[LM_NET] ELEM:Visual cues to help young people browse

[Susan Rardin <susanrardin@COMCAST.NET>]

Dear LM_NET'ers,
THINKING OUT LOUD
I have noticed for years now that young children asked to go look for a new library 
book often have a hard time with the process.  We show them how to
place a ruler or book space saver in place of a book they wish to look at, etc.,
but young children mostly not reading yet need visual "jumping off points" to try 
to figure out what they want.  We are often pleased that lots of children may want 
the book that was just read to them, but that is often the case because it is the 
most immediate book in their mind and they don't have another book, author or 
character in mind.  

If kids don't have an immediate idea in my school, they often go to the Caldecott 
(Follett) list with the pictures of the winning covers for their ideas.
I keep thinking that I need a picture/poster of more covers of books from
favorite authors who are not on the Caldecott list, and we know that there are 
oodles.    It's a little like a visual best sellers list for the  young.  Can I 
color copy pictures of book covers or pull out color pictures of characters and 
make this with no worry of asking for permission from anyone?  If I do it I would 
want to change it periodically.  Book displays can't always do the job because the 
first classes can wipe out the displays.

Has anyone made something like this idea?  Any suggestions?

On computer program desktops we see graphic icons for kids- I think that for 
actually browsing in libraries kids need to see graphic icons to give them choices 

ie.  Picture of Arthur     E BRO

      Picture of Harold    E CRO      (of the purple crayon)

      Picture of Madeleine  E BEM

      They could even be in alpha order by author for EASY section, which might 
help also with their attempts to find the books on their own- a goal. 



Susan Rardin, MLS 
Cliffwood Elementary
Cliffwood, NJ
susanrardin@comcast.net

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