Category Archives: Children’s services

The Problem with Problematic YA Authors

Books HD (8314929977)

It can be tough to know what to do when an author you love, or one your patrons love, has been accused of, or admitted to, behavior that is somewhere between boorish and criminal. How do you handle their books? What do you tell patrons?

We are sharing an article written by on the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) website, with some ideas you might consider for your library. If you want to chat with us about your library’s collection development policy, talk with us! Or, sign up for our Collection Development Class, part of our Summer Library Boot Camp series on June 14!

“Earlier this year, a few popular YA authors, illustrators, and editors found themselves caught up in the #MeToo movement. With accusations ranging “from abuse of power, to sexual harassment to sexual assault,” some accused have been dropped from publishers or professional organizations, had awards rescinded, and some have issued statements of regret and apology. For me, the problem is deciding how to move forward with books written by problematic authors.

This very relevant blog post makes some valid points about censorship and why immediately pulling the books or not purchasing any future publications by these kinds of authors may not be in line with the ALA Library Bill of Rights. I completely agree with this idea, but I also feel like I need to do more. Keeping problematic authors on the shelf feels a little like I’m giving them a pass, or that what they did in life isn’t really that big of a deal. By keeping the books on the shelves and not taking any action at all, am I passively supporting a problematic author?

Beyond the ALA Library Bill of Rights, I also have a selection policy I follow. Line thirty-three of the policy lists the criterion for selection as “Reputation and significance of the author, producer, and publisher.” Going forward this line could play a more significant role in my selection and weeding practices. Is this a slippery slope? Definitely it is, but I don’t think that should stop anyone from rethinking a selection through. I opt to not buy books that have been reviewed as problematic, why can’t that extend to the writer in some cases? As a school librarian purchasing books, I make judgment calls all the time in regards to what I believe is beneficial for students.

My co-librarian and I do not make these types of choices quickly or on a whim. To address issues with problematic authors, we created an informal process/flowchart for assessing these books.

  • Who is a problematic author? We define this as any contemporary writer who has admitted to inappropriate or illegal behavior or there is enough credible information to support the veracity of the allegation(s).
  • Does the problematic author’s book have any merit? We look at circulation, reviews, and revisit our initial reasoning for buying the book(s).
  • What do our stakeholders think? Initiate discussions with students, staff, and teachers while keeping an open mind to suggestions and varying opinions.

The idea of separating the artist from the art has always been debated and discussed without much resolution. Factors in these kinds of issues are often nuanced and assessed on an individual basis within the court of public opinion. Discussions with students often end with students wanting to keep the books, but also wanting potential readers to know the author’s background so they can make an informed reading choice.

Has this been an issue in other libraries? How do other school libraries navigate social issues while avoiding censorship and maintaining a respectful culture?”

(Click here to get the rest of this article, including a very cute infographic!)

Join the 2018 SELCO Camp Read-a-Lot!

“We’re happy to bring you the 10th Anniversary of the SELCO Camp Read-a-Lot!  A professional development opportunity for those who work with children’s literature, focusing on specifically on grades 2-5.  Campers have the chance to read from a set list of books prior to camp and then spend the day discussing the books with their peers.  They’ll also be able to hear from Minnesota children’s book author Margi Preus, and local expert and nonfiction booktalker Kathleen Baxter.

Wednesday, August 15, 2018  |  Check-in begins at 8:30a; Camp runs from 9:00a-4:30p  |  $40 Fee

How to Register

  1. Click HERE to register.  Registration for the 2018 SELCO Camp Read-a-Lot will be open from March 19 – August 1, 2018.
  2. Once submitted, you will receive an e-mail from SELCO (rthalacker@selco.info) which contains all of the registration information you submitted.
  3. Within 3-5 business days, you will then receive an e-mail from SELCO staff with your new username and password.

MARGI PREUS is the author of the Newbery Honor book Heart of a Samurai, the Minnesota Book Award winning West of the Moon, Shadow on the Mountain, a Notable Book for a Global Society and The Bamboo Sword, which Bookpage called “historical fiction at its best.”  Her newest, The Clue in the Trees, is the second in the Enchantment Lake mystery series.  Her books have won multiple awards, landed on many “best of” lists, including the New York Times Bestseller list, been honored as ALA/ALSC Notables, selected as an NPR Backseat Book Club pick, chosen for community reads, and translated into many languages.

When not writing, Margi enjoys traveling, speaking, and visiting schools all over the world.  At home in Duluth, Minnesota, she likes to hike, ski, paddle, or sit quietly with a book in her lap.  Find more about Margi on her website.

