For the past five years I have been toiling away in the library of a parochial high school and junior high. Day after day I optimistically send out emails to our teachers and administrators about library programs, new books, library-classrooom tie-ins and provocative ideas that I read about somewhere.
For the most part I get very little interest. Some teachers bring their classes in and some also ask me to demonstrate new databases or search strategies, but often I am here alone. I'm not even sure if the emails are getting through their spam filters.
But "Banned Books" week has brought new interest to my humble library. To commemorate this occasion I set up a display of frequently challenged books. I also created a contest where students or teachers have to match the book title with the most likely reason that it was challenged. I sent out what I thought was an innocent email to let the teachers know about this.
Wow, I finally got their attention. I've had more comments from teachers about this one idea than I've had in all my five years of being here. All of the sudden people are flocking in here to look at the display and add their two cents about a book. We've already had some great discussions about the merits of some classic and not so classic books (Captain Underpants anyone?) Some faculty members who I wasn't even sure knew I actually worked here, came in a looked around. Could it be? Could people possibly be seeing the library in a different light? No longer just a place to send broken VCRs and projectors but an actual destination for learning enhancement?
Who knew? I guess I should have realized that anything that is as controversial as banning a book would get some feedback, but I honestly never really thought about this. Now that I'm in the spotlight Iwant it to continue. I can't let them get away. I've got to come up with more controversial ideas. Can't someone please come up with another hot-button library week?
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