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Illustrated, Incitive, and Indecent: Comic Censorship and the Effort to Stem Youth Corruption
No full textToday, one would be hard-pressed to find a child, teen, or adult in the United States who has not been exposed to comic culture in some sense—a cultural element we share with those Americans from almost a century ago. Comic magazines (hereby referred to as comics) were a staple of American youth culture from the late-1930s to the mid-1950s. According to Paul Lopes, a 1944 study found that nearly every American between six and seven years old read comics, and Shawna Kidman estimates that prior to the comic book crash beginning in 1954, there were around 70 million American comic readers—a number which not only exceeded the US Census Bureau’s estimate of nearly 60 million Americans under age 20, but made up roughly 40% of the American population.1 In other words, around two in five Americans were comic readers at the time. In fact, comics were so popular that to promote literacy among soldiers, the US military even used specialized editions of popular comics, such as Action Comics’ Superman stories, which contained simplified language and quizzes titled “How well did you read?”2 It is clear that the medium was recognized to have engaged readers in all different parts of life, but if comics were so well read among Americans youths and adults alike, why did their popularity decline
Editor’s Corner
No full textRemember when we were all shaking our heads in August about the classified government documents found at Mar-a-Lago, then it so happened that former Vice President Mike Pence and President Joe Biden also had classified materials? It seems folks who work at the White House may have a penchant for taking them home.All three are being investigated, though former President Donald Trump may be in the hottest of water. Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating Trump’s complicity in the January 6 attack and the wider attempt to overturn the 2020 election. Smith is also probing the former president’s actions over the classified materials found at his Florida home after he refused to hand them over for months
From the Chair: Summer in Chicago
No full textThe last time I was in Chicago, a chapter of my life had just ended. I had just graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, MN, and took a summer road trip with family south and east from the Carleton campus to the Windy City. We caught a Cubs game at the iconic Wrigley Field, watched the July 4th fireworks over Navy Pier, and posed for photos under the Bean. As I basked in a glorious Chicago summer week, I wasn’t sure what the next chapter of my life would be. Applying for library school was still a year away.I look forward to returning to Chicago this month, over ten years later, at the closing of another chapter of my professional life. It has been a true honor to serve as the Chair of the Government Documents Round Table over the past year. It has been a pleasure working with my colleagues on the GODORT Steering Committee, promoting GODORT and our services to the broader association and membership, and thinking about how we can continue to be instrumental in promoting access to government information in libraries
The Bureau of Home Economics: How Women Harnessed the Power of Science and Nutrition to Help Fight WWII and Improve Life on the Home Front
No full textHome economics, as a field of scientific research and practice that aims to improve quality of life, does not get the attention in the twenty-first century that it should. When thinking of this subject, one might picture middle school students learning how to sew or attempting to cook an ill-fated meal, but in the late nineteenth century and through most of the twentieth century, home economics was a thriving field that provided an area for women to contribute to their communities, families, and to their country during war times. The Bureau of Home Economics and the women who ran this organization could disseminate information that directly contributed to improving lives on the home front and aiding in the War effort between 1939 and 1945
Beyond a Single Identity: Family-Themed Picture Books Depicting Intersecting Identities
No full textPicture books have been described as written artifacts that convey cultural and social messages. The messages shown in picture books can perpetuate societal problems by excluding diverse groups or promoting stereotypes.On the other hand, inclusive children’s literature can combat socialized forms of oppression. Sharing inclusive children’s literature from an early age can promote positive identity development. Messages in these texts normalize the diversity of experiences and identities that may be reflected in students’ lives or the experiences of their peers. Diverse portrayals, particularly those depicting individuals at intersections of multiple marginalized groups, are underrepresented in children’s texts. Diverse students negotiate the complex implications (e.g., cultural, historical, social, and political) of having multiple identity markers.Therefore, our libraries must be representative of these rich, complex, and layered identities. These books can address intersectional concepts for students of all age levels, introducing these topics in ways that are relatable and appropriate
Dandelions and Orchids: Finding Picture Books to Support Youth Facing Fear and Anxiety
No full textPediatrician and researcher W. Thomas Boyce described children as falling into two essential camps when it comes to anxiety—they’re either dandelions or orchids. Dandelion children, like the plant, are resistant to stress and anxiety and tend to thrive in variable conditions. Orchid children are more sensitive and need additional support and specific skills to flourish in various environments.Throughout the world, our collective society has been experiencing a state of insecurity, uncertainty, and grief, and millions of children are facing mental health challenges as a result. In this environment, even those resilient dandelion children can benefit from increasing their social and emotional literacy skills and developing coping techniques as levels of stress and anxiety continue to rise
Criminalizing Librarianship: State Legislatures Creating Legal Jeopardies for Librarians
No full textUS history has featured many periods of greatly enhanced efforts to ban books, such as during the Comstock era, World War I, and the McCarthy era of the 1950s. Similar to previous periods, the book banning movement that has arisen during the novel coronavirus pandemic of the 2020s has featured widespread efforts to ban many books, particularly those representing certain marginalized experiences, from schools and libraries. However, this current tidal wave of ban booking has added the new and disturbing dimension of laws being considered in state legislatures that would actually create civil and criminal penalties for librarians if banned books were available in the library. These proposed laws are part of much broader legislative efforts at the state and national levels to limit the ability of libraries to construct collections and provide services that meet the needs of their communities. Though there have been some lingering, but unfounded, concerns that librarians might be criminally liable for incorrect information in the library collection and some national security laws have created potential legal jeopardy for librarians in extremely specific circumstances, these new proposed laws are the first that would create widespread legal liabilities for librarians. This article considers the nature of these proposed laws, the larger context that has generated them, and the implications if passed into law, including the Missouri law that has gone into effect
Contemporary Challenges and Censorship in School Libraries in Canada
No full textThe purpose of this chapter is to familiarize readers with contemporary challenges and censorship in school libraries and learning commons in Canada. The informal narrative reflects the viewpoints of seasoned advocates for intellectual freedom and social responsibility in the Canadian library sector. Content concentrates on the main sources of challenges, four common types of challenges that can lead to censorship (content, curriculum, genre, and book leveling), an essential two step strategy and related resources for dealing with challenges and combating censorship, and a pointer for educators in library and information programs. The chapter closes with an expression of appreciation and concern for the individuals who take personal and professional risk in managing challenges and combating censorship in school libraries and learning commons in Canada and beyond