KATHLEEN BAXTER, a native of Walnut Grove, was head of children’s services at the Anoka County Library for more years than she cares to remember.  She wrote the Non-Fiction Booktalker column in School Library Journal magazine for over 17 years, resigning when she broke her hip and femur in Times Square and knew she would not make the deadline!  She wrote seven books on getting kids excited about reading for Libraries Unlimited/ Teacher Ideas Press, has presented at school and library conferences all over the USA and in Canada and Mexico, and presented workshops on The Best Children’s Books of the Decade and Connecting Boys with Books for BER, The Bureau of Education and Research.  She has done hundreds of programs in schools and libraries and believes that reading is one of the most joyful passions any human can pursue.  Her most recent book is My Betsy-Tacy Miracle, published by Minnesota Heritage Press.  She has been a member of the Newbery Committee and is in Who’s Who in America.  Find more about Kathleen on her website.

Training Tips: A Librarian’s Open Letter to Jacqueline Laurita

Merrick-letter

This is an open letter from Blogger Renee Grassi, a children’s librarian. It’s a good reminder that it’s easy to be a busy library person, and to forget to be thoughtful to patrons who are challenging – but customer service is our brand. We do not “do” books, or computers, or anything else people check out of the library.  Libraries only exist to serve community members,  and the tools we use (books, computers, programs) will be ever-changing. Our only purpose is to serve our communities, to help them find information and entertainment.

It’s really hard some days, to keep focused on that mission; and there are patrons who will push your patience as far as you can go. Take some time to take a deep breath, to count to ten, and to remove personal feelings from situations as much as you can. It’s tough to be good at customer service!! But that’s no excuse for doing a bad job.

We are giving an excerpt below, and you can click here to read the whole article. There are other good resources for libraries in working with autistic people, and Renee is very interesting to read!

“When I read the story of you and your son’s experience getting kicked out of your public library my heart broke into a million pieces. For you. For your son. For your family members and friends. For other children and individuals with autism who read this story. For other parent advocates who, all too often, have had similar experiences.  For librarian parent advocates, who understand what it means to be a librarian and what it means to be a cheerleader for their child with autism.  My heart broke for the entire library community.

What you experienced does not uphold the core values of librarianship, nor does it speak to the core competencies that ALSC has developed for librarians serving children in public libraries. Time and time again, libraries are cited in research as one of the most valued and trusted institutions. But in this case, Jacqueline, the research doesn’t matter. In this case, libraries lost your trust. And for that, I am deeply sorry.

If there’s one thing I want you to know, it’s this: there are librarians who are dedicated to ensuring an experience like this does not happen at their libraries. I myself train librarians across the country how to make their library a more welcoming place to those with autism and other disabilities.  One of the things I say in these presentations is to validate people’s experiences and acknowledge their stories.  With open ears and an open heart, libraries can receive input to address positive change and make our libraries more welcoming for all.

But it’s not just me. There are many, many librarians whose hearts broke when they read your story.  These are librarians who have been working for years to make their library communities more inclusive. They would want you to know that there is admirable work happening across the country, so as to ensure that people with autism and other disabilities are authentically welcomed into their spaces.  Here are just a few of those libraries:

  • There’s Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected, which originally launched in Scotch Plains, New Jersey in 2008.  This project addresses best practices in libraries for people with autism by helping staff improve their ability to provide excellent, inclusive, universal customer service to everyone who uses the library.
  • Targeting Autism: A National Forum on Serving Patrons on the Spectrum is an IMLS grant funded program in Illinois dedicated to increasing the role of the library in supporting patrons and family members impacted by ASD. Phase II of the project is currently underway, which develops and delivers multi-faceted and replicable training programs designed to improve library services and programs for ASD communities in Illinois and across the country.
  • New York’s Project Enable provides professional development for library professionals from all types of libraries in order to build capacity for providing equitable access and services to students with disabilities.
  • The State Library of Ohio received an IMLS grant and launched a digital storytime for children with autism and their families.
  • Librarian and parent advocate Barbara Klipper has developed a grant for all types of libraries, funding innovative projects that promote inclusion of people with autism in libraries.
  • Sensory Storytime is a not-so-new program, making the storytime experience more accessible for families with children with autism.
  • Dakota County Library in Minnesota partners with the Autism Society of Minnesota offering an inclusive monthly book discussion program for young adults and adults with autism and other disabilities.
  • Iowa City Public Library offers Accessible Library Hour programming, so that families with children with autism can visit the library in a calm and welcoming environment.
  • There is even a longstanding networking group of Chicagoland youth and young adult librarians who support one another’s efforts to provide specialized services and programs to children and teens with disabilities in libraries through collaboration and training.

Librarians know that public libraries have not always been a welcoming place, and librarians themselves have not always had the best reputation. What we librarians can and should focus on is how to improve our service and do better going forward.  And there is no better person to advocate for a child’s right to access and be welcome at a public library than his or her own parent.

So, thank you, Jacqueline. Thank you for using your voice and sharing your family’s experience with your local public library, as difficult as it may have been.

