[CASL-L] Permission slip to take YA books & ideas for a 5/6 library?

[Wicks, Katrina]

Hi Loretta,
Congrats on your transfer. Working in a new library definitely brings new
challenges and opportunities.

Based on 12 years of experience as a middle school library media
specialist, unless there is a specific school district policy regarding the
goals and philosophy of library services in your new school that require
parent permission to access materials, I'd reconsider requiring parent
permission for students to check out YA books.

As you know, one of our jobs as library media specialists is creating
collections that meet the instructional and reading needs of our students
-- all of our students. At the middle level, the diversity in reading and
interest levels is extremely varied. I had books at the primary reading
level and books at the high school reading level. In addition, materials
also varied widely in interest level and maturity. I found that some YA
topics were more appropriate, and more acceptable in my school community,
to have in a middle school YA collection vs. a high school YA collection.
For example, my school community was more accepting of some violence and
some language rather than heavy sexual content and the f-bomb.

At the same time, middle school students have questions and are curious.
They might have an interest in learning more about topics that they might
not be comfortable discussing with family at home.
I felt that one of my missions as a library media specialist was to not
only stock my collection with high quality materials to meet the
instructional needs of my students but to also meet the reading needs of my
students -- regardless of where they are at as readers and as young people.
Middle school students are too young to drive, so one place where they had
the freedom to make their own choices was in my school library. My goal was
to have high quality reading material for each of my students -- but not
always the same reading materials.  As you know, the "right book" for one
student is not necessarily "the right book" for another student.

In my time, I did have a few parents who asked why I let their child take
out *that* book. My response is that I have 1100 student in this school and
I have books for all types of readers. The right book for your student is
not the right book for another student. It is up to parents to inform their
students of their expectations regarding the check-out of library
materials. I have no tool to ensure that students only take out materials
approved by their parents. What I can control is the quality of the
materials that students have to choose from.  I used my professional
judgment to purchase high quality materials for my students.

I hope this point of view is helpful.

Katrina

On Sat, Sep 7, 2019 at 2:06 PM Loretta Sullivan <b59lgian at mpspride.org>
wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I was wondering if anyone has a parental permission slip to give to my
> grade 5/6 kids to take out YA books?  I recently have been transferred to
> one of our middle schools and I would like to use one for obvious reasons.
> I would really appreciate it if anyone was willing to share a copy with
> me.  Thank you so much!
>
> Also, I am looking for some great ideas to make my library more grade 5/6
> friendly (my experience is at the high school level which looks so much
> different than an upper elementary library).  If anyone is willing to take
> pics of their libraries and/or share ideas regarding set up of displays,
> areas, etc. that would be great!  What do you think are "must haves"
> (definitely Nutmeg displays -but what else?)?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.  I am looking forward to hearing from you!
>
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Loretta Sullivan
> Library Media Specialist
> Elisabeth M. Bennet Academy
>
>
>
> "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library."
>                                                        - Jorge Luis Borges
> _______________________________________________
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> CASL-L at mylist.net
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>


-- 
Katrina Palazzolo Wicks
Director of Information and Technology
860-687-2000, x1270
kwicks at windsorct.org



Windsor Public Schools  |  601 Matianuck Avenue  |  Windsor, CT 06095
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