the credibility of the library in the community, and restricts access for all library users." In my mind as a brand new media specialist, I would think that the lack of institutional self-censorship would diminish the credibility of our library in the community. If I allowed certain children to take home certain books, then I would definitely be hearing from those parents and I'm sure I would be spoken about in the community.
What do I still want to know about Intellectual Freedom? My question for anyone is what do you think about having recommendation stickers on books or recommendation areas for specific grade levels within the library?
This is for "Mrs. Sanders" and your comment about the ALA statement: "Libraries should not limit the selection and development of library resources simply because minors will have access to them. Institutional self-censorship diminishes the credibility of the library in the community, and restricts access for all library users."
ReplyDeleteI felt this statement was geared more towards public libraries who serve every age category vs. a school library that usually has a more narrow age population (elem., ms or hs). Did anyone else read it that way? Do you think it pertains more public libraries than school libraries?
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteI definitely think students should be able to check out any library resource- if the student can't access it, why would we buy it? I realize there would have to be restrictions on some equipment due to cost, but I think this could be compromised on - perhaps the students could check them out during the school day but not bring them home? I'm not sure what would be best. Being that I work at an elementary school, I tend to think on that level, in which case the expensive equipment scenario does not really apply. But ultimately, I do think students should be able to check out all library resources - that's what they're there for.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
Again, I think of this question from a much different angle than a highschool MS would. The age issue at our school with materials is based on AR level - we don't like students to check out books past their level simply because they will not be able to read them yet. I do not see making age a legitimate determinant for highschool either though. Honestly, whether a student is 15 or 18 - if they want to find some specific material that badly, they will. Plus once students are in highschool, I think they should all be treated on the same intellectual level.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
No my library does not have restricted shelves, and again, I don't know why one would. I see it as a waste of money to order materials that the students are not going to be able to use.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I honestly found it surprising how common restricted shelves or areas in libaries are. I did not have one in my high school, and we do not have one in the elementary school I currently work in, so I've never considered this issue. It's a new idea to me & honestly a pretty crazy one.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would like to know more about the library committees. We do not have one, and I think that one could be very beneficial to my current MC. I would like to know the roles that the committee plays & what responsiblities it would normally hold in deciding the MC's Intellectual Freedom standpoint.
This is a general comment to those that have posted about all the resources in the media center being purchased so students can use them. I have to disagree to an extent. Yes, all the equipment in the school has been purchased to BENEFIT the student but not necessarily for them to actually use. Students would not need to use a Scantron machine that teachers use to grade quizzes/tests. Nor are they allowed to use the copiers that teachers use to make copies of tests, worksheets, etc. And students would definitely not use a laminator that heats up to 300 degrees. Some equipment is just too risky for students to use and not practical for them to have access to. I have worked in an elementary school and a middle school so I am basing this on students that fall into those age categories. I'm not sure what high school students are allowed to use but I would think for insurance purposes, certain things would be off limits.
ReplyDelete1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think so. If High School kids can’t be trusted to take care of expensive things they borrow from the library, why should Middle or Elementary kids? Why take a chance that they will break or abuse an expensive resource?
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2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
I think that is based on what the parent wants their child to be exposed to, with the exception of certain really extreme parents who would show their children pornography to teach them about sex (I did hear of a news article about some guy doing that). Of course, the closest thing to this that might be on an Elementary School MC’s shelves is What’s Happening to My Body? or other books like it. I’m wondering if library checkout software has the capability to put warnings or reminders for the clerk that pop up when they swipe a student’s card to pay special attention to certain kids who have a habit of checking out things that their parents would not approve of.
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3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves?
I think that should be left up to a committee decision.
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4. Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
I was a sub without a school until recently and didn’t get around to asking this question to the MS. It is an interesting question and I am curious what the answer will be at the school I have just recently started being a parapro at.
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5. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I believe the parents should. I think it would be a good idea for all classroom teachers to send home permission slips with parents to get a statement from the parents that said something like: “I give permission for my child to access all material in the school library with the exception of the following:” Then, the MS could program into the check out system the reminders or warnings to the check-out clerk I mentioned in a previous question.
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6. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
It is surprising to me that some parents have issues with certain books that seem totally appropriate to me. Also, something I hadn’t thought about for some reason is the leveled reader stickers in the library are a form of censoring.
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7. What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
This is just a software question: Is there a way of adding warnings that will notify the checkout clerk that a certain student is not allowed to access certain books? (Based on the fact that I think a parent has a right to shelter a child from certain influences).