I also want to thank you for leveraging your platform and sharing your family’s experience with the broader American public.  As John Cotton Dana once said, “The public library is a center of public happiness first; public education second.”  The only way for libraries to know if their community is satisfied is through authentic and regular feedback.  After all, we can only do better when we know better.”

Visit to the North Branch Middle School Library

We admit it. We’re biased.

We always like visiting our members in their libraries; and it is fun to go visit and see the neat things they are doing! This is a trip to the third library in the North Branch schools – the Middle School library.

So you can see right from the start this is a nice place – check out that sign! It’s nice and obvious, and just looks good. (Sorry, the picture is off center – the sign itself is lovely!)

I always like to see libraries clearly identified – not hidden away in corners! A library is the jewel of its community; and it’s good to be able to proudly point to it and exclaim: “There! That is our library!!”

Surprisingly – this is not the only library in CMLE with a cool garage door! (Well, it was surprising to me, anyway.) I love the industrial design look it gives the room as you start into the library. Design is always important in any organization – and it makes libraries more usable if we look good for our community members.

I love these little stools! They give some nice pops of color to the room, and make for some nice, versatile seating for students as they are using the library. Being able to move around makes the library more usable for everyone; and the nice ripple bench seating adds another air of coolness to the design.

I am always a big fan of making a library as usable as possible. Installing these nice catalog computers at the ends of aisles makes it fast and easy to find the books each patron is trying to locate – or to find a nice group of books. Usability is key in any kind of library. Notice the nice tags on the endcap – another great tool for making searching easier for people hunting for their books!

 

Check out these shelves! The primary users of these shelves are not going to be really tall; so proving shorter shelves means the books are accessible. And of course patrons want to be able to see over them, and lower shelving units will make the room feel more open – always nice!

This display is lovely! It is always good to get books out there on displays, to encourage people to take them home! A perfect collection development policy would mean every single book in the library was checked out. That never happens (and wouldn’t be ideal, I guess), but cover art on books sells, and you want to do what you can to encourage those books to head out the door!

 

Look at the nice tables! Individual desks give students a chance to sit down with their work and any projects they need to work on in the library.  You can see the wall shelves – nice and organized, with some cute art displayed on the top. Eye-catching is always good!

  Tech is important in libraries – our patrons need to access, manipulate, and share information. This library has those great wall screens, with desks right there; they are all ready for groups to work together on their projects for class!

Printing is important in a library! We are responsible for helping our community members to cross the digital divide; and printers can be hard to find at home. Additionally, printers available are ready to go for the important work being done in the library – ready for class work as needed!

Design is important. There is no value in making a library look blah and dull. Libraries are fantastic! We provide amazing resources, all kinds of assistance and services, and our Return on Investment  (ROI) would make a stockbroker weep with envy!! So adding these nice touches makes a library look as good as the work being done there – the neat trees, the excellent pops of orange (I love orange), makes the place look good!

We do always enjoy visiting our members! Have we been to your library yet?? We have over 300 members across our system, and we want to come visit you all! Reach out to us, so we can set up a day and time to visit you!

Member Visit: Sunrise River Elementary School in North Branch

Going to our members is excellent, and we have a lot of visits that you will be able to read about over the next few weeks!! This library is one of three I was able to visit in North Branch – and it was such a good experience!

You can tell this school has neat stuff to do, because right out front is this excellent garden area! Yes, it was covered in snow at the time I visited; but just having a garden right there at the school is a very special thing.

I always like to see the library area clearly identified, and you can see how easy it is to see it all.  (Okay, I confess I always get excited when I walk into a library for the first time!)

 

As with so many of our member libraries, you can see how these shelves are set up to be easily accessible by shorter patrons. See how easily kids can flip through these large books, without having to hold them all, and still see the cover art? So handy!!

Kids today all need to know how to use technology, and that means tech of all types and uses. It’s cool to see kids working to check out their own books here! Self-check machines are a great way to free up staff from time consuming work so they can spend more time working directly with the public!

I really like these snazzy shelves, all neatly read to be emptied by happy readers who check out all the books! And those chairs look so very comfortable!! This is a huge thing libraries need to think about: comfy seating encourages people to settle in and enjoy themselves. Libraries should be about positive experiences; good seating is a good start!

  These are not unique to this library; but I think they are such a good idea! They are handy tools kids can use to help browse shelves in search of just the right book. They can also put these sticks into the shelves to mark the location of a book they are only going to use for a few minutes and then put back. Sometimes analog solutions are the best ones!

 

Art in libraries, and making books into art and looking beautiful, is always a good thing! Information is conveyed in all kinds of ways, and visual art can be a very powerful tool for sharing information. Plus, look at this: it’s so cute – I love it!

Continue reading Member Visit: Sunrise River Elementary School in North Branch