The customer is always right

You might think the library is one of the few places where items are censored. Information and books with questionable material are subject to review and criticism by people only in a library setting. WRONG.

Amazon.com recently pulled a book from its e-book collection, entitled The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: A Child-lover's Code of Conduct. The company was faced with pressure from social networks, who wanted the book banned and not sold.

Initially, Amazon.com advocated the right to sell the e-book, not for its content, but for the right to produce it for people who wished to purchase it. The company claimed it would be censorship to dictate what people could and could not buy at the site.

However, after being challenged by social networks that were openly against the book for its objectionable content, Amazon.com took it off the shelves. Not wanting to lose its customer base, Amazon.com caved to their demands.

I was surprised to read that Amazon.com did not stick to its original statement of keeping the e-book on the virtual shelf. As a private company, it does not have to adhere to government regulation or policy regarding censorship; instead, officials within the corporation set their own policy and agendas.

However, Amazon.com has a reputation to protect, and to stay competitive, it relies on sales from books and other products. If tens of thousands of customers began to openly boycott items from the site, other people would wonder why and questions Amazon.com’s credibility. With the boycott, sales and incoming revenue would decrease because nothing would circulate out of warehouses.

No matter what the customer thought, I think Amazon.com should have fought to keep that book on its virtual shelf. Though the subject of the book is not popular and thought to be heinous by many, it’s the principle of access to information that should be fought for. If one book is taken off the virtual shelf, what will the next one be? A book about suicide? History of terrorisim? Same-sex marriages? The possibilities are endless.

I can now understand why Amazon.com, a private company, would choose to censor its books in this situation. Private organizations rely on consumers to make a profit, and if the consumer is not happy, the private entity rights the wrong. In this case, I guess the customer is always right (even if he or she is wrong).

Don't chain the books, torch the policy!

In Connecticut, there is talk of creating a policy that censors specific books and magazines in prison libraries. Republican Sen. John Kissel is firmly advocating the removal of violent and questionable books from prison libraries, only allowing inmates to read books approved by a committee and that follow policy guidelines. Kissel claims that sadistic novels and fiction will promote brutal behaviors and thoughts among inmates; this idea is a reaction to a recent Connecticut court decision.

According to the Americans Libraries Magazine, promotion of this policy was put into motion “after jurors returned a guilty verdict for the first of two defendants in the murder of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters Hayley and Michaela in their Chesire, Connecticut, home, and the brutal beating of their husband and father William Petit.” The article continues to say that this suspect read books of a violent nature, while serving a sentence for a prior conviction.

Books like In Cold Blood by Truman Capote have the possibility to provide ideas as how to kill people and evade capture. But, not every inmate wants to continue murdering people or has thoughts of murder. True, there are some criminally insane and cruel people in prisons, but not every individual is a cold-blooded killer. Kissel is defining the future all prison inmates’ intellectual freedom based upon the actions of one man, which I think itself is cruel and unusual punishment.

In a recent podcast by NPR, prison librarian Avi Steinberg gave an interview about what books prisoners at Suffolk County House of Correction read. One man read all classics during his sentence, claiming he finally obtained the education he never had. His teachers were authors like Machiavelli and Homer. Female book clubs were popular, and another inmate wanted to read books about how to start his own business. The prison library also provided creative-writing classes and GED courses.

The Suffolk County House of Correction library provided a place where inmates received information and read book of their own choosing. Though a prison library, this library advocated circulation of materials and education.

If this current policy is passed in Connecticut, it’s another library that has bitten the dust to censorship. Who is this senator to say that prison inmates do not deserve the chance for education and ability to read any books he or she wants?

If approved, this will become an issue for the American Library Association and librarians who believe in intellectual freedom. According to the Prisoners Right to Read, it is most likely that they will uphold this strong argument if compelled to provide a defense: “When the prison gates slam behind an inmate, he does not lose his human quality; his mind does not become closed to ideas; his intellect does not cease to feed on a free and open interchange of opinions; his yearning for self-respect does not end; nor is his quest for self-realization concluded. If anything, the needs for identity and self-respect are more compelling in the dehumanizing prison environment.”

You say potato, I say I don't know what librarian I want to be!

