I got in touch with the Jones librarian last night. Friday is a teacher work day, so she said I could come in and talk with her about some project issues. She also said she could print out a shelf list for me.
I figured, as far as the Collection Development Action Project goes, I would be working within the bounds of the reference section. While doing the Community Analysis, Ms. Hendrix had mentioned a need for the reference to be updated. However, she has been working on it recently, so it looks like it will be another section (I want my weeding and acquisition suggestion to feel based in reality). I'm excited to visit the library once again. I wonder if it will look any different to me, since I've learned so much since the last visit. Oh, but so much more to learn!

controversial issue group project progress

Blog 2 Controversial Issue: Sexuality
Kate, Laurie, and I are trying to get into the groove of our project. I would say we are in the ironing-out state at this point. We have begun to sharpen our focus on LGBTQ issues and materials for children and young adults. I have spoken with an elementary librarian who has some titles in her library’s collection that address lesbian and gay issues, but she warned me this is probably an exception to the other Asheville City School libraries. Honestly, I was shocked she had any titles at all that addressed homosexuality. So, pleasantly surprised is a nice place to start.
We have begun to delegate tasks a little, although we are not sure what all of our tasks might be. Laurie is going to type up a survey to send out to some librarians, Kate will probably do Power Point, and I am going to continue finding titles and do some analysis. It seems like we have the group project ball rolling!

Controversial Issues: First Meeting

When Kate and I met in the “Chit Chat Coffeehouse” in The Commons, we had a preliminary discussion about the issue of sexuality as it relates to library collections. She and I agreed that it is important for library collections to include works relating the range of human sexual identities. We discussed the fact that since Asheville is a politically progressive community with a higher-than-national average of LGBTQ citizens, that one would assume that the school (my focus) and public (Kate’s focus) libraries here would be more open to having a collection that reflects the population. I told Kate that my experience with school libraries, though limited, indicated otherwise: that books addressing LGTBQ issues are not often a part of the collection. My discussion with Kate prompted me to want to ask all of the people I know who work in the public school system to participate in an informal survey. Does their library carry, for example, “Heather Has Two Mommies?” We left our meeting with the plan that we would each snoop around and do a little informal research (I, in the schools, she, in the public libraries).

first blog

initial blogging complete!