Really great points, Cathy! I’ll use them at the next public meeting. Thank you. 
Yes, I noticed the misspelling, too. So ridiculous. They don’t know how to pronounce Follett, either. 
I hope the school librarians here are certified, but I don’t know if that’s the case. 


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 10:09 AM, Cathy Andronik <cathyandronik@yahoo.com> wrote:

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  This makes me so glad I spent my librarian career in Connecticut, and in my retirement jobs I  prepare teachers and librarians who think for themselves when selecting books and other materials.

One of the students in a university class I teach did a midterm project on diversity audits.  (In favor of; a year ago I wouldn't have needed to add that clarification.).  She included information on the role of the major jobbers.  Follett has tools to help build a diverse collection.  Those tools highlight books that have starred, or at least positive, reviews, and/or have won awards.  If those books are what the BOE in question calls "inappropriate," well, them's fightin' words.  You can tell the BOE hasn't spoken to its librarians about what constitutes a collection development policy; I'm pretty sure the librarians  know how to spell "Follett," and it's not "with an 'e'," a la "Anne of Green Gables."  Now, if the district in question does not have certified librarians in its schools, and the paraprofessionals or volunteers staffing the school libraries do not know about collection development policies or how to use multiple review sources to select books, that's a different problem the BOE needs to solve, and it has nothing to do with "Follette."

Cathy Andronik
(Retired) Brien McMahon HS, Norwalk

On Wednesday, 23 February 2022, 09:44:54 am GMT-5, Cheryl Robertson <robertsonc@guilfordschools.org> wrote:


I agree with Barb.  Just because a book is recommended doesn't mean it's an automatic purchase.  Librarians know what to do, and their professionalism should be respected.

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 9:31 AM Barbara Johnson <bajohnson@colchesterct.org> wrote:
Hey there!
I am hoping that like anything else I select for the Library, multiple sources are used and a District's materials selection policy includes professional reviews and recommendations from a variety of sources.

Barb

On Wed, Feb 23, 2022, 9:24 AM Maureen Schlosser via CASL-L <casl-l@mylist.net> wrote:
Hello, Everyone!
Does Follett market books to persuade librarians to purchase the books?
This seems like a ridiculous question to me, but I am retired in Florida now, and the local superintendent and a BOE are investigating the following question: 


"Investigate the Follette Learning School System’s process for recommending books to our schools. Are there other library/media center library systems that offer the same or similar services as Follette and Renaissance but with stricter practices on their recommendations?"

They believe that Follett pushes books that are inappropriate for school libraries. I loved Follett when I worked in CT. I remember being able to read book reviews and click on collections based on awards. 
I don't like the picture they are painting of the school librarians here. This whole idea makes the school librarians look like they have no agency over what Follett sends them. To me it's absurd, but if there is any truth to it, I'd like to find out before I speak at the next BOE meeting.
Thank you for your help!
I miss CT!


_______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l

Please be aware that email communication can be intercepted in transmission or misdirected. Please communicate sensitive information by telephone or in person._______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l



--
Cheryl A. Robertson
Teacher Librarian, E.C. Adams Middle School

"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty.  It should be offered as a gift." ~Kate DiCamillo

CURRENTLY READING
John Green by Christine Poolos 
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

CURRENTLY LISTENING
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
 
RECENTLY FINISHED
Change Sings by Amanda Gorman
There There by Tommy Orange
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
Picturing a Nation by Martin W. Sandler
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Cohn & Levithan
The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
Melissa's Story (George) by Alex Gino
Media Bias by Ashley Nicole
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah



****************************** ****************************** *******


CONFIDENTIAL: This email and any files transmitted with it may contain information that is confidential and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Be advised that forwarding, saving, printing, copying, or taking any action on the contents of this message may be prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the original sender and delete the message and any attachments from your computer. Messages to or from the Guilford Public Schools may be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 1-200 et seq.)

****************************** ****************************** *******
_______________________________________________
CASL-L mailing list
CASL-L@mylist.net
https://mylist.net/listinfo/casl-l