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Banned Books Week

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Library Staff in Library Blog, Library Services, News

September 22 started Banned Books Week, an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read. As a reader of all things in many different genres, I am happy to know I can still go to my local public library and get what ever I want.

I was surprised to see some of my favorite classics on the list year after year. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee still top the list.

But how about the most challenged books of last year? Some of them may surprise you:

  1. Tremendously popular with the kids, Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey was challenge for offensive language, and being unsuited for an age group. It won Disney’s Kids’ Choice Award in 2007, and we may be seeing a DreamWorks film of it at some point!
  2. An important book, written about an by often-disregarded minority, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie illustrates life on the Spokane Indian Reservation. It was challenged for offensive language, racism, being sexually explicit, and unsuited for an age group.
  3. Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher, a haunting book about the damaging repercussions of small actions makes the book number three on the list. It has long list of challenges, but really can be summed up as being unsuited for the age group. It will be made into a movie, presumably, in the near future as Universal Studios purchased the rights.
  4. It, however, probably should surprise no one that one of the most controversial books of the year Fifty Shades of Grey by E.O. Wilson, made the list.
  5. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson is a children’s book based off a true story at Central Park Zoo about a penguin couple who are both male raising an egg together. It is challenged on the grounds of being unsuited for an age group, and containing homosexuality.
  6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, a two-year New York Times bestseller, tells the tale of Amir and his life against the tumultuous backdrop of the fall of Afghanistan. Petitions against it cite homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoints, and explicit sex.
  7. The popular young adult author, John Green, even makes the list with his book Looking for Alaska.
  8. Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz have been terrifying children much to their delight since 1981, and are top on the list for being unsuited for the age group.
  9. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a memoir that describes a turbulent childhood made chaotic by the extremes of poverty. Despite wining the Christopher Award, and the American Library Associations’ Alex Award, it was one of last years most challenged books.
  10. Beloved by Toni Morrison  may have hit bookshelves in 1988, but it’s still hotly contested twenty-five years later despite earning high awards such as the Pulitzer Prize, and being adapted into a highly acclaimed film.

Fun facts about other banned books.

  • The very controversial American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, naturally controversial for its extreme depictions of violence and sex, is being made into a musical and it will make its debut December 2013 in London!
  • A vice-principal in Vineland, New Jersey physically tore pages from the copy of his school’s library’s Paint Me Like I Am after finding a poem objectionable. An uncensored copy has since replaced the defaced book.
  • In Fayetteville, Arkansas, 55 books were petitioned to be banned in 2005.

Want to celebrate Banned Book Week and the freedom to read with Poudre Libraries? Come down and get your mugshot taken with a banned book!

Want to know more? You can read about challenged books from this year and what you can do if someone petitions to ban your favorite book from this informational pdf put out by the American Libraries Association – BBW_2012-2013_Shortlist.

Banned Books Week, behind the scenes, Library Services, Local history, material collection, News Release Read More

Banned Books Week: Celebrate your right to read

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Library Staff in Library Blog, News

Obscene, blasphemous, violent, smutty, gory, profane, and racially charged—this is how the censors describe some books. They say, “No.” They say you can’t read it. They say that they know better. They say they are protecting children and preserving values in the community. They say, “No.”

“Yes” is what I say.  Yes, you can have what you want to read. Ask me and I will do my best to give you “obscene, blasphemous, violent, smutty, gory, profane, and racially charged” if that is what you want. If that is not what you want, I will help you find what you do want.

I am public librarian. I will protect and defend your right to read whatever you want, even if you are a kid. I do this each and every day. But, this week is particularly special because it is Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. According to the American Library Association, more than 1,300 books have been challenged since the inception of the event.

This year, I am defending your right to read about underwear clad superheroes, gay penguins, bondage, ghosts and a potty-mouthed Native American. All these topics have been the subject of book challenges. According to the American Library Association, there were 464 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2012, and many more go unreported. The 10 most challenged titles of 2012 were:

  1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
    Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group
  1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
    Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
  1. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
    Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
  1. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
    Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
  1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
    Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group
  1. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
    Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
  1. Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
    Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
  1. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
    Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence
  1. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
    Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
  1. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
    Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence

Reading banned books motivates me to champion intellectual freedom, and I am not the only one who was inspired by the right to the read. Poudre River Public Library District Librarian Nicole Burchfield says, “If it wasn’t for Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz being on ALA’s Banned Books list year after year, I probably would not be a librarian and a storyteller. And, there definitely wouldn’t be a Spooky Stories program happening at the Old Town Library next month.” She explained that if a person went to the trouble to try to get a book banned then it probably is a book worth reading. Banned books contributed to her love of reading as well as mine.

When librarians aren’t creating their own programs inspired by banned books, sometimes they work with authors who battle censors but continue writing. It just so happens that Fort Collins is home to Lauren Myracle, the young adult author who ranked number one on the American Library Association’s top 10 most frequently challenged books list in 2011 and 2009—and who also made the list in 2008 and 2007.

“I don’t shy from controversy. I’m telling stories, and I’ll tell whatever story seems like it wants to be told,” says Myracle. She will discuss her new book for older teens The Infinite Moment of Us on October 19th at 2 p.m. at Old Town Library.

In the meantime, while the library gets ready for these two exciting programs that touch upon banned literature, we encourage you to come to any of the Poudre Libraries starting Monday, September 23 through Saturday, September 28 to get caught reading a banned book. Bring your camera to get your mug shot with a book.

banned books

Banned Books Week, Library Services, Local history, material collection, News Release Read More

eResource Homework Help

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Library Staff in Library Blog, Library Services

School is back in session and with that comes the dreaded “I need help with my homework”. I know my husband and I did pretty well through the early grades, but when algebra loomed it’s ugly head I panicked. Wish I would have known about these great online homework resources from the library. These are just a few from a long list of eResources for kids.  Great for students from kindergarten to graduate school and beyond, check these out 24/7.

