Is something missing in the book?

[Patty McClune]

I was disappointed that Kelly's "solid ideas for halting the decline of reading" don’t involve school or public libraries. Obviously the economic climate in California is somewhat to blame for the shortsightedness, but since the book is meant to impact others beyond that state’s borders it would have been prudent to include references to the positive impact that can be made by a well-stocked school library, and by collaboration between librarians and teachers who work together to encourage literacy. Those who truly believe “what they [students] read in schools is important; what they read the rest of their lives is more important” must set their students up for future success. I’m all for teachers sharing great books, especially titles that they’ve personally enjoyed. Of course librarians can also book talk titles and generate interest, and when teachers and librarians work together…wow, we can really make an impact on students! Kelly's strict focus on classroom collections strikes me as limiting. I think it’s critical for students to become familiar and comfortable with the culture of libraries so they can take ownership of their book selection in and out of school. Sort of the same idea as if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish he can feed himself for life. School libraries can be an enjoyable, non-threatening place for students to learn the culture of libraries, how they work and what they have to offer. Lifelong readers need to be comfortable in a free public library, especially in communities with a dearth of book stores. Librarians can help so much with adolescent literacy. Even though Kelly references numerous articles from library publications, I feel as though the text of Readicide marginalizes the positive impact of school libraries.

[Jill Berge]

We have a wonderful youth librarian at our local public library. She frequently comes to our school to do book talks and presentations on research skills. She met with my class of struggling readers and we actually role-played how to ask for help from the librarian. Later I checked back with her, and she said her colleague got a visit from two of the students that very day, and more have come since. Our school librarian is also a valued resource. She knows what students are reading, and when they return a book, she usually has 2-3 more suggestions of books for them to read. Librarians are a wonderful resource!

[Patty McClune]

Thanks Jill, that's great to hear! Perhaps the revised edition of Readicide will include a section on the importance of school and public libraries in the youth literacy movement. I feel strongly that we won't have life long readers without introducing them to libraries. I know there are lots of exemplary school and public librarians working hard to encourage student literacy and it sounds as though you work with some of them.

[Patrick Vaughan]

Patty,

You bring up a salient point. I helped start a satellite for a larger school in London way a while back. As the school had limited funding and a very small library to begin, we would walk to the local library and check out books. When I returned to the states to teach middle school I adopted the same approach. Our entire 8th grade, 7th grade, and 6th grade classes would walk to the library and get library cards. I now teach in a small (125 students at any one time) alternative high school--for at-risk students in a suburb of Los Angeles. Few of my students have ever been to the public library, let alone checked out a book. I am going to make it a priority for next year that the entire school take a trip to the library at least once a quarter. Fortunately, the local library is less than a mile away.

Unfortunately some cities and areas in the L.A. area don't have adequate libraries or ways to safely get students to them. I think that is the reason Kelly promotes classroom libraries. That is what teachers can have control over. Students are not going to go to libraries on their own.

[Clix]

Cities often have public transportation. I teach in a rural school, and the public library isn't really an option for us.

We have a wonderful media center, but when students have lost the inclination to read, they're not going to choose to go there. However, they don't get to choose to avoid English class - at least, not if they're planning to graduate. ;)

I do take my classes to the school library to check out books. I also have a bit of a guilty secret: it's not something I've encouraged other English teachers to do. And that's for purely selfish reasons. If they take their classes TOO, that's fewer books for my students to choose from! >;)

[Patty McClune]

Public library or school library, it doesn't really matter, as long as students experience and understand the value of libraries and see what they have to offer.
I love your little secret! Now what we need are well-funded school libraries so there are plenty of books for all!
Kelly has some great ideas for stretching the book-buying dollar and we employ a lot of those to get addition titles (and duplictes and triplicates of those most in demand) for the school library.

[Gayle K. Hobbs]

Patty,
I didn't see that the importance of the school library was missing from this book. I read it as more of a call to action on the teacher's end. I absolutely agree with your comment that teachers and librarians can and need to work together towards improving our students' literacy. This has always been one of my main goals as a teacher.

