Coffeemakers and E-Readers

Imagine this scene: You’re sitting in the local Starbucks enjoying your cappuccino and checking email on your iPad when in walks a woman with a coffeemaker. She approaches the cash register, plops her coffeemaker on the counter and tells the barista, “I got this coffeemaker for Christmas. I don’t have a clue how to use it. Can you show me what to do with it?” I can only guess at what the barista would say (likely something akin to “Contact the coffeemaker manufacturer” or “We sell coffee; we don’t deal with coffeemakers”). A humorous and highly unlikely scenario, don’t you think?

Picture another scene: You're sitting in the local public library perusing the new arrivals, when a woman walks in with an e-reader. She approaches the reference desk, plops her e-reader (still in the box, I might add) on the counter and tells the librarian, “I got this e-reader for Christmas. I don’t have a clue how to use it. Can you show me what to do with it?” And do you know what that librarian says? “Absolutely! Let me see what information I can get for you to help you learn how to download books.” Then step-by-step, the librarian will walk the e-reader owner through the process of accessing, downloading and reading an e-book.

Why is one scene so incredible that it’s difficult to imagine, yet the other scene is so commonplace that it’s happening countless times a day in public libraries all across the nation and no one finds it a strange occurrence? I recently saw a library-related quote that said something to this effect: “The Internet and e-books and all these things that were supposed to put libraries out of business have only made libraries busier.”

When a Good Deed Meets Bad Press | American Libraries Magazine

When a Good Deed Meets Bad Press | American Libraries Magazine

Reconsideration Recovery

Last week, the local newspaper ran a story about a reconsideration request at my library. The only problem with the article was that at least nine pertinent pieces of information were left out of the story. The result? At least a few citizens thought the library was "censoring" books and "banning" them from teens after my library board voted to recatalog a book that had previously been cataloged as "young adult fiction" to "adult nonfiction." No matter that the book, The Notebook Girls, had previously been miscataloged (the book is actually nonfiction) or that many libraries already have this title as adult nonfiction, or that the book has powerful information for adults, or that anyone with a library card can check out any materials from anywhere in my library.

The American Library Association picked up the story--linked it (with no explanation) on their weekly "American Libraries Direct" update. I contacted ALA, who was quite responsive and wrote a follow-up as this week's "Inside Scoop" story. Thank you, Beverly Goldberg!

See the link to ALA's "the rest of the story" at this link:

http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/inside-scoop/when-good-deed-meets-bad-press

"The Rest of the Story"

I always liked Paul Harvey. He had a way of filling in the missing pieces of a topic everyone assumed they already knew. While I'm no Paul Harvey, I do want to share "the rest of the story" with anyone who may have recently seen an article that appeared in the Des Moines Register concerning a reconsideration (challenge) for The Notebook Girls at the Waukee Public Library.

The following facts were not included in the Register's report:

--The name of the complainant is obviously omitted from every Register report because the Waukee Public Library is vehemently committed to the protection of patron privacy;

--The complainant wanted the Library to completely remove the book from the collection (to censor it);

--The Library and the Board refused to succumb to the complainant’s request of censorship because the Library and the Board are committed to intellectual freedom and will deny any requests for censorship;

--This book was originally mis-cataloged as fiction when it is actually nonfiction;

--Many public libraries with this book in their holdings already have the title classified in the adult nonfiction section;

--Libraries routinely re-catalog materials when they realize errors or believe the book is more accessible to a wider audience by putting the item in a different area of the library;

--Library materials at the Waukee Public Library are available to any patron with a valid library card regardless of age of patron or classification of material (meaning, anyone can check out this book at any time);

--The adult and teen sections of the Waukee Public Library are located directly next to each other in an open floor plan;

----School Library Journal recommends this book for “adult/high school” audiences;

--This book was noted by VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates) as an “adult-marketed” book recommended for teens;

--The book contains ample information that is useful for parents/educators;

--Teens will readily check out books in the adult section, whereas adults are often reluctant to check out materials from the teen section—and thus, the reclassification makes the book more accessible to more readers;

--OCLC recommends the book as nonfiction;

--The library now owns two copies of the book (thanks, in part, to this reconsideration request);

--Members of the reconsideration committee actually read and reviewed the book (unlike the Register's staff);

--Members of the reconsideration committee spent a combined total time of approximately one week reviewing the book and other documents pertaining to a reconsideration (such as the library’s policies and professional reviews).

