King George Community Can Provide Feedback on Proposed Library Book Order
School Board members have asked for more oversight into library collections.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Following increased interest in its school library collections, King George County Schools has published a list of books the middle school library proposes to purchase, as well as a form that allows community members to provide feedback on the proposed books.
For the past several months, some members of the community have been expressing concern about books that they feel are inappropriate for school libraries. In December and January, a community member who does not have children in the school division challenged 18 titles, and then appealed superintendent Jesse Boyd’s decision in the case of two of them to the School Board.
Boyd decided that the two books—Sold by Patricia McCormick and ttfn by Lauren Myracle, along with others found to have “sexually explicit” content—can stay in the libraries but will require parental permission before a student is able to check them out. The community member who entered the challenges wanted them pulled off the shelves completely.
The School Board last month upheld Boyd’s decision, but members stated that they want more oversight into what books are purchased for the libraries going forward.
Boyd told the School Board at the August 19 meeting that “since this has become a question, we haven’t purchased any books,” and that he would be “very comfortable” with publishing a list of books to be purchased.
The division announced the proposed library order in the weekly King George Middle School newsletter “FoxBytes” and in the September edition of the King George County School newsletter, spokeswoman Amanda Higgins said.
The list, and a link to the community feedback form, are housed under the “Library” tab on the division’s main website.
The list includes the title of the book and the author; the recommended audience (middle school, young adult, or upper elementary); the reading age recommended by four different reviewers (Booklist, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal); and the “reason” for purchasing the book.
The reasons given are either to add a newer or extra copy of a popular title, to add to a current series, or to replace a lost or damaged book.
The community feedback form asks responders to identify whether they are parents or guardians, school employees, students, community members, or “other.”
Higgins said that as of Tuesday afternoon, the division has received one feedback form.
“The response was a general comment to support buying library books without community feedback,” Higgins said. “A specific book was not named.”
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