Letters

Professor Ross Todd’s quest to improve libraries is inspirational

By Staff -- School Library Journal, 6/1/2006

Our Knight in Shining Armor

Great article in SLJ this month! (“Ross to the Rescue!” April 2006) This is just the type of thing I use (and share) with librarians when I present workshops. It’s good that there’s more information in journals that many of these librarians will be reading—it helps to reinforce what I’m “preaching,” too!

These kinds of articles get me fired up! I’m changing my signature line from “Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible” ~St. Francis of Assisi, to this instead:

“We can’t wait for some- body outside of ourselves to rescue us, because nobody is coming to the rescue....” -Ross Todd, professor, School of Communications, Information, and Library Studies, Rutgers University.

Shonda Brisco, US/technology librarian, Fort Worth Country Day School, Fort Worth, TX

Wake-up Call

Kudos! Sound the alarm! In my 32-plus years as a librarian/teacher I have read countless articles about educational practices and librarianship. Brian Kenney’s interview with Ross Todd is one of the most important that I have read. How very profound are his ideas. I totally agree with Ross Todd. Not only will evidence-based practice foster learning, it may just save our jobs. We must jump on board now.

What an eye-opener and a wake-up call for school librarians.

Nettie S. Crossman, library media specialist, Schenectady High School, Schenectady, NY

Double Whammy

I can bring a dual perspective as a public library administrator and parent to the problem of lack of use of school libraries by students. Any public librarian knows that attracting young adults to the library, despite all the ink spilled by colleagues, is a near impossibility. Similarly, as a parent with three children, two of whom are college graduates and a third entering college, I have seen over the years that only a team of horses could drag them into the school library.

The problem is twofold. First and foremost is the school curriculum. Unless school curricula demand the active and continuous use of the school library, students are not going to cross the library’s threshold for any reason. Having supervised the education of three children, I am not impressed with American education. There is too much concentration on textbooks and not enough on reading, writing, and communicating. More times than not, faculty, for whatever reason (and I have my suspicions, but that is a topic for another day), are satisfied with minimum curricular demands upon students.

Secondly, the library, whether public or school, is just not popular with young adults. We public librarians see that we generally lose kids by middle school and don’t get them back until they are married with kids of their own. Simply put, the library is just not perceived as the place to be today by most kids.

Harold N. Boyer, public services manager, Springfield Township Library, Springfield, PA

A Head Start

A group of about 15 school library media specialists has been on a year-long journey toward evidence-based practice. We began in September 2005 and met for two to three hours once a month. First, we read all of Dr. Todd’s work. Then, we identified a goal in our own school situations. We determined the evidence to be collected, designed the tools, and embarked on specific projects to improve or change our programs. Each of us started and finished in a different place. Some of us are not finished yet. But we all came together in the spirit of mutual support. We learned from each other and were motivated by each other.

Changing our library programs (which means really changing schools) can only be done one LMS at a time. Each librarian in our group felt alone at the beginning because, in our individual schools, we truly are alone. Only the mutual support of the group enabled us to go back to our schools and be the voice in the wilderness. Many of us now have some evidence that our voices are being heard, by administrators and even by the school boards.

Ross Todd will be presenting a full-day workshop at the Capital Region BOCES in Albany, NY, on May 12, 2006, where our group looks forward to sharing our experiences with him and incorporating his advice into next year’s journey.

Thanks for featuring Dr. Todd on the April cover. The timing was perfect for us. It reinforces everything we have been doing all year long.

Linda Fox, director of library services, Capital Region BOCES, Albany, NY

AR Program Defendant

The letter “Computers as Book Selectors” (April 2006) refers to the Accelerated Reader Program and expresses concern about whether books are being correctly labeled as many titles intended for older students may have a reading level that can be understood by elementary readers.