The Waukee Public Library and its Board are obviously committed to intellectual freedom, freedom to access of information, and patron privacy based upon the library’s current policies regarding mission, purpose, collection development, and freedom to read. Once all the facts are known, it is obvious that the recent decision was not a form of censorship or book banning; it was a way to ensure that the book is accurately cataloged and in a location where it can be accessed by the most readers.

To see the Des Moines Register's story, go to this link:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101013/NEWS/10130367/-1/LIFE04/Waukee-library-board-votes-to-reclassify-teen-book

To see an article published by the American Observer that notes the fact that while libraries will re-catalog items, such an action is not censorship, go to this link:
http://inews6.americanobserver.net/articles/banned-books-week-shines-spotlight-censorship

The Power of a Grandparent

This week I issued three library cards to a dad and his two daughters. This is not anything out of the ordinary. In fact, I’ve issued a lot of cards to parents and children this week. But what makes this set of cards special is the fact that this family may still not have library cards had it not been for the girls’ grandfather.

This grandfather lives out of state but was here visiting for a few weeks. He brought his granddaughters to the library. He told me he was surprised that his granddaughters didn’t have library cards and had not visited the library even though they live within walking distance of my library. The grandfather brought the girls here, introduced them to the library, and inquired what needed to be done to get cards for the girls. When he learned that a parent’s signature was required, this grandfather made a phone call and persuaded Dad (who was busy mowing grass) to come to the library right away to complete the necessary paperwork for the girls to get their own library cards (which Dad promptly did).

The grandfather later told me, “I enjoy reading, and I want to make sure all of my grandkids enjoy it, too.” What a wonderful gift this grandfather has given to his grandchildren—an influential nudge toward positive reading experiences!

Learning the Alphabet—One Box at a Time

One of my grandsons, Luis, recently turned five years old. In spite of his bilingual capabilities and keen awareness for details, he has not quite caught onto learning the names and sounds of the alphabet. Living 10 hours away (by car) makes tutoring him practically impossible. So I came up with “Plan B.” Knowing how much Luis loves to receive mail, I decided I could help him learn his letters by mailing an alphabet box to him each week.

I decided to begin with the consonants, followed by the short vowel sounds, and rounding off the “classes” with long vowel sounds. For the first week, I sent Luis a large envelope with a letter indicating that Grandma was going to help him learn the alphabet and instructing him that each week he would receive a new package from me. The envelope included an alphabet flash card for the letter B, some “B” worksheets to color, and a Book—one from my childhood about a sheep. (Sheep, after all, say Baaaa!) I also wrote a list of other B words for him to find around the house (brother, ball, Banana, bread, etc.) While not the most exciting things to send, the package included enough stuff to get Luis excited about the alphabet. He asked his parents to read the book. He did activities during the week with a ball and a balloon, and he colored his large letter B. Thankfully, Luis did not think B is for boring!

Week two’s package was a bit more exciting. It was a box that included the C flashcard with a picture of a cat on it, some “C” worksheets to colors, a letter from me suggesting Luis find other C words at home (cup, cap, car, etc.), a package of cookie mix (just add water and an egg!) and some really fun cookie cutters.

By week four, Luis had received packages for D and F, and he had also visited the zoo. While there, he enthusiastically told his mother, “CAT! That sign says CAT!” when they neared the display for the bobcat. When his mom asked how he knew that, Luis replied, “I remember it from the C box!” He added, “I can read!”

Now Luis eagerly looks forward to his boxes and his "distance learning" alphabet classes. He tries to guess what might be in the box. (He thought donuts might be in the D box, and considered a tea cup could be in the F box until he rightly sounded out that “cup” starts with C.) My boxes cost approximately $3-$5 a week, depending on what I include in them and the size of the container necessary to ship them, but the benefit and joy of Luis learning the alphabet is MORE than worth the price! H is for Happy—as in a happy grandchild and an even happier grandmother.

Check out this article from DailyFinance

Check out this article from DailyFinance

This article predicts the death of DVDs (and I can foresee the same thing), but I'm still attempting to clear the VHS collection from my library!