[OYAN] Resources for building collections and combating challenges

Mon Feb 5 16:24:01 PST 2024

Please pardon the cross-posting. I'm sharing this on behalf of the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee, of which I am an ex officio member. - Thanks, Jen (Jen Maurer, School Library Consultant, State Library of Oregon, jennifer.maurer at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:jennifer.maurer at slo.oregon.gov>)

From: ola at memberclicks-mail.net <ola at memberclicks-mail.net> On Behalf Of Marie Felgentrager
Sent: Friday, February 2, 2024 3:21 PM
To: MAURER Jennifer L * SLO <jennifer.maurer at slo.oregon.gov>
Subject: [oasl-all] Resources for building collections and combating challenges

Hello OASL,

Did you know that Oregon<https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality_maps/curricular_laws> is only one of six states that explicitly requires the inclusion of LGBTQ+ curricular materials in academic standards?  OLA' s Intellectual Freedom Committee would like to share two resources to better help support diversity and inclusion in libraries, as well as prepare for, and defend against, book challenges:

  1.  Mombian<https://mombian.com/2022/08/18/5-services-offering-free-lgbtq-inclusive-books-to-schools/> highlights five sources to help support libraries in building inclusive collections.  Additionally, the website (at the bottom of the homepage) offers links to help combat material challenges.

  2.  Oregon-based Parents Defending Schools and Libraries<https://www.pdsal.org/> has recently partnered with the Virginia Library Association<https://www.vla.org/> and the New Jersey Association of School Librarians<https://www.njasl.org/> <https://www.njasl.org/> to offer resumes for the books most challenged in the United States. Book resumes feature informative, factual information regarding the summary of plotlines, accolades received, and comprehensive details about past challenges (where applicable). Individuals may submit additional resumes to the site. PDSAL.org<https://www.pdsal.org/> also provides grants<https://www.pdsal.org/grants> to libraries to enhance diverse collections. For more detailed information, please see the Libs-Or post below.

As always, please report any material challenges you face to:
* Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse: https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/oifc
* Marie Felgentrager, OASL Intellectual Freedom Representative and member of Oregon Intellectual Freedom Committee<https://www.olaweb.org/intellectual-freedom-committee-home>, intellectualfreedom at oasl.olaweb.org<mailto:intellectualfreedom at oasl.olaweb.org>
* Jen Maurer, School Library Consultant and State Library Rep on Oregon Intellectual Freedom Committee, jennifer.maurer at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:jennifer.maurer at slo.oregon.gov>

Thank you,

The IFC

intellectualfreedom at oasl.olaweb.org<mailto:intellectualfreedom at oasl.olaweb.org>

From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov>> On Behalf Of Intellectual Freedom Committee via Libs-Or
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2024 3:26 PM
To: libs-or at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: [Libs-Or] IFC sharing PDSAL Book Resumes

Hi all,

I want to share an updated resource for you all, provided to you from Parents Defending School and Libraries.  Please see below:

Book challengers and banners like to use shock tactics to get their way. Pulling an isolated scene out of context, flashing a single panel from a graphic novel or even just highlighting a single passage are often the swiftest, surest way to get a book removed. Most of these people readily admit that they have never read the book they find so offensive and dangerous. It was on a list of bad books they saw on the internet and that's good enough for them. Consideration of the book as a whole is not in their playbook. People who object to book bans can be hard pressed to know how to respond to these inflammatory objections.

Parents Defending Schools and Libraries now provides wholistic information on book titles. In partnership with the Virginia Library Association<https://www.vla.org/> and the New Jersey Association of School Librarians<https://www.njasl.org/>, the PDSAL<http://pdsal.org/> website now hosts book resumes for many of the most challenged books in America. The book resumes feature plot summaries, reviews from authoritative sources, awards and honors received, and responses to challenges.

While reading a book in its entirety is always the best way to form an opinion, these book resumes provide a broader perspective on a work that can inform a response to a challenge.

Currently, PDSAL.org<https://www.pdsal.org/book_resumes> hosts 64 individual book resumes developed by professional librarians. New resumes are added continually. These are freely available to anyone. If you are facing a book challenge, please let us know and use these resources to respond. We can alert other concerned parents in your area and support your efforts to defend the right to read.

To add to this list, please feel free to contact PDSAL with additional resumes to add.

Thanks all,

IFC and PDSAL

--

Chair - ifc.chair at olaweb.org<mailto:ifc.chair at olaweb.org>

Intellectual Freedom Committee https://www.olaweb.org/if-home

Oregon Library Association https://www.olaweb.org/

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