[LM_NET] HIT: Middle Advanced Reader Stickers

[Carol Hodges <Carol.Hodges@VBSCHOOLS.COM>]

Thank you for all of the responses that I received about the pros and
cons of adding advanced/mature reading stickers to books and limiting
access by grade level.  The following is a summary of the responses that
I received.

 

I received a total of seven responses to my question about
advanced/mature reading labels on books.  Four people that responded
were against age/grade level restriction labels.  The reasons cited were
that children read at different levels, few children regularly attempt
to read things that are genuinely too advanced for them, restricting
access is censorship, students should be guided to books that interest
them, you are denying a student's right to privacy.

 

I received three responses from people that chose to add age/grade level
restrictions.  All three of these librarians have or had multi-level
schools that included either elementary and/or high school levels.  One
school put different color dots on books for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8.
If a student in 5th grade or younger wanted to be able to read
"anything" they needed to get a note from their parent.  Another PreK-12
school has books with signs "must be in seventh grade" as well as YA for
high school only. A grade 6-9 school is considering putting the 9th
grade fiction books in a separate area.  

 

After reviewing all of the responses, I re-read the collection
development policy for my school district, the section of "Information
Power" about information access and delivery, and the AECT statement on
Intellectual Freedom.  

 

I will share all of this information with the other librarian that I
work with.  

 

Carol Hodges, Library Media Specialist

Lynnhaven Middle School

Virginia Beach, VA

Carol.Hodges@vbschools.com

 

 


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