A Curation Persuasion - 11.15.21

Many school librarians are currently waiting for the other shoe to drop.  They are waiting to see if someone in their community is going to approach the podium at the school board meeting and blast them for having a copy of Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give or George Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue.  These books do exist in our town’s school libraries. I interviewed a fellow high school librarian in November to find out how she curates her collection in this current climate.  The American Association of School Librarians has outlined best practices for curation in the National School Library Standards.  The key commitment is for librarians to “make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance” (AASL, 2018). 

Bobbie has been a school librarian for ten years, and an English teacher for 12 years before that.  She has always been deliberate in her purchases.  She uses Follet Titlewave to select the books and resources her students will use, for both research and pleasure.  Because the AASL standards (2018) indicate that she should be “encouraging the use of information representing diverse perspectives,” she looks for books like the two mentioned above.  While pondering the purchase of The Hate U Give, she saw all the accolades the book received.  It is listed as a “Best of Titlewave.” 

She also uses YASLA and SCASL award lists to curate her collection.  Articles from School Library Journal and Goodreads genre shelves have provided a jumping-off point when browsing for new titles to buy.  Bobbie is completely aware that some of the titles in her library will draw the ire of some parents.  However, she feels strongly that since she has many types of learners, she needs many types of books.

Beyond buying books. Bobbie reports that weeding is a large part of her curation plan.  She is working hard to remove older titles from her catalog.  She also finds some resources are no longer relevant – her VCR repair book, for example!  The challenge is finding money to replace what she weeds.  The per-pupil allotment for her budget is now just under $8.00.  Before 2008, it was $10 per student.  So, while book prices have risen, Bobbie’s budget has shrunk.  Therefore, she endeavors to use teachers when choosing resources.  Her art teacher helped her select books on graffiti and typography for an art media and design unit and on sculpture for a 3-D design unit.  Her AP Human Geography teacher likewise came to Bobbie to ask for, and to help choose, resources for her students.  According to Bobbie, “We don’t want to buy stuff that is going to sit on the shelf” (personal communication, November 6, 2021).  That makes perfect sense when you consider the standards for curation direct librarians to “[guide] learners to make critical choices about information sources to use” (AASL, 2018).  You need to have the resources in place so students have a variety of options… including the controversial ones.
  

American Library Association. (2018). National School Library Standards for learners, school librarians, and School Libraries.