[CASL-L] Restricting Book Checkouts for Age Appropriateness

[Barlow, Chris]

I am in a similar situation with my school having grades K-6.
Some books are labeled Grades 5 & 6 only. This was done before I came here
this year, and I do think some of them are not appropriate for younger
grades.
I don't have the shelf space to set aside a section just for grades 5 & 6.
If a student wants to check out a "chapter book", but is obviously a more
advanced read, just in terms of the reading level, not the content, I do
question if they think they can read it.
Often they'll say someone usually reads it to them.
I don't mind this.
One example where I draw the line is the younger ones wanting to check out
Goosebumps books or similar titles.
Chris Barlow

On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 2:53 PM Laura Hedenberg <hedenberg at sbcglobal.net>
wrote:

> I approach books very similarly in my PK-6 school.  Although, I do have a
> YA book section for the 5-6 grade students. And within that I have parent
> permission for some students below to check the books out. It can be very
> hard to manage a student population that reads everything from Piggie and
> Gerald to Hunger Games.  But I do the best in my situation and work with my
> admin to work through any issues.
> My overall approach is to ask the child some questions....is someone at
> home reading this to you?  Why do you want to the book?  etc.  The goal is
> to get books into their hands but I feel its also to get the books read.
> When I asked a 1st-grade student whey they wanted a Warriors book, she told
> me because it was about cats.  I was able to help her find alternatives and
> she was happy.  I also talk to parents and respect and note their wishes.
> I too have parents who don't want war books going home.
> Laura
>
> On Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 12:10:25 PM EST, Elaine Shapiro <
> elaine.shapiro7 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I see myself as a guide, as well as a protector of free choice.  I do what
> I can to advance the literacy of our prek-4 students. That means
> encouraging students to borrow what they can read and understand, and to
> stretch themselves as well.  If I think a book or content is beyond the
> student, I recommend alternatives (and vice versa), but respect the
> student's choice. I have had parents object on both ends of the reading
> difficulty scale, and sometimes with content, and I do respect their wishes
> (like not wanting war books to go home). Although I recall feeling sorry
> for a K student with over achiever parents only wanting her to borrow
> chapter books. In nonfiction, I worry less about reading level, because so
> much of the content and photographs/drawings is valuable, and you never
> know what is going to inspire a child.  That said, I have a system of
> marking easier nonfiction with an orange sticker on the spine.
> My two cents.
> Elaine Shapiro
> Broad Brook School
>
> On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 10:35 AM Lauren Hunt <huntla at danbury.k12.ct.us>
> wrote:
>
> Ava that is a very good point. I have only worked in elementary schools. I
> can see how schools with a wide range of grade levels would operate
> differently.
>
> Lauren
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Feb 12, 2019, at 6:08 AM, ljclsj at cox.net wrote:
>
> I strongly agree with Lauren. Library is the place for choice of book!
> Linda Marchisio
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Feb 11, 2019, at 6:28 PM, Lauren Hunt <huntla at danbury.k12.ct.us> wrote:
>
> Hi Emily,
>
> It is frequently the case that many other school employees do not fully
> understand the role of the library and LMS. The library should 100% be free
> choice for students as per the ALA bill of rights. If a parent is
> specifically prohibiting their child from checking out a book that is
> different, however I do not find it appropriate for teachers to label a
> series like Diary of a Wimpy kid for only 1st graders. What if a student is
> below grade level and wants something on their level? What if they simply
> love the series? What kind of message are we as librarians sending if we
> tell a student that they cannot have a book because they are too old for
> it? I firmly feel that students should be able to have free choice because
> at the end of the day, that’s what libraries are for.
>
> Lauren Hunt
> Library Media Specialist
> Ellsworth Avenue Elementary
>
>
> On Feb 11, 2019, at 5:00 PM, Emily Boisvert <ebov at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> Good afternoon, everyone!
>
> I'd love the collective minds of the CASL listserv to provide some
> perspective on this issue......my understanding is that CASL follows the
> intellectual property policies of ALA/AASL since the School Library Bill of
> Rights and censorship links are on the advocacy page. I ask because there
> are some colleagues in my district that are debating the issue of
> "policing" student checkouts for age appropriateness (Wimpy Kid for first
> grade is the example) and they say that we operate 'in loco parentis' and
> can make decisions in lieu of parents about student book choices. My
> philosophy has always been for freedom of choice and everything I've
> learned and read professionally guides me in that direction since I was
> under the understanding that we are guided by the ALA/AASL policies. I did
> read in a few sources that 'in loco parentis' may apply to the LMS role,
> depending on state law. Are you aware of what that means for us in CT?
> Thanks so much, I'd like to bring concrete and accurate information to my
> PLC on this.
>
>
> Emily Boisvert
> Melissa Jones Elementary
>
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-- 


*Chris Barlow*Library Media Specialist
Wilcoxson Elementary School
600 Wilcoxson Ave.
Stratford, CT 06614
(203) 385-4196
barlowc at stratk12.org

 *"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains
a fool forever."*


*--Chinese Proverb*
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