One of my new favorites is:

AccessScience.com
AccessScience provides students with an up-to-date, easy-to-use gateway to scientific knowledge, from basic introductory material to extended article entries and live journal citations in key scientific areas including biology, Earth and environmental sciences, chemistry, physics, and beyond. Based on the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, AccessScience stays current on the most significant scientific findings and breakthroughs with updates from the annual McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology.

You can find the link in the A-Z list and on the Science and Technology category page.

I’m always interested in finding out what the latest science news is so I check this out periodically also. Our next cool resource is:

BrainFuse Homework HelpNow
Brainfuse Homework HelpNow provides online homework help through live, one-to-one tutoring for students in grades K-12 and college. Brainfuse provides help with subjects like math and science, an interactive writing lab and ACT and SAT test preparation. Live tutors are available 7 days a week from 3 p.m. until 12 midnight. Access is also available in Spanish.

I love the idea that the live tutoring goes until midnight, when my son was in 8th grade he was a bit of a procrastinator and this would have been very helpful.

I love history and travel so I check this one out when I am planning a trip…

Culturegrams
Concise, reliable, and up-to-date reports on more than 200 countries, each U.S. state, and all 13 Canadian provinces and territories. Insider perspectives on daily life, culture, history, customs, and lifestyles of the world’s people. The Culturegrams database is provided in partnership with the Poudre School District.

Do you have test anxiety? This eResource can help:

LearningExpress
K-12 students. eBooks, instantly scored practice tests, exercises, essay practice, and fun lessons designed to build skills for classes, homework, quizzes, and important exams. GED preparation and college entrance exam practice. To use this database, register for an account on the database site. The username is your PRPLD library card number.

 

For more ways to get homework help go to our AnswerCache page.

 

 

eResources, Homework Help, literacy, Students Read More

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Library Staff in Library Blog, Library Services, News

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month when public libraries throughout the country, including the Poudre River Public Library District, remind everyone about a wonderful community resource – the library card — which provides free access to a place of lifelong education and information.  And because the access is open to everyone, to people of all ages and backgrounds, libraries remain America’s great information equalizer.

Libraries are unique in that they offer a lifetime of opportunities for learning — from preschoolers to retirees. In addition to books, DVDs, CDs and other resources both virtually and in-hand, the library provides classes, workshops, programs and events which are tailored to meet specific interests and needs.

Early childhood learning programs help prepare young children for school; kids (and parents) and teens have workshops and programs that supplement their school and life experiences; adults find job-search resources, there are guides and references to outside agencies offering information and help; trained librarians can find answers to specific questions asked by library users; and finally there are events that are not only informative but entertaining as well, such as talks by well know authors, history, travelogues and musical performances for all ages by local artists.

Library Membership Card

The library card opens the door to all these opportunities and more. Parents are especially encouraged to sign up their children to help them start on a wonderful lifelong journey of learning and pleasure.

To get a free library card, simply go to one of the facilities of the Poudre River Public Library District (with an ID) and speak to a staff member, or go online to http://www.poudrelibraries.org/information/library-cards.html to get a temporary card. Colorado State University students can pick up a card at Morgan Library on campus.

Poudre River Public Libraries locations:  Old Town Library, 201 Peterson; Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., Ste. 200; and Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields.  Information about getting a library card is also available through one convenient phone number, 221-6740, or online at www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Everyone is welcome to join the Poudre River Public Libraries’ community of cardholders!

early literacy, ebooks, Library Services, material collection, National Library Card Sign-up Month, News Release Read More

Book Pedal-er Funding Needs You!

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Library Staff in Library Blog, News

Poudre River Public Libraries are always working to improve their services and their reach in order to promote literacy in the community. And now, we have a new idea: the Book Pedal-er!

We Fort Collinites love our bikes, and our books, so what better combination is there?

Now, to some of you, this may seem like an out-there idea, but it has been successful in other places. In Seattle, their “Books on Bikes” program is a huge success. “It’s a really great way to tap into communities that feel they’re not being served,” says librarian Jared Mills (source), “and also, you know, a lot of millennials that traditionally may not be coming into our branches.”

If you’re looking for something a bit closer to home, Denver’s “DPL Connect” program has also been a hit!

Book Pedal-er is an outreach effort that is important to Poudre River Public Libraries because it brings library staff out from behind the desk to where you are. We know that it has been successful in other communities, and we know that it will be a strong investment in this community. We strive to create an environment where innovation is encouraged, to provide services to meet the needs of a digital future, and to ensure the library’s stability and environmental responsibility, and the Book Pedal-er project is exactly that!

To do this, we will need a hybrid bike, a locally manufactured book trailer, bike helmet, tablet with wifi access for book checkouts, new cards or library information, a wifi mobile hotspot with a year’s worth of coverage, flag to let people know who we are, and a new collection of the bestselling paperbacks for adults, teens, and kids!

Unfortunately, we don’t have the budget for this great project, which is why we’re asking you to donate and help make it come to life!

A Generous Super Hero donor is offering a $2,000 matching grant if we can raise the other $3,000.

We only have 10 more days to reach our funding goal! So please donate, even if it’s only $5.

Find out how you can be a partner is this wonderful outreach literacy project, go to www.PoudreLibraries.org and scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “Support This Project” this link will take you to the Community Funded website where you can donate through your Pay Pal account!

Bikes, early literacy, Library Services, material collection, News Release, Outreach, technology Read More
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