I am proud of my teachers for assigning banned books to us and I am grateful to my AP English teacher in high school for knowing I like to read and giving me other books to read, many on the banned books list. She lent I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings to me, and many other. I run into her at the library every once in awhile.
I proudly wore my "I Read Banned Books" every Banned Books Week at my previous school. I kept it on my bulletin board at all other times.
I would also wear a laminated page with a picture of a banned book (one year I requested and got Harry Potter, the next year, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) around my neck, to show my kids that I don't support banning books.
Somewhere, I still have a paper I wrote in high school, in support of making high school kids read Huck Finn.
She sounds like a very cool lady, love that story about her mother.
Whenever I hear about people banning books I always think about the scene at the PTA meeting in "Field of Dreams" where a debate about banning books leads to near fisticuffs. "Want to take it outside Buella?" I would like to think that Ms. Krug was taking Buella outside for the last 40 years. I sure she will be missed.
I find it wonderful that we can hail a librarian as a hero. When I was 12, I made it my mission to read as many banned books as possible by high school. When I was in high school, I read through an entire shelf of books. And when I heard the school library was being gutted to make way for a new computer lab, I surreptitiously smuggled dozens of books out before they met the fate of Dumpsters. I wish my librarian was as cool as her.
@hydrogen_jukebox: What? They gutted a library and were just going to get rid of books??? :( I got an award in high school for reading, cause I am a nerd. People keep telling me I should be a librarian. After I get my Bachelor's in Engineering I am considering doing a MLS. I think I shall go to the library this evening and get a banned book in memory of Judith Krug.
She is truly an inspiration. My only hope is that her efforts do not pass with her. It's appalling what people will do to the written word.
My mother is an elementary school librarian, and despite the fact that many of her students are raised by same-sex parents, she nearly got fired for reading And Tango Makes Three. And we live in Connecticut, a fairly politically liberal place.
I know this doesn't make any sort of logical sense, but as a Pittsburgher, I'm really proud she's from the 'Burgh. I saw her speak once and it was totally awesome.
Sadface. As a librarian, it's exciting to hear everyone being so supportive of Krug's work, Freedom to Read and just librarians and libraries in general!
And just an FYI to those of you who may legitimately be thinking about library school. It's now an MLIS degree; Master of Library and Information Science. I personally think this makes it sound even cooler; not just a Master of libraries, but of ALL information EVER. Not bad.
@vivianthelibrarian: Mine is also an MS in Library and Information Science with K-12 Media Specialist Certification so I call it an MSLIS/K-12 Media Specialist.
I recently became friends with my high school librarian (Ive been out of HS for ten years) and its interesting/sad to see how students treat their school libraries and the people who run them.
That being said, I still kinda wish I could be a school librarian and get to choose what books are brought in for tasty reading. Id have the school board on my ass in about 2.5 days I think.
@Jezemale*: I also want to be a travel writer, a yoga instructor, a dog walker, Michelle Obama and a PHD student. The last one is the current project Im working on but Im keeping all of my options open.
@ImDatNinja (loves her Red Sox): I worked in the library in middle school insted of taking study hall. It was fun! And all your career goals sound like me :) I'm 30 and still don't know what I want to do other than everything.
@ImDatNinja (loves her Red Sox): I hated my high school library because I felt the librarians were mean and evil gatekeepers of books and not much else....I became a high school librarian to fight the stereotype and encourage kids to come in to the library and see it as a place where they can feel comfortable. Also, I work in a very tolerant school and have never had to deal with a book challenge, but you can bet I will have my anti-censorship sword out in case I do encounter one.
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I would also wear a laminated page with a picture of a banned book (one year I requested and got Harry Potter, the next year, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings) around my neck, to show my kids that I don't support banning books.
Somewhere, I still have a paper I wrote in high school, in support of making high school kids read Huck Finn.
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Whenever I hear about people banning books I always think about the scene at the PTA meeting in "Field of Dreams" where a debate about banning books leads to near fisticuffs. "Want to take it outside Buella?" I would like to think that Ms. Krug was taking Buella outside for the last 40 years. I sure she will be missed.
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Our schools pack our books and send them to book aid groups who redistribute the materials.
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My mother is an elementary school librarian, and despite the fact that many of her students are raised by same-sex parents, she nearly got fired for reading And Tango Makes Three. And we live in Connecticut, a fairly politically liberal place.
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And just an FYI to those of you who may legitimately be thinking about library school. It's now an MLIS degree; Master of Library and Information Science. I personally think this makes it sound even cooler; not just a Master of libraries, but of ALL information EVER. Not bad.
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Hearted.
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That being said, I still kinda wish I could be a school librarian and get to choose what books are brought in for tasty reading. Id have the school board on my ass in about 2.5 days I think.
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