News Briefs

Staff -- School Library Journal, 2/1/2000

Can You Copyright a Word?

Most Un-Wanted List

Some books clearly make more waves than others. The American Library Association recently listed the following 10 titles as the most challenged books of the last decade: Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite; the Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier; Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; Forever by Judy Blume; Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman; and The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.

Computers Just for Kids

Expanding on the success of a pilot program within six of its branches, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) has set aside three terminals in each of its 67 branches that will automatically default to its "Kid's Path" page, aimed at children 10 and under. The program was designed as an alternative to the installation of filtering software. Although users can still access the entire Web, LAPL City Librarian Susan Kent says that this has not been a concern. "The Kid's Path program is meant to be an asset to younger children using the Web, rather than a barrier to use."

Alone in a Crowd
In 1935 a firm called Holiday House set up three desks in a corner of its printing plant and created the first publishing house solely for children's books. Now celebrating its 65th year, the company continues to flourish as an independent publisher of children's titles--despite numerous publishing mergers and a sharp decline in the number of small houses. "Common corporate wisdom, in this country anyway, has been to diversify--the thinking being that it is dangerous to have all your eggs in one basket," says Holiday President John Briggs. "We plan to go on in our independent way and continue to publish to our favorite audience."

A Loss for Teens

Janet Bode, the author of 14 nonfiction books for young adults, has died after a long struggle with breast cancer. She was 56. Known as the "Studs Terkel for American teenagers," Bode wrote socially conscious books on subjects such as interracial dating, rape, eating disorders, and teenage parents. Her technique was to present verbatim interviews that she distilled down to the most salient parts. Her books received 26 major awards, including ones from the American Library Association and the New York Public Library. Heartbreak and Roses (Franklin Watts, 1994), which she coauthored with her partner, Stan Mack, is due out in a revised edition next month. "Bode Books," as they came to be known, are among those stolen most frequently from school and public libraries.

There will be a memorial service for Janet Bode on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 1:00 p.m. at the Village Community School, 272 W. 10th St. at Washington St. in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. For further information call Linda Broessel (212) 334-5242. Contributions can be made to the Janet Bode Fund at Jacob Perlow Hospice and mailed to:
Development Office
Jacob Perlow Hospice
1st Avenue at 16th Street
New York, NY 10003

The Jacob Perlow Hospice provides home health care aides to low income families coping with terminal illness.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
In 1998 a group of New Orleans activist librarians, calling itself the Librarians Cadre, won a small coup and succeeded in squeezing an additional $5 per pupil from the local school board's budget, bringing the total funding to $7.70 per pupil. But it didn't last for long. Recent budge cuts took back $2.70 per pupil. According to Ellen Pecoul, a librarian with the New Orleans public schools, a greater amount of education money is now being allocated to remedial education, which does not include school libraries.

Big Apple, Rotten Salaries

Not Your Average Catalog

Calling All Applicants
School Library Journal and the Gale Group have launched the Giant Step Award, the largest single award ever developed for libraries that serve young people. The annual award, which carries a $10,000 prize, honors a school library--or a public library working in partnership with a school--that has made significant improvements in service to students.
The judging team will be made up of SLJ staff and school and youth services librarians from across the country. Guidelines are available Feb. 1 here on SLJ's Web site and the Gale Web site (www.galegroup.com), or by calling the Gale Group at (800) 877-4253. Nominations must be received by May 31.