There are times that the entire universe seems to be thrumming with the same woes, the same prejudice, and the same amazing people standing up to it all.

Liz B tells us about book banning in the Burlington County Public Library of Revolutionary Voices, a GLBT title.  The banning was done quietly, on the sly.  In other words, it was done spinelessly as a way of avoiding confrontation.  Frankly, I think this is the most prevalent type of book banning happening in libraries today.  Someone makes complaining noises about a book and it conveniently disappears so there is no reason for complaint.

Let’s ignore the fact that libraries have request for reconsideration forms for just such a situation.  It is sooo much easier if the forms are not even used and the library can just “fix” the problem quietly.

Also today, I had the pleasure of reading a great piece on Pinched Nerves by Brent, a gay teen book blogger who fought for the right to read books about kids like him at his school and his public library.  He’s my hero!

I have other heroes, who make me proud to be a librarian:

The West Bend Public Library here in Wisconsin who went through a horrible time with someone who wanted to ban around 80 books from the library.  They followed their policies to the letter, which allowed them to retain all of the titles in their collection.  The battle was fought very publicly and strengthened libraries around the state in our resolve to stand up for books.

Currently, the Fond du Lac School District also here in Wisconsin, is working their way through a list of books being questioned in their school libraries.  So far all of the books have been retained without changes.  Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the neighboring community of North Fond du Lac where a sticker was added to a book deemed appropriate for high school students.  Man, what a slippery slope that is!  And what a sad decision to make.

Let’s remember in the midst of all of this, we can all find the heroes to give us courage to stand up, insist on the freedom to read, and not bow to pressure to make our libraries something they are not.

Gorgeous bloggers grace the November 2009 cover of School Library Journal!

Betsy took on the challenge of creating a list of ten of the top children’s lit blogs and did a grand job.  I am thrilled to be one of the bloggers quoted in the body of the article which does a nice job of showing how children’s lit blogging has grown and evolved in the last few years while emphasizing that blogs and review journals remain completely different beasts.

Welcome any new readers who journeyed from that article!  Good to have you hear.  Feel free to put your feet up, hog the comfy chair, and read.

The book blogging world is abuzz with the news of the FTC’s new Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials which will be revised to address bloggers.

In a fascinating, but confusing, article, Edward Champion interviews Richard Cleland of the FTC about the changes. 

Bloggers, including myself, have a lot of concerns about these changes.  First, the fact that the rules for bloggers are going to be more stringent than those for review journals in print is very troubling.  I don’t mind disclosing the book I receive from publishers, but it seems to me that Cleland wants disclosure plus return of the books. 

There is no way that I would have enough funds to return the books I receive from publishers.  That said, I don’t keep the books I receive from publishers.  The books that I receive go to my library’s collection unless they are ARCs.  ARCs are shared with colleagues, given away as book program prizes, or put into the library book sale.

For me as a library blogger, it gets even more confusing.  Cleland says that if bloggers are being paid to blog then there is no need for concern.  I blog on library time and for the library’s website.   Does that clear me of concern?  I don’t think so. 

I am entirely confused, a bit concerned, and hoping for more clarifications to come.  How about you?  I’m happy if anyone can shed more light on this for me!

With a focus on the classics, Blume (author of Tennyson) has created quite the list of must-read children’s books plus a great interview on NPR.  The list has a few of my personal favorites and others that I agree with, and some that make my head tilt in a questioning way.  Meaning that it is a good list!

Here are my favorites on the list, all of them straight from my own childhood reading:

The Devil’s Storybook by Natalie Babbitt

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

AND MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE:

Watership Down by Richard Adams

My mother read this aloud to my brothers and me at breakfast.  Twice.  Maybe more.  Bigwig…  Sigh.  I remember us all listening with rapt attention and tears streaming down our faces.  It was truly transporting.  And what a joy to see it on this list.

Lisa Von Drasek, Children’s Librarian at the Bank Street Library of Education in New York, has written a great rebuttal to the sadly misinformed It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy.  I especially appreciate the correction about librarians who “want to keep the book off the shelves.”  That certainly shows a misunderstanding of the role of librarians in selecting materials for teens!