[LM_NET] Censor Vs. Select

[Geneva Johnson <johnsong@OWASSO.K12.OK.US>]

Kate Gallon said "I will NOT accept the label of being a censor just 
because I don't buy 
every book that is published."
 
Thank you Kate for saying what I've been thinking while following this 
thread.  I choose to purchase books based on my selection policy...the 
number of which boils down to how many quality-bound titles can I get on my 
budget that makes the biggest impact on my overall collection, or to use my 
dad's favorite saying, "I want the biggest bang for my buck." 
 
Are there titles on my shelf with which I might have objections? Yes. Can, 
and will, I defend the decision to include them on my library shelves?  Yes 
to that as well. My choices are not about excluding material based on my 
personal beliefs...it has to do with my professional decisions on what to 
include in my collection to support the curricular and personal needs of my 
patrons.
 
I wanted to make sure that censorship and selection were two different 
things. So I looked them up on www.m-w.com  They are defined as such:  To 
censor: 1 : a person who supervises conduct and morals: as a : an official 
who examines materials (as publications or films) for objectionable matter b 
: an official (as in time of war) who reads communications (as letters) and 
deletes material considered sensitive or harmful
 
To select: 1 : chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference 2 a : 
of special value or excellence : superior, choice b : exclusively or 
fastidiously chosen often with regard to social, economic, or cultural 
characteristics
3 : judicious or restrictive in choice 
 
Geneva Johnson, NBCT 2004
Library Media Specialist
Ator Heights Elementary
Owasso Public Schools
johnsong@owasso.k12.ok.us

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