The Results Are In...

Well, hello!! So below I have created a table which breaks down the number of copies and the location of the book, The Kite Runner. For the sake of anonymity, I have decided to not provide the actual names of the library and/or branches used for this research. I would like to add that the fields highlighted in yellow represent a library and/or branches where copies of The Kite Runner are being transferred between libraries. I would also like to add that the books being transferred between other libraries were not added to the number of copies for that library and/or branch. Those same highlighted fields do not reflect the total number of books being transferred between other libraries.

Overall, what was discovered from this research was that the book was most commonly found to be shelved in the Adult Fiction Collection. Even more ironic is that there were more copies of this book found listed in closed stacks and storage versus in the Young Adult Fiction Collection. Guess libraries and/or branches in my neck of the woods practice the same censorship methods described in Curry’s article after all. Don’t just take my word for it, view the table and see for yourself!!

*Please note that there are two different types of The Kite Runner that were used for this study. The results of this research were compiled from the catalog results and/or listings found at the library and/or branches given below.

Library/Branches Number of Copies Location
1. Library X 5 Popular Library Fiction Closed Stacks
2. Library X 3 Popular Library General Fiction Collection
3. Library X 3 Teen Center Fiction Collection
5. Branch 1 3 Storage
6. Branch 2 1 Adult Fiction Collection
7. Branch 3 8 Adult Fiction Collection
8. Branch 4 1 Adult Fiction Collection
9. Branch 5 1 Adult Fiction Collection
10. Branch 6 1 Adult Paperback Rack Edition
11. Branch 7 3 Adult Fiction Collection
12. Branch 8 2 Adult Fiction Collection
13. Branch 9 5 Adult Fiction Collection
14. Branch 10 1 Adult Fiction Collection
15. Branch 10 3 Storage
16. Branch 11 2 Adult Fiction Collection
17. Branch 12 1 Adult Fiction Collection
18. Branch 13 2 Adult Fiction Collection
19. Branch 14 2 Closed Stacks
20. Branch 15 2 Young Adult Fiction
21. Branch 16 2 Adult Fiction Collection
22. Branch 17 2 Adult Large Paperback Rack
23. Branch 18 1 Adult Collection
24. Branch 18 1 Adult Fiction Collection
25. Branch 19 4 Adult Fiction Collection

(Gasp) Not The C Word?!

Khaled Hosseini’s, The Kite Runner was listed as one of the one hundred most banned or challenged books of 2009. Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to check-out this book for myself to learn why it made the list. My professor for LIS 6510 required us to read an insightful article, Where Is Judy Blume by Ann Curry. The article discusses controversial fiction for older children and young adults. Specifically, the article is discussing different ways libraries go about censoring materials for younger patrons. Canadian libraries transferred controversial books from one section to another, while British libraries transferred the books to another branch (Curry, 2001).

According to one Canadian librarian, if you keep a targeted book in the same place, it just infuriates the complainant every time she comes into the library (Curry, 2001). If a young person really wants that particular YA book, he’ll find it. So it doesn’t really matter if it’s in the reference section, the adult section, or the teen section (Curry, 2001). The important thing is that we have the book, not where it is in the library (Curry, 2001). Meaning, it’s acceptable to remove a fairly popular and controversial novel from the teen section and place it in closed stacks instead?

Now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with The Kite Runner. After a little research, I discovered that libraries in my community may be guilty of practicing similar censorship methods by relocating or transferring controversial materials. Since there were multiple listings found for this book at different libraries/branches, the collection/section findings will be compiled and examined next week.

To Be Continued....

References

Curry, A. (2001). Where is Judy Blume? Controversial fiction for older children and young adults. Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, 14 (3), 28-37.

An Ideal Profession

Initially when I became a student in Wayne State’s Library & Information Science program, I wanted to become a Theater Librarian. Partly because my BFA degree is in Theater and it was another way to keep the dream and my passion for it alive. After completing some of my LIS courses, I discovered that I did not want to become a Theatre Librarian after all. Instead, I wanted to become a cataloger…or so I thought. I had a “not so great learning experience” when I took my cataloging course and soon that interest faded.

It wasn’t until fall 2009 that I realized what type of librarian I wanted to become. For a reference observation assignment, I had to observe the reference desk at a library. I chose a public suburban library and I observed both the Adult Services Reference Desk and the Childrens Reference Desk. What I discovered from this observation was that I was actually more groomed to become a Childrens Librarian.

Studying theater was my introduction to performing for all types of people. The different ways I learned to use my voice and my ability to entertain would likely capture the attention of young children at a public library. Special Librarians are known to make more money than Public Librarians. This was somewhat of a turn off, but I’ve learned early on that one should never accept any job position on the basis of money. Money cannot buy happiness, peace of mind, and the joy that comes from doing what a person most loves.

Besides, I am not pursuing a MLIS degree to become rich and famous. My reasoning for wanting to become a librarian aligns more with a description that I recently read in an article. More and more of today’s librarians must be clever interrogators, helping the patron to reframe their question more usefully (Nemko, 2008). Librarianship is an underrated career. Most librarians love helping patrons solve their problems and, in the process, learning new things (Nemko, 2008).

Final Thoughts: The chance to help children establish a desire and a love for both books and reading are reasons why I want to become a librarian. I also believe that librarianship is a very underrated career, as most people associate librarians as little old ladies pushing around book carts, and not as the holders if not keepers of information. What I love about this profession is that my options to use this degree as I see fit are endless…


References

Nemko, M. (2008, December 11). Best careers 2009: Librarian. U.S. News & World Report.
Retrieved from: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2008/12/11/best-
careers-2009-librarian.html

Then & Now

I remember my freshmen year at Michigan State University back in the fall of 2002. I was away from home for the first time ever and it was an exciting and sometimes lonely experience. Exciting, because MSU is in East Lansing and the town is very much so geared towards college students. Lonely, because I am an only child and I found myself very quickly missing the comforts of home. I went from being in a high school graduating class of ninety four students to living on a college campus with hundreds, if not thousands, of fellow students.

Attending MSU was my first introduction to interacting with other ethnic groups besides African Americans or Caucasians. Suddenly, I was immersed with people having Spanish, Korean, and Chinese backgrounds on one campus. What consumed most of my curiosity that first year at State was four letters: LGBT. I had no idea what each letter stood for and why that abbreviation seemed to be such an invaluable organization to the student body at Michigan State. All I knew was that the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered influence on campus promoted equality and support through a lot of literature and signage.

Just imagine my amazement when I discovered that the American Library Association has established The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. It should come as no surprise that their mission is to serving the information needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered professional library community, and the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered information access needs of individuals at large.

Even more impressive are some of the responsibilities the GLBTRT promotes:

· work toward eliminating job discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered employees of libraries, archives, and information centers;

· advocate revising classification schemes, subject heading lists, indices, etc., in order to remove terms derogatory to the lives, activities, and contributions to culture and society of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people;

· work with groups outside the Association interested in achieving equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people;

Final Thoughts: Although I do not identify with any of the words that make up the GLBTRT, it’s great to know that I live in a country that attempts to ensure the rights of everyone. The ALA does such an excellent job at representing and protecting the rights of all Americans as it relates to libraries and library resources.

All of the above information about the ALA’s GLBTRT can be found at:

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glbtrt/index.cfm