1. I think, based on the readings and my experience students should be able to check out any print resource in the library. The books are for them to use. It is hard to get use out of an almanac if you can only look at it for 30 minutes. I do not think students should be able to check out technology resources. The school purchases those items for school use and the cost of repairing or replacing them is simply too expensive.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the students should be able to cjeck out what they want regardless of their age. If they want to try a higher level or lower level book, why not. If a young student wants to learn about their biology I think it is great that they are finding information they are interested in. I have found that what the students access over the internet is far more inappropriate than any materials available through a school's MC.
3. I am unaware of a restricted shelf in our library. i do not think schools should have restricted shelves. Friese pointed out in the article posted that these shelves place a physical and mental barrieer to the reader because it seperates the material and may cause the reader unnecessary embarassment if they feel the materials are restricted. I think that the materials available should be on the regular shelves and not be held hostage by hte opinions of individuals. The MS should not be able to pick and choose what they think a student is able to read.
4. I think the county should decide. The leadership committee at each school should meet, come together, develop a county wide policy and then follow that policy. I think if scool's allow parents to help their focus would be on thier opinions. The decision should be based on the best practice for all the children and I think the teachers, MS, and administrators would do ths the best.
5. I thought the article by Friese was intriguing. I never asked the question: Are our selection policies written to facilitate inquiry learning? In order to do that it is imperative to have a selection of perspectives, points of view, and opinions in order to give the students the ability to form new ideas and thoughts. I think it helped me see the Big picture behind all of these policies. They are actually in place not as red tape and busy work, but in order to ensure that the students get what they need from the educational system.
6. I wnat to hear about the dramas. Actual cases and situations that MSs have had to deal with from parents, communities, students, and other faculty members. I feel like a gossip to say that, but I really am interested in how they handle the situations, if they are really that controversial or so they happen all the time?
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? or check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
ReplyDeleteYes, however consider the following suggestions for any material:
Is it age-appropriate? (Let the parent make this decision)
If a child is reading below grade level extra practice at home should help him/her progress. Building student’s vocabulary will improve fluency. This will help students read faster and enjoy a story. Use books that match student’s skill level to boost their vocabulary. For instance, easy-to-read books would help a student master sight words and improve fluency. However, if the stories are too immature, what matters is if the student like what it is about. Therefore, there is a better chance that the student will read it. This may mean you won't like the book. It may even mean what the student reads isn't a book at all. That's okay. Anything that gets a child’s interested to read for pleasure and his/ or her own information will help her build their vocabulary and sharpen critical-reasoning skills.
Always, allow your students to select choose his/ or her own books . If offensive, let the parent decide, and allow the parent and child to make other selections. Once a book or any materals purchased for your facility is placed in your center’s collection, there are no restrictions/ and no exceptions. Suggest or look for books that are related to student interests. The more books being circulated, the more being read. The more being read, the better readers our children become. The better Readers our children become the higher chances they’ll have at success in future academics and life! (And it doesn’t hurt those test scores, either…) Research shows that students, who enjoy what they are reading because they chose it, will rise to the occasion, regardless of level. (This means if a 1st grader wants to read Harry Potter in addition to his "leveled" selection). Furthermore, how do know if someone else or his parents won't be reading it to him? Or an older sibling? All students have a right to that higher-level text under the ALA's Freedom to Read statement. Major barriers between students and resources include, but are not limited to, imposing age or grade level restrictions on the use of resources; limiting the use of interlibrary loan and access to electronic information; charging fees for information in specific formats; requiring permission from parents Or teachers; establishing restricted shelves or closed collections; and labeling. Policies, procedures, and rules related to the use of resources and services support free and open access to information. Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents - and only parents - have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children - and only their children - to library resources. Parents who do not want their children to have access to certain library services, materials, or facilities should so advise their children. Media specialist, teachers, Librarians and library governing bodies cannot assume the role of parents or the functions of parental authority in the private relationship between parent and child. Experts have cited the First Amendment of the Constitution as protecting both students' rights to know and teachers' rights to academic freedom. At the same time, legal experts argue, parents have the right to protest books or materials that they consider damaging to their children. To avoid controversy, school boards need clearly stated policies delineating how materials are selected. Selection policies should weigh the viewpoints of various groups in the community and be implemented by professionals. Those developing selection policies must consider community and parental concerns and demonstrate acceptance of our national diversity and opposing viewpoints.
