09-28-03 or 1228

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From: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org
To: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 10:01 PM
Subject: PUBYAC digest 1228

PUBYAC Digest 1228

Topics covered in this issue include:

1) Re: mpaa ratings & community standards of decency
by "Melissa MacLeod" <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>
2) Elementary Math Video Tutor Series?
by Marin <marinj@suffolk.lib.ny.us>

From: "Melissa MacLeod" <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for
information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide
their services.

1.. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest,
information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library
serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background,
or views of those contributing to their creation.
2.. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all
points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be
proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
3.. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their
responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
4.. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with
resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
5.. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged
because of origin, age, background, or views.
6.. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the
public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable
basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups
requesting their use.

I believe that line V includes "abridged" along with "denied" and also
"age," which leads me to reiterate that all librarians should be
"fundamentally opposed" to cards that restrict access to material.
----- Original Message -----
From: <seanps@george.net>
To: <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>
Cc: <pubyac@prairienet.org>
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 2:42 PM
Subject: Re: mpaa ratings & community standards of decency


> Yes Melissa, I agree. Thank goodness we can "what if"
> any policy that we deem objectionable, and eventually
> come to a decision on what best serves the community.
> Thank goodness also that anyone who decides not to
> abide by what the majority chooses does not have to
> retain membership in the organization. I also agree
> that blocking the check-out of certain materials would
> not prevent browsing of those items but, as we have
> already said, there is no easy solution to the problem
> of children's access to appropriate vs. inappropriate
> materials.
>
> I must disagree with your last few lines though, in
> which you claim that any conceivable child card block
> would only "lend power to the parents who don't want to
> supervise their own children and take one more step
> toward regulation of information, which is something we
> should all be fundamentally opposed to." Just because a
> mechanism or tool can be abused doesn't mean that it
> necessarily will be in every situation. I could easily
> "what if" a variety of situations in which a child card
> block could be used constructively by a parent who does
> in fact want to supervise their children but is
> physically unable to be with their child every minute
> of every day. After all, most children get out of
> school every day before their parents get off of work.
>
> Furthermore, I am opposed to saying what anyone should
> or shouldn't be "fundamentally opposed to."
> (Ironically, that would verge on regulating others'
> opinions.) I know several librarians, and
> non-librarians for that matter, who would say that
> parents should in fact "regulate information" for their
> children to some degree. That does not mean that those
> people would support the government (or library)
> regulating all information for all children, and a
> child card block is much more like the former than the
> latter.
>
> --Sean
>
>
> On Fri, 26 Sep 2003 11:15:52 -0400, "Melissa MacLeod"
> wrote:
>
> >
> > Thank goodness we can "what if" when policies that
> > slide toward censorship
> > and restricted access are considered. I would not be
> > able to abide by child
> > cards that blocked access to certain materials.
> > Besides, it wouldn't prevent
> > them from browsing all sections in the library or
> > bookstores so all it would
> > do would be to lend power to the parents who don't
> want
> > to supervise their
> > own children and take one more step toward regulation
> > of information, which
> > something we should all be fundamentally opposed to.
>
> <><><><><><><>
> Sean P. S. George
>

From: "Marin" <marinj@suffolk.lib.ny.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Does anyone have the Elementary Math Video Tutor series? It have 4 volumes
and comes with workbooks. I am interested to know if it's a good series
and whether it can be used without the workbooks.

Please reply directly to me.

Thanks in advance.

Jen Marin
marinj@suffolk.lib.ny.us