I do know that most teachers understand that our libraries are wonderful, comfortable,non-threatening places of learning. However, for the reluctant reader, they might be a place of intimidation. Too many books; too many unknowns. IF we bring these books to a more familiar environment (Classroom) then maybe they will placate their curiosity and pick one up. They might even begin to peruse through it, and heaven forbid... start reading it!!!!

So again, I don't really see that the importance of the library was marginalized. I see that we need to assist our librarians better in this collaboration towards literacy.

[Mary Thomas]

I agree with you Gayle. In reading all of Kelly's books, he always talks about the importance of having the books close at hand because the kids often will not venture to the library on their own. I have never once read or heard him speak ill of libraries. For those of us from poor rural areas, the school and city libraries are wonderful resources. I think Kelly would agree with that wholeheartedly. It is important that we do all we can to add books to our classroom collections but that takes more money and time than we feel we have given the emergency situation of our students' reading levels and lack of motivation to read.

[Patty McClune]

In a way, I think we're saying the same thing, having the books readily available in the classroom as Kelly advocates "hooks" students and gets them started. That's critical! However, I also believe students benefit from visits to the school library. And you're right Mary, in some situations students may "not often venture to the library on their own." All the more reason to work together to get those reluctant readers reading. When librarians and teachers collaborate they can expose more students to more high interest books. The more adult readers students are exposed to the better. The end result will be you've help to set your students up for reading success after they leave your classroom. They'll be familliar with the librarian and the school library; and once they graduate they have more of a chance at being a life long reader if they feel comfortable in a library.

[Whitney Lee Svensson]

Although I agree that the library can be a positive learning environment, I think Kelly sufficiently makes his point about school libraries in chapter two (p53). When Kelly is trying to get his students to read Who Killed My Daughter?, he succeeds in getting more kids to read by having the book in the classroom. Sometimes, as he writes, "it is often much more effective to bring the library to students." Creating a book flood zone, or a personal class library exposes students to books on a regular basis, where the library is usually reserved for testing and research (at least in my experience as a student).

On the other hand, public and school libraries are incredibly important for improving fluent, interested readers. If teachers took their students to the library for SSR from time to time, students could really come to love being surrounded by a multitude of titles. I also agree with you that Kelly could emphasize teacher/librarian collaboration a little more. Maybe the problem is that libraries have the "nerd" stigma inevitably attached. I know I spent my lunch hour in the library because that was exactly where everyone wasn't. Thus, there's a lot to say for classroom collections--breaking down student reluctance is just one of them.

[Roderick Moore]

I agree. Our middle school librarian is phenomenal. This past year we started the Caudill nomination process. Students read at least three books from a provided list of 20. Then they vote on their favorite in March. There's more to the process, but it has created such an interest for these books and for reading! We are doing it again! Also, our librarian attends all of the language arts team meetings. The collaboration between all of us, I think, has greatly impacted the student level of participation and motivation to read independently.

[RHE]

It is my observation there is a very delicate balance between the classroom library and the school library. One thing that works against our school library is that it is frequently closed for testing, and even random district administrative meetings. The second thing that works against the school library is the use of going to the library to "get a book", "check a book in" as a dodge from SSR. Because I am administratively challenged, my classroom library becomes disorganized and shrinks, but I realize it must make a big financial commitment to it.

[Patty McClune]

Thanks, this is eye-opening for me. I honestly didn't realize some school libraries would be closed during the school day. Our HS library is open whenever students are here, and before and after school, too, from 7 AM - 5:15 PM, except on Fridays when it closes at the end of the school day. Late buses take kids home from sports, library and other activities. What I'm hearing is that it really depends on the funding and what kind of library program can be built around it. In the mornings before school our library is packed and looks like there are two classes in here. After school there are less, but still looks like over a class full on most days. In addition to the time teachers bring their classes for booktalks, this is a great opportunity to discuss books one-on-one with kids and build a rapport. You can bet I'm counting my blessings! Thanks for the reality check.