Q1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I really feel that it depends on the age group of the students you are working with. I currently work at the elementary level and these students are focused totally on AR books. That really seems to be the only thing that they even try to check out. We have a teacher resource section that the teachers rarely use. If the students were older and had the interest, I would think that there needs to be a policy set in place to involve parents in the process. I think that the checkout process should be stricter. I would think that parents would have to sign something allowing their child to check these items out and a shorter turn around time placed on the items. Q2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? I am not really sure how I feel about this question. I think that the parents need to gage whether their child should or should not be able to check some materials. If the parent is involved then they can talk to their child about what is in the book and if it is appropriate or not. Q3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves? To my knowledge we do not have a “restricted shelf” other than the resource materials for the teachers. These are usually materials used for teaching lessons, not usually something that students would want to check out. I know in the past, our media specialist chose not to put a book in circulation that was set in Iraq. It talked about bombing and war. Because we have a lot of military children she felt that we didn’t need that book circulated with the Georgia Book Award books. Q4. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? Depending on the age of the student, I think the parents should the ones to make that call. Just as a parent should know what their child is looking at on the internet, or talking to on the phone, or hanging out with…parents should be the parent. There should also be a media committee in the school or at least in the district to help make decisions about the questions. Q5. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? I really think that some of this responsibility should fall back on the parents. I know that as a classroom teacher, I would not expose my students to certain things because of my beliefs. I was also truly amazed at what my students were telling me that they were watching on TV or the movies that they watched…things that I refuse to watch even though I am 46 years old. Q6. What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian? I think that it is nearly impossible to know everything that is in every book in the media center to know whether a child should be allowed to read it or not. How do you control that? How do you know what is there without reading it all yourself?
ReplyDeleteRestricted Shelves
ReplyDelete1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
Students should be allowed to check out any books that the library owns. I do think AV materials, reference materials, and of course Professional materials should remain in the library and out of circulation.
2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
Well, I have had kindergarten students who wanted to check out Harry Potter. I never tell them they are "not capable" of reading Harry Potter or that they are “not allowed” to read Harry Potter, but I do try to suggest a book that I know to be more appropriate to their reading level. I’m all for students stretching their abilities and trying books a little above their level. On the other hand I don’t want them reading something inappropriate for their age, and I do not want them to become discouraged and frustrated trying to read something that is completely out of their grasp. In the school where I work, books similar to “what’s happening to my body” are usually turned over to the school counselor for use with her students. This makes sense to me because she (the counselor) can then discuss the book with the student who is reading the book. There are very few titles that we would send to the counselor and this would certainly depend on the book.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
I don’t think there should be restricted shelves, and with proper selection of materials there should be no need for restricted shelves. One of our required readings mentioned that if books are restricted and must be “asked for” often times students will not request these titles. If there were books that came into our elementary school library that were too explicit in some way, we would most likely send those titles along to the middle school.
4. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
Well, according to our reading this week selection should be a community based project with students having much to do with what they would like in their library. I think the media specialist should have the final determination of what he/she will order. They are trained to select materials based on the needs of their school while respecting their students’ intellectual freedoms. They should understand that their own personal beliefs should not factor into their choices for the library.
5. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
There were a couple quotes I found to be a wonderful insight into the heart of selection policy:
From the ‘Inquiring Learning: Is your selection policy ready?’ article
”I am a firm believer that library media center collections have an enormous impact
on the quality and richness of student learning opportunities, and that an effective selection policy is key to an outstanding collection.
“Instead of restrictive, the selection policy should be expansive—created and carried out with the intention of fostering intellectual freedom for each member of the population the library media center serves.”
6. What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would really like to know some concrete and practiced procedures that can be noted as suggestions on how to handle challenged materials, especially in elementary schools.
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I think this depends on the age; certain materials will not be cared for as carefully by younger elementary students as it would by older students (i.e. periodicals, dvd’s). I do think that certain materials could be checked out if the student is accompanied by a parent. My children’s school has books marked by reading level and students are only allowed to check out materials/books from the sections deemed appropriate for those grades. Students are also allowed to choose materials based on their reading level.
ReplyDeleteShould the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?) I think age is one aspect that should affect the access to materials that students have. I also think the ability and comprehension of the student has should be taken into consideration, this typically coincides with age. A first grade student may have the ability to read books as lengthy as the Harry Potter books but if the comprehension level is not there they are just inhibiting the ability for other students who can comprehend the material from checking those books out.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? No, I think that if there are materials that are wanted by a student, that are not deemed appropriate for the students, to which the media specialist would have to put them on a restricted shelf that they ought not be part of the collection. If specific materials are requested that would normally be restricted the media specialist could direct them to a public library or assist them with some online research. If there were a restricted area how would it be determined who the materials are appropriate for?
Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)? No.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? I think it should be a joint effort between the school and the parents. Many parents may not be aware of the materials students check out because they either leave them at school or in their book bags. It is up to parents to regulate what materials their children read. On the other hand it is up to the school to guide students into making appropriate book choices.
What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? I suppose it would be dismaying… I don’t feel as though the media specialist or people who approve materials for the media center should have the ability to push their beliefs onto others. I think everyone would benefit most from a well balanced, varied collection and leave the selection of materials to check out to the students and their family.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
How you ensure you that everyone’s interests are covered while maintaining appropriate material seems like it may be an endless cycle.
As student mature an growing, the ability to check out any kind of books grows with them, but they are not able to process some materials.
ReplyDeleteAge has a lot to do with things as students supposedly mature. However, I feel that with parent permissions students should be able to check out books as they wish, as long as their parents are aware of the material.
Against all Intellectual Freedom, yes, some books need to be kept away from some students. I would not want a 6th grader to read something that is suggested for older students that are more exposed to things. However, with the way society is today, there isn't much that students aren't exposed to on television that they are going to read in a book. We do have books that not all students are allowed to check out but because they want a certain group of students to have free access to these books without having to wait for others to return it.
I wasn't surprised by much in the reading.
As a school librarian, there are so many things that go into the job other than just dealing with books. I am concerned about being able to know how to deal with all the other things. I would like to know more about the law aspects behind Intellectual Freedom. Scales does a great job in the book describe much, but I am sure there is a great deal more to know.
I think that the media specialist, media committee, and principal should be able to decide what should and should not be restricted to certain students.
I know I posted to this blog two weeks ago but for the life of me I can't find my post. Intellectual freedom is important to any media specialist. I believe that students should be able to check out any book they can read. I don't like to see first graders trying to check out something like Harry Potter and not because of the content but because I know they cannot read and comprehend on the level required to read that book. In an elementary school library, my students are bound by their teacher's restrictions and not by my restrictrictions.They are required to check out books they can read for themselves. It is great to see second graders go to the fiction sections instead of the everybody sections. They are thrilled to start reading "chapter" books. It is usually Junie B. Jones or Magic Tree House or some other such simple series.
ReplyDeleteI believe in intellectual freedom as long as it is age appropriate. If material is too deep or over a student's head they are not getting anything out of it anyway so they might as well read something more in line with their level of maturity. That is really the only criteria I have in limiting a student's ability to check out any book in the library.
Patricia Krezinski
1. I think that students should not be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns because of the fact that there are something resources that are too valuable for a student to check out. For example, what would a child need with a DVD player to check out?? I think that things that are electronic should be left to the teacher to check out. .
ReplyDelete2. Yes, I think that the age of the student affect which materials they can access. I feel that stories like Harry Potter are a bit much for a kindergartener but is sutible for a middle school child.
3. Yes. If the book is very racist in content but has also recieved a lot of reviews, then it should go on the restricted shelf. My school library currently doesn't have a restricted shelf. Any book that is contraversial, she's taken it down...especially if it was asked by the Superintendent to do so.
4. I think that the Media committee should be the ones to decide what materials a student can check out because after all, it is requried that a parent be on the committee and as well as others who help make up the education relm.
5. I found that many people have many opinions and that there is ALWAYS going to be something that someone doesn't like because of something..that's just the way of the world.
6. I would like to know if there is ever a case in which a book has some contraversy, is it posslbie that I could hold a town hall meeting about the book and outline the likes and dislikes about the book? Am I entitled to do that?
Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteI have to agree and disagree with this… I do believe in terms of content(maturity) levels, some things are more suitable for specific age groups. In that case, I don’t have an issue with students not being able to check out ANY type of resource that the school library owns… Case in point, if a school runs K-8, there may be some materials that are more appropriate for the 6-8 age group. Those materials should not be readily available to (say for instance) a 1st grader due to the content.
Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?) Again, I’d have to agree and disagree here. Most times, these books should be available to students that can understand the content of the book.
Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)? There are some circumstances when materials should be restricted (blending an elem and a middle school- some middle school books should not be available to the younger students because of the content of the books. My school doesn’t have a banned/ restricted shelf… those books are just pulled from the shelves altogether.
Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I believe it should be the parents’ discretion whether or not their student can check out certain materials.
What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would like to better understand the process for choosing books that the students can relate to and also addressing important topics of society and having a diverse collection… while at the same time, choosing books that are “appropriate”
This class has challenged me to examine my beliefs and to expose some of the bias that was deeply rooted. I now believe that students should have access to material or resources with special consideration. If possible, one should consider the maturity, age appropriateness, or mental health of the individual. Also, parents may need some involvement before the student obtains access. It is very difficult to make these decisions because one never knows what special need the child may have or if parent notification will break down the level of trust that a student may have with you. The hardest part is moving from my personal beliefs to what may benefit or harm the child. I definitely would not want to share books containing nudity or profanity to a young child even if he is exposed to these things at home. That type of negative reinforcement does not benefit a young child.
ReplyDeleteWe recently had an experience at our school district involving profanity. The district purchased a set of Shriek books for every third grade classroom. Evidently, no one previewed the book until after the books were distributed. So the instructional coaches had to use permanent markers to black out the profanity.
Our media center does not have a restriction policy (The district must approve all book orders so it limits the possibility of controversy). As far as I know all books are on the shelves for checkout. We even have Captain Underpants available. The media specialist is the only one who can check out books. So she may prevent a young child from checking out this book by pointing out the reading level versus the reading material. Often teachers will help or restrict student selection. However, I feel that a parent should have a major role in these decisions as well.
As much as I have always been against censorship of books in general, I do think there should be certain limitations on what students can check out. Obviously the very pricy books should not be available to students. But, other than that, it gets a bit tricky. Age wise, there should be certain limitations for younger students. The easiest way would be to limit by reading level, but that does limit students from growing in their reading. Certain books could be available with parent consent. Books that focus on topics that could be controversial to parents (sex, religion, even violence) would certainly fall into that category. As much as I adore Harry Potter, I don't plan on allowing my own children to read the series until they are old enough to handle the content. If there have been restricted shelves in any school library I have ever been in, I have not been aware of it. I think that keeping the books hidden away is just another step closer to getting them out of the library altogether.
ReplyDeleteI believe students should be allowed to check out any type of resource the school library owns. I feel it is the responsibility of the librarian to be sure there is age appropriate materials available in the media center that teachers can use during classroom instruction or students can use to learn more about a topic, research, or read for pleasure. As structured in our school library, students check out one book on their reading level and one book of their choice. This ensures the students are getting a book they can actually read and then allows them to have a little fun checking out other books that may or may not be age/grade level. In some cases, such as a kindergarten student checking out a book like What's Happening to My Body, I feel it is the teacher and librarians responsibility to direct students away from that type of material. What's Happening to My Body would be an example of a book placed on a restricted shelf. This would allow the librarian to monitor who is checking out materials that may consist of material for a more mature audience. Books containing profanity or sexual inuindos would also be included on this shelf. Our library does not have a restricted shelf. I see the need for a restricted shelf more so in the middle and high school libraries. I think the parents should be made aware of what types of books are on the restricted shelving and be made to sign a permission form allowing their child to check out such materials. If the parents have signed the permission form and it's on file, then the student would be allowed to check out the book. It is surprising to me the graphic resources that are becoming more easily available to students. This should be closely monitored and documented. Parents should be well aware of the resources available and have signed permission on file for each student to avoid such actions as law suits that could arise.
ReplyDeleteAlicia Brown
ReplyDeleteFRIT 7134
Dr. Repman
Restricted Shelving
If a public school library owns books, then students should be allowed to check those books out. The library/media specialist should monitor what books are in the media center.
Students should have access to check out books as long as the books are available for checkout. There should be a restricted book list of students names whose parents do not want them checking out controversial books (much like we have a restricted Internet use list). Ultimately, it should be the parents’ decision which books their children check out.
My media specialist tries not to make a big deal over restricted materials. She has restricted materials marked with an orange tag, but most are open. There are two books that are off shelf that she makes people ask for; one is on anorexia and the other is on heavy metal.
The librarians/media specialists across the district from all grade levels, administrators from all grade levels, and teachers from all grade levels, and parents and students (basically a group of all stakeholders) should form a committee that will collectively determine what materials should be available in the media center. However, since the Board of Education has to deal with any adverse responses from materials in the media center, the final decision should ultimately be up to the Board on any questionable materials.
