HomeMy WebLinkAboutDraft Minutes - Library Board of Trustees - 03/29/2021 - Ad-hoc Committee
Draft Minutes Ad-Hoc Committee of the South Burlington Library Board of Trustees Monday, March 29, 2021 @ 7 p.m. Location: Zoom meeting Members Present: Jason Chin, Travia Childs, Diane Bugbee, Jennifer Murray, Kelly Kendall, Patrick Leduc
Members Absent:
7:02 p.m. Call to Order
7:03 p.m. Additions and deletions to the posted agenda
None
7:04 p.m. Comments and questions from the public not related to items on the agenda
None
7:05 p.m. Discussion on request for reconsideration of Materials.
Chair Patrick Leduc, confirmed all committee members have completed their
independent review and then provided a summary of the request for reconsideration
and walked through the proposed manner to review the materials – suggesting that we
go through the approved checklist once for all books and then use those that context
for a discussion on the merits of the request for reconsideration.
Diane suggested a round of introductions which then followed.
Patrick then walked through the checklist and the committee members discussed and
responded to each question for a collective response. (see attached)
Following that a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion took place that focused on the
awareness of the hurtful and inappropriate content as well as the challenge in creating
criteria that could be used to delineate this specific content from other content that may
be suitable for children. The committee discussed various considerations including
options to leave the materials in the collection, re-placing the material into another
category where the material could be used to educate on bias and the history of bias
and the full removal of the materials.
About 9:00pm, Chair Leduc suggested that it might make sense for us to close the
meeting and schedule a follow up meeting to continue our efforts to formulate a
recommendation. The committee members agreed.
8:57 p.m. Other Business
None
9:00 p.m. Adjourn
Hearing no other business Char Patrick Leduc adjourned the meeting at 9:00pm
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Appendix 5 CHECKLIST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS FICTION AND OTHER LITERARY FORMS
To be filled out by Ad Hoc Committee Titles And to think that I saw it on Mulberry Street, On Beyond Zebra, If I ran the zoo, McElligot’s Pool
Author: Dr. Seuss A. PURPOSE: 1) What is the purpose, theme or message of the materials? How well does the author/producer/composer accomplish this
purpose?
Encouraging youth to use their imagination, supporting creativity
2) If the story is a fantasy, is it the type that has imaginative appeal and is it suitable for children?
___X______ Yes __________ No: For young adults? __________ Yes ___________ No.
If both are marked no, for what age group would you recommend? _________________
3) Will the reading and/or viewing and/or listening to material result in more compassionate understanding of human
beings? ________ Yes ___X_____ No
4) Does it offer an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the aspirations, achievements, and problems of various
minority groups? _______ Yes ___X____ No
5) Are any questionable elements of the story an integral part of a worthwhile theme or message?
__________ Yes ____X______ No
B. CONTENT:
1) Does a story about modern times give a realistic picture of life as it is now?
________ Yes ________ No (N/A)
2) Does the story avoid an oversimplified view of life, one which leaves the reader with the general feeling that life is
sweet and rosy or ugly and meaningless? ________ Yes ____X____ No
3) When factual information is part of the story, is it presented accurately?
________ Yes ________ No N/a
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4) Is prejudicial appeal readily identifiable by the potential reader?
________ Yes ___X_____ No (but maybe in Mullberry Street)
5) Are concepts presented appropriate to the ability and maturity of the potential readers?
____X____ Yes ________ No
6) Do characters speak in a language true to the period and section of the country in which they live?
___X_____ Yes ________ No
7) Does the material offend in some special way the sensibilities of women or a minority group by the way it presents
either the chief character or any of the minor characters? ____X____Yes ________ No
8) Is there preoccupation with sex, violence, cruelty, and aberrant behavior that would make this material inappropriate to
children: _______ Yes ___X_____ No; young adults? ________ Yes ____X____ No Note: There is in appropriateness
but this list asks for specific considerations (sex, violence ect…)
9) If there is use of offensive language, is it appropriate to the text for children?
________ Yes ________ No; for young adults? ________ Yes ________ No N/A. We are reading “offensive
language” to mean profanity.
10) Is the material free from derisive names and epithets that would offend Requires discussion
Minority groups: ________ Yes ___X____ No
Children: ________ Yes ___X____ No
Young adults ________ Yes ___X____ No
11) Is the material well written or produced? ___X_____ Yes ________ No
12) Does the story give a broader understanding of human behavior without stressing differences of class, race, color, sex,
education, religion or philosophy in any adverse way? ________ Yes ___X____ No
13) Does the material make a significant contribution to the history of literature or ideas?
___X____Yes ________ No
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14) Are the illustrations appropriate and in good taste? ________ Yes ___X_____ No Note: There are many illustrations
that are appropriate but there are clearly ones that are not.
15) Are the illustrations realistic in relation to the story? ___X_____ Yes ________ No C. REVIEWS: 1) Source of review ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ Favorably reviewed ______X___________ Unfavorably reviewed ______X___________ 2) Does this title appear in one or more reputable selection aids? ___X____ Yes ________ No Additional Comments: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Recommendations by the Ad Hoc Review Committee for treatment of challenged materials: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________
Signatures of Ad Hoc Review Committee. Sign and date.
______________________________________ ____________ ______________________________________ ____________ ______________________________________ ____________
______________________________________ ____________ ______________________________________ ____________
______________________________________ ____________