Nov. 10 is drawing near. It’s a day that could determine our future as librarians. It’s intimidating, yet thrilling. It’s class-registration day.

The events of this day have been on my mind, as well as some of my classmates. The past few weeks, we have been presented with a number of speakers from special, school media, academic and public libraries. Each speaker has brought something interesting and unique to the table, and I am not sure of which dish to dip into.

Because I am intrigued in each different library career, I’m not sure what courses to take, or even if I want to pursue a certificate of advanced study in cultural heritage preservation or digital libraries. I know I have three semesters left after this one, but choosing electives actually can determine which area of librarianship I’m interested in and what jobs I will apply for in a year in a half.

Working in special collections and archives would be fascinating because I would get to work with old manuscripts and preserve the past. Albeit, digital libraries produce cutting-edge technologies; it would be beneficial to have digital skills because that’s where part of the field is heading. But, school librarians help students conduct research and provide a place where social activity and community happen. A public reference librarian interacts with new people and helps find answers to fascinating questions.

See what I mean? So many decisions to make.

But then why not take a class in each discipline? Who says I have to have a specialization or cultivate a specific knowledge-base?

After looking at numerous job ads, I have concluded that employers are looking for librarians that know a little bit about each field of librarianship. True, there are some jobs that specialize in metadata, information technology or cultural preservation, but it’s important to have a foundation based on the cores of librarianship and acquire knowledge about everything, ranging from collection development to cataloging to literacy in schools.

If worse comes to worst, and I don’t what type of paper preserves books the best or what is the newest social-media trend, I know have taken a reference class under my belt, which will help me discover the answer.

Bring it on, Nov. 10. I’m ready for you.

You scratch my back, all I need is a "thank you"

A few weeks ago, librarians from the United States, India and Pakistan met at a conference to discuss the future of Pakistan’s libraries. In August, massive floods destroyed hundreds of libraries and took lives of more than 1,000 people. Homes were destroyed, and crops and agriculture were wiped out.

Financial aid has been given to Pakistan, but most of that has gone toward food and health care, rarely leaving any money left for the rebuilding of the libraries. At the conference, Leonard Kniffel, American Libraries magazine editor and publisher, gave the keynote address. Kniffel stated that preserving and modernizing Pakistan libraries is currently not the most important item on the country’s agenda, so it is a struggle to promote the need for libraries.

The government is choosing to focus attention on rebuilding homes and providing refugees with food and health care, and those are vital needs for survival, but some attention, if not money, should also be placed on the future of libraries.

Kniffel stated that much of Pakistan’s citizens do not view libraries as community places to gather, research and learn, but as “book warehouses.” Attendees of this conference are trying to promote more innovative ways to boost the image of Pakistani libraries. They want to be able to eventually provide access to Internet and have libraries become a community place where any member of the public can go, while still preserving tradition and books.

“Librarians in Pakistan are struggling with technology and how to pay for it, with public perception that libraries are irrelevant in the age of the Internet and in a political climate that is isolating the country,” Kniffel said. “I visited a number of libraries and talked with many librarians, university faculty and students. The need for renovation, preservation and staff training is extreme, but there are visionary librarians in Pakistan who understand what must be done.”

In a country that is currently facing struggles, it is important for libraries to have a seat on the agenda for policy making in order to preserve culture and tradition and promote innovation. Policies supporting libraries could provide citizens with the best resources possible, therefore, helping the country grow as a whole.

It makes me pleased to see that librarians in America are reaching out to others in foreign countries, though we have a large number of obstacles on our plate to tackle. In the ever-changing world, strength in numbers proves to be the best way to handle problems, and through comradeship and exchange of resources and ideas at these types of conferences, I’m hoping that Pakistan libraries will be able to achieve its goals for the future.

You have a tattoo? But you're a librarian!

People think librarians like cats, cardigans, books and Colin Firth in a wet T-shirt. This may not be true for some people, but it is for me. Does this make me the stereotypical librarian? The past few days have made me start pondering how librarians define themselves, and how people outside the profession view us.

Honestly, before talking to professors and students, I thought it was a fact universally acknowledged that librarians love to read books. I was wrong. There are numerous people in the program who do not love reading.