The whole class, not just this assignment, has been intriguing to me. It has been a big surprise. I never realized how in-depth the collection and development process is. In addition, the process is constantly being revised to be improved. As the article, “Inquiry Ready: Is Your Selection Policy Ready?” says that the whole process is not simple.
Keeping in mind the guiding principle that we are not seeking to protect ourselves, but the rights and freedoms of our students, the selection process should be one of expanding diversity of format and content. As library media specialists, we should push to increase student access and freedom as much as possible, but realize that we are not alone in the process of setting standards and establishing criteria (Friese, 2008).
I would like to know where my Board of Education stands with books like Harry Potter. I, personally, do not see anything wrong with the books. The stories are fantasy and allow children (and adults) to enter into a world they would not otherwise be a part of.
Dana Roberts
ReplyDelete1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
Yes, students should be able to check out any book that the school owns. I do believe that good judgment must be exercised, for example when you have a school that encompasses K-8th grades; it would be wise to monitor the reading materials that elementary students select so they can choose appropriate leveled books.
2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
Yes, it should. Media Specialist should be allowed to use proper judgment in age related materials.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Yes I believe so, especially when it relates to topics that are very sensitive. Topics that need to be age appropriate in nature.
4. Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)? Yes, the Twilight, Clique and Gossip Girl series.
5. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out? The student, parent along with the guidance of the Media Specialist.
6. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week? That people really put thrust their personal beliefs onto others. Many times it is the religious beliefs and the feelings that people should abide by their own morals and values that have people trying to make a determination of what others should be able to read.
7. What do you still want to know about Intellectual Freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian? I just want to make sure that I make the most informed, ethical decisions possible as my role as the gatekeeper of the library.
1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns? I am looking at this from a primary grades perspective. I do feel that students should have the right to check out any book he/she chooses in the library whether it is on their level or not. However, I do feel that resource materials, DVDs, etc. should be kept in the media center for teacher use. I think those resources are too expensive for students to take home.
ReplyDelete2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access? (For example, should kindergarten students be able to check out books like Captain Underpants, Harry Potter, or What’s Happening to My Body?)
I really went back and forth on this topic. Again I do feel that a student should be able to check out any book he/she chooses in the library whether it is on their reading level or not. However, I think that students shouldn’t check out material that is not age appropriate.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian’s office that must be requested)?
We do not have a restricted shelf at my school. We also do not have a special place for materials that may be questionable. All students at my school have access to every book with the exception to checking out resource material
4. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
I believe it should be the parent or guardians decision what is appropriate for their own child.
5. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I found it quite surprising just how many restricted shelves exist even though everyone has the right to access all materials according to the Library Bill of Rights.
Students should not be able to check out any type of material. Access yes, take home, not.
ReplyDeleteAge of the student should definitely affect which materials they can access, along with teacher-evaluated maturity level and parent agreement. We all know kids develop at different rates, and that should guide our restrictions more than just age.
We don't have restricted shelves. I can see, per the previous paragraph, where there could be books/materials that you don't want children of a lower maturity level to access. This would allow you to stock items like that.
1. Should students be able to check out any type of resource that the school library owns?
ReplyDeleteI think that there are certain things in a school library that students should not be able to check out. For example, our media center has televisions, laminators, and scantron machines that teachers may checkout. Students would have no need for these things. I do think that some resources, such as digital cameras and laptops, should be available for checkout by students who do not have access to these things at home. Of course, there would be a policy with rules regarding these things.
2. Should the age of the student affect which materials they can access?
Yes. Students should only check out age appropriate materials.
3. Are there any circumstances in which materials should be placed on restricted shelves? Does your school library have restricted shelves (or books kept in the librarian's office that must be requested)?
I don't think there should be restricted shelves in the library. Any book that is deemed appropriate for the library should be available for viewing by students. As far as I know, our media center does not have restricted shelves or any books that must be requested.
4. Who should make the decisions about what materials a student can check out?
This should be determined by the teacher and parents of the student.
5. What did you find most surprising, intriguing, or dismaying in our readings this week?
I was a little surprised that so many school libraries have restricted shelves. I have never noticed this in any school library I have been in.
6. What do you still want to know about intellectual freedom in the school library and your role as school librarian?
I would like to know if there is some kind of software that can alert the media clerk or whoever is checking out a book to a student if the student is restricted from checking out that book. For example, if a parent has requested that his or her child not be allowed to check out certain books. This information could be entered into the program and when that child tries to check out the particular book an alert is given. This would make it easier to regulate who reads what material.