Literature

Moderators: Krista Taracuk, Stacy Holbrook
 * Literature: How do we keep up to date?**

How to keep up to date…. • Attend conference sessions/workshops relating to children’s literature Ex. OELMA session in central Ohio where teen librarian and elementary librarian talked about new books

• Read Junior Library Guild (either the catalog or online) o Has good book reviews in advance of publication o Don’t have to be a member to see full reviews o Can pick and choose—get enough of a review without having to read the book o Good grade leveling of books—accurate range o Able to look at covers of titles to see if it is relevant to students (young adults may not choose a book because the cover is too “babyish”)

• Subscribe to VOYA—Voice of Youth Advocates

• Subscribe to School Library Journal o Has an “extra helpings” section that is helpful and quick to browse

• Listen to nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, etc. that are of the same age o Find out popular, most wanted books o Also can use adults that are into a particular genre Ex. Husbands that know their fantasy!

• Use a suggestion box o Can have in library or online (or both!)

• Make contact with a local book store o Use the owner, purchaser, etc. as a liaison

• Visit Borders or Barnes and Noble periodically to see what’s “in”—see what their marketing teams are pushing

• Talk to the students to see what they are interested in or what books they like to read

• Go to SchoolRooms and access “Children’s Literature, What to Read”

• Copy book reviews from catalogs/magazines and let students choose the books

• Collaborate with the nearest public library and create a contact with the children’s/teen librarian

• Use Amazon.com for lists

• Check the Yalsa award lists o Also check the nominees each year

• Use a student book club to take suggestions of books

Censorship and Book Challenges… • Graphic novels o Difficult to purchase for a school because they tend to be sexist, violent, etc.—even when rated for teens (what can be put in a public library is different than school library because the books need to relate to curriculum) o Check out Shonen Jump magazine o Go to www.teenreads.com and look at Graphic Novel reviews o Go to www.Noflyingnotights.com

• Have teachers give a survey at the beginning of the year to find out what games students play, movies and TV shows they watch, etc. o This can be useful to find out interests, but also to use when a parent challenges a book

• Cannot use personal preferences to purchase or to censor books

• The collection needs to reflect what kids are watching and experiencing in real life—cannot whitewash the collection

Book Clubs and Reading… • Circulation can increase by changing what is purchased

• Pleasure reading has become more social, has less of a stigma

• Great Book Club Ideas o Books and Bagels in AM • Collaborate with public library • Talk to Krista Taracuk to find out more! o Every Friday Book Club • Talk to Emily Colpi to find out more! o Bring in book that has influence on life at any stage o Take a field trip to the public library

Sheila- How about using Spectrum to highlight exceptional reads? could be theme oriented.