Librarians don’t only express themselves through books, but by helping communities and advocating for intellectual freedom (one of my favorite concepts now). These people have an appreciation for information and promote unlimited access for it to patrons.

Every profession has stereotypes it must handle, and we are no exception. How we deal with these preconceived is what’s important in the future.

P.S. Literary tattoos are becoming more popular in the media. Here is a website that showcases some nifty quotes from famous poems and books. Who knows, maybe this will be the new stereotype for us: Librarians have literary tattoos! Or QR code tattoos!
http://www.contrariwise.org/

Speaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkk

Once again, the book Speak is being challenged as to whether or not it’s appropriate literature in schools and libraries across America. Written by central New York native Laurie Halse Anderson, this is not the first time the novel has been a controversial topic among libraries, parents and administrators.

In Missouri, Wesley Scroggins is attempting to encourage his district to ban this book because it deals with rape and violence. However, Scroggins’ summary of the book proves to be incorrect; I don’t even think he read and understood the context of the book as a whole.

Albeit rape and teenage sex are not the most positive topics found in young-adult literature, they are important because they are issues teens face in reality. Speak does not provide graphic illustrations or porn details about rape and sex, but it provides a realistic aftermath of these circumstances and how teenagers handle them.

Also, Scroggins is against sex education in schools and the circulation of these materials in libraries, claiming they are inappropriate for the youth of America. Like it or not, most teenagers know what sex entails, but providing information about sex education should be encouraged, not denied to these students if they wish to pursue it.

Libraries are supposed to provide information for teenagers about a range of topics-from healthy sex alternatives to dealing with depression. These are heavy topics, and a library is the place where people can receive information with no questions asked or judgments passed.

Individuals like Scroggins, who are attempting to censor what is in libraries and read in English class, are unknowingly harming and negating access to information of which these teenagers have a right to know if they so choose.

This type of ban and censorship restricts intellectual freedom against teenagers. Instead of encouraging them to explore new ideas and topics, people like Scroggins are attempting to limit what teenagers read.

In this information and digital age, access and promotion of knowledge and information should be encouraged. The more educated a young adult becomes, the more easily he or she can handle the adult world and realistic situations. Without preparation, the future of these individuals could be uncertain.

If I was the librarian in the community where Scroggins lived, I would support the circulation of this book, though it deals with the rape of a young girl and its aftermath. It’s important to fight for books, because if we don’t, then who will?

P.S. I can’t think of one book that does not contain swear words, sexual assault or some kind of discrimination or violence toward a person or group of people. If you know of one, let me know!

Like a good neighbor, collections are there

There has been much talk about collection development this past week between class and an interview with my librarian who works in the acquisitions department at Bird. Collection development is a vital step toward increased intellectual freedom and more available information, but it's important to look at the context of the community, and see what its needs and wants are because the members matter.

Each library community is going to be different in how it approaches the collections-development process. Depending on where the library is located and the physical makeup of the community, there are going to be more wants and needs in some areas of development than others.

For instance, the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y. will most likely have more reference materials focusing on engineering, graphic design and computer programming than Russian philosophy or ancient civilizations. Since RIT is a more science- and technology-based school, student and faculty needs and wants would be in this area; so, it would be no surprise to find more of these materials in the collections.

Also, my local school and public library have a large collection that helps ESL individuals. In Solvay, N.Y. there has been a large influx of Ukrainian and Russian individuals who have settled in the area in the past two decades. These people do not know much English, so the public library and the school (especially this one) have obtained materials to help them learn the language.

These libraries in central New York have looked at who their communities are, and they are attempting to purchase materials to meet needs and wants. This is exactly what the libraries should be doing: examining their population, and gaining feedback as to what the library should hopefully have.

However, it may be difficult to provide everything the community needs because of lack of funding or resistance to change among members. Decisions of what to buy and for whom will no doubt be a concern in our future as librarians, but it’s vital for us to remember to keep a level head and find creative ways to tackle these problematic opportunities.

But, the chief purpose a library is to serve its community, and these libraries in New York are doing that. If these libraries did not even take into consideration its population, the library would most likely not have much use for that public.