Judy Blume - Library Champion

The phrases "beloved children's author" and "Judy Blume" often go together. Generations of readers have loved her books, which include the Fudge series, the groundbreaking Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, and many others. Her books have been a frequent target of censorship attempts, which has prompted her to be an outspoken supporter of Freedom to Read efforts by the American Library Association.

Judy is the spokesperson for this year's National Library Week: April 13-19, 2014.

In an interview with American Libraries magazine, Judy responded to a question about censorship and libraries:

I think of libraries as safe havens for intellectual freedom. I think of how many times I’ve been told about a librarian who saved a life by offering the right book at the right time. Yet librarians often have to be fearless. They have to be ready to explain to an angry person or group why they aren’t going to remove a book just because someone says they should. They stand up for their readers’ rights. Don’t try to threaten them because they won’t back down. They are my heroes.

If you want to follow Judy on Twitter search for @judyblume.  Rumor has she's enjoying this bit of social media immensely!

Top 10 Banned Books of 2013

What does the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilky, "The Bluest Eyes" by Toni Morrison, and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie have in common? They are the top three books challenged somewhere in the United States during the past year.

                                                                                                     
The American Library Association's Office For Intellectual Freedom has just released their annual list of the top 10 out of the 307 challenges reported during 2013. The list includes reasons challengers gave for their opposition to the title.

Wondering what it means for a book to be "challenged" and/or "banned"? Here's what ALA has to say:

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection


To see what other books made the Top Ten List, click here.  

In the fall, these titles and many others will be honored during  Banned Books Week, which celebrates the freedom to read. Meanwhile, read a banned book, because you can.

Banned & Challenged Classics

2000-2009 Top Banned/Challenged Books

Pictures From The Past: WWI Soldiers Reading

The 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War will soon be upon us. Newly digitized images of the day-to-day lives of WWI servicemen has been made available by the American Library Association's Archives, housed at the University of Illinois. Some of the images document the ALA War Service Campaign:

"Within a few weeks of America’s entrance into World War I, the American Library Association undertook an enormous campaign to send books and other reading materials to American forces at home and abroad.

The ALA collected $5 million in donations, amassed a collection of ten million books and magazines, and set up thirty-six camp libraries with the help of the Carnegie Corporation.  “A book for every man” was the initial aim."

                                                                                                           - Angela Jordan, Archivist

The following images from the Library War Service slide collection the are reprinted here with permission from the American Library Association Archive:

For access to more historic images from this collection, as well as access to image resources from other institutions, visit the Middle/Upper School Library's online research guide to databases and digital resources.

"It’s Complicated: the Social Lives of Networked Teens"

This book may be the "must read" of the year for anyone who lives with, cares/worries about, and/or works with adolescents.  The reviews of "It's Complicated" are stellar:

“Students, parents, and educators will find this a comprehensive study of how technology impacts teens’ lives and how adults can help balance rather than vilify its inevitable use.”—Publishers Weekly

“boyd’s extensive research illuminates the oft-misunderstood world of teens today, where social media is an extension of life . . . Thorough information interwoven with common-sense advice from teens and the author enable readers, particularly parents, to relax a bit regarding this new media age . . . Comprehensive new research that illuminates why and how social media is important to teens.”—Kirkus Reviews

Author Danah Boyd has some serious cred: a Fellow at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, and Research Assistant Professor in Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University. She is so committed to getting the word out about this book and the information it imparts, that it's available as a no cost pdf download from her website. (Scroll down the opening page.)  For a longer explanation about her decision to increase access to the book in this way, read Danah Boyd's blog. 

Women's History Month Resources

Though in reality every month is Women's History Month, as well as Black History Month, etc., here's some information and resources from the American Library Association:

"National Women’s History Month traces its origins back to March 8, 1857, when women from New York City factories staged a protest over working conditions. International Women’s Day was later observed in 1909.  In 1981, the U.S. Congress designated the second week of March National Women's History Week, and in 1987 Congress expanded it to a month-long observance."

Visit the digital resources of the Library of Congress, and/or the yet-to-be-built National Women's History Museum. 

Though The Smithsonian is usually a fabulous resource, in person and digitally, I was dismayed during a recent visit to the National Museum of American History First Ladies exhibit, which consisted of headless mannequins in dresses, and a bunch of tableware. Call it an exhibit of clothing and china used by the spouses of former presidents. In any event, the work of consciousness raising about women's history is not done.

 

Lemony Snicket Honors Noble Librarians

At the upcoming American Library Association's annual summer conference, Daniel Handler himself will present the first ever

Lemony Snicket Prize

for Noble Librarians

                Faced With Adversity.

This award is described by Handler/ Lemony Snicket as follows:

      “It is of the opinion of Lemony Snicket, author, reader, and alleged malcontent, that librarians have suffered enough. 

      Therefore he is establishing an annual prize honoring a librarian who has faced adversity with integrity and dignity intact. . . . 

      It is Mr. Snicket’s hope, and the ALA’s, that the Snicket Prize will remind readers everywhere of the joyous importance of librarians and the trouble that is all too frequently unleashed upon them.”

For more info about this fabulous new prize, see this ALA Press Release.

Awards of Interest to Upper Schoolers & Other Readers

Many readers will have heard of the Newbery (yearly prize to the author of  to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children) and the Caldecott (awarded annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. 

But there are a host of other annual awards managed by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) that a good source of books titles for older readers: Alex,

The following highlighted titles are part of the Roeper M/U Library Collection.

Alex Award  


Given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18

Morris Award

Honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature.

< The 2014 Winner:


                                     Honor books> 

                                                         

Printz Award

For a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.

< The 2014 Winner (on order)

               <Honor books>  

For more information about the YALSA awards and booklists, click here.



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