I surmise that neither Ms. Foner nor Superintendent Horne, who was quoted in the letter, are familiar with the AR Program. The reading level shows one thing only—whether a student is able to read a book at that level. In no way does the assigned reading level serve as a guide in determining whether the book should be placed in an elementary library or a high school library. As always, professionals must depend on book reviews in making such decisions, or, if in doubt, read the books themselves to best determine where they should be placed.

Aileen FitzGerald, media specialist, Benton School District, Benton, WI

“Question Authority” by Glenn DeVoogd (April 2006, pp. 48–52) was excellent. I plan to share it with my colleagues. However, I am concerned that My Heart Is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880 by Ann Rinaldi is on the “Essential Resources” list under “Books That Expand Understanding.” My Heart has been heavily criticized as not accurately representing the Native American perspective of the time depicted. A detailed review (a dissection, even) of the book appears on the Oyate Web site (www.oyate.org) under “Books to Avoid.” Before suggesting this title to readers, educators should be aware of the criticism surrounding it.

Cynthia Ortiz, librarian, Hackensack High School, Hackensack, NJ

I was pleased to see a letter in the April issue requesting that reviewers mention crude language, obscenities, and sexual and adult situations. I would add to this—bodily function humor.

I often find myself in the position of answering why I have certain books on the shelf after a colleague has confiscated a book from a giggling group of children who have discovered an illustration or an episode that deals with the human anatomy in a manner that in many cases is not, in my opinion, appropriate for an elementary school setting.

Most recently we had a book fair and the preview video mentioned a book, Invasion of the Road Weenies by David Lubar (Tom Doherty, 2005), which immediately became a hit with the students due to its “irreverent” presentation. Since I certainly cannot read every selection, I referred to an SLJ review for the book, which mentioned that the stories were basically “chilling” and not for the overly sensitive. I read a few of the stories myself and even shared one selection with a few of my classes. The book was purchased by many of our students. After a teacher brought to my attention a story about a copy machine and a certain anatomical part, I went to Amazon.com and found a review from Booklist that mentioned that specific incident.

The bottom line for me is that I would like to be able to do “one-stop shopping” when it comes to book reviews, but I feel the need to get a truly complete picture in order to be effective and knowledgeable in my position as media specialist.

Lynn Spencer, library media specialist, Cherry Road School, Syracuse, NY

I am writing in response to Debbie Lewis O’Donnell’s review of Ellen Potter’s Pish Posh (Philomel; April 2006).

As a literary agent, I have seen my share of negative reviews, but Ms. O’Donnell’s seems shockingly venomous. It is one of the most angry reviews I’ve read about a children’s book and is blatantly untrue—there are no “elements of cruelty and gruesomeness” in this book.

At a time when many books marketed to children have shockingly scary and graphic scenes that both librarians and parents should be warned against, Pish Posh provides a wonderful alternative read for girls who like a little mystery and fantasy. Of course, I know that some people will like certain books and others will not, but this is over-the-top and quite unfair. The agenda of the reviewer seems not to give your readers insight into a book they may want to acquire, but more a strange vendetta against a book and writer that do not warrant such animosity.

The review has missed the mark all together and has not only done a disservice to Pish Posh and to Ellen Potter, but also to librarians all over the country who regard School Library Journal as a reliable source of information.

Alice Tasman, literary agent, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc., New York, NY

Our Reviewer Replies

First, let me assure you that I hold no animosity against either the book or the author. However, I do stand by my review. The cruel and gruesome elements referred to come near the end of the book, when an entranced character graphically describes the hanging of an innocent man. This seems particularly brutal given the light and flippant tone of the book. The man in question has been condemned to death for stealing a necklace. As the “victim” of this crime watches the execution from her window, she realizes that her necklace merely fell off her neck and was caught in a tree.

I’m sorry that Ms. Tasman was upset by my review. However, I feel a responsibility to inform collection development librarians about materials that may have trouble finding an audience.

Debbie O’Donnell, youth services librarian, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL