Resources for Educational Studies

The Education Department houses their collection of textbooks and teachers’ guides along with other materials used to establish curricula in the lower level of Hewes Library. At first glance, this collection appears chaotic and daunting, but a quick search in the library catalog will reduce the stress of finding what you need.

Directions

1. On the library’s homepage, search a keyword in the library catalog search box. 
• example: "frog" "elementary math" 


2. Select “Curriculum Lab” under the “Location” section on the right hand side.  


3. You may narrow your search further in the “Topic” or “Subject” fields.

The Curriculum Lab includes materials from elementary, secondary, professional, and special education fields on a variety of subjects. There are also testing materials as well as audio and video formats.

This collection is adjacent to the Children’s Literature, so fiction and non-fiction texts are not far away. Some of the most popular items in the Curriculum Lab the jumbo books that are stored with supplemental materials such as puppets and maps for an interactive experience.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask a librarian for help!

From left: book & puppet, teacher & student math texts, jumbo book and puppet

*Thank you to Megan Horack for contributing this post.

On Display: Winter Holidays

Currently on display in the East Lobby is a collection of library materials that relate to the Winter Holiday Season, as well as a short description of each holiday and its traditions.

All of the library materials (except Reference Books) are available to check out.  Please see a member of the library's staff to borrow an item.

Happy Holidays from the Hewes Library Staff!



Banned Book Week: Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2010

For the previous year, 348 challenges were reported to the Office for Intellectual Freedom.  Based on that information, the most challenged books of 2010 were:

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.  Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group.
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.  Reasons: offensive language, racism, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
3. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley.  Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit.
4. Crank, by Ellen Hopkins.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, and sexually explicit.

5. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  Reasons: sexually explicit, unsuited to age group, and violence.
6. Lush, by Natasha Friend.  Reasons: drugs, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group.
7. What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones.  Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. 
8. Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich.  Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, and religious viewpoint. 
9. Revolutionary Voices, edited by Amy Sonnie.  Reasons: homosexuality and sexually explicit. 
10. Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer.  Reasons: religious viewpoint and violence.

Source: American Library Association

Banned Book Week: Numbers by the Book

Each year, the American Library Associations's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the top ten most frequently challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools. The number of challenges are only those that have been reported directly.  The Office of Intellectual Freedom estimates that for each reported challenged, many go un-reported. 

Statistical Information from 2001 to 2010:

"Over the past ten years, American libraries were faced with 4,660 challenges.

• 1,536 challenges due to “sexually explicit” material;
• 1,231 challenges due to “offensive language”;
• 977 challenges due to material deemed “unsuited to age group”;
• 553 challenges due to “violence”
• 370 challenges due to “homosexuality”; and
• Further, 121 materials were challenged because they were “anti-family,” and an additional 304 were challenged because of their “religious viewpoints.”

1,720 of these challenges (approximately 37%) were in classrooms; 30% (or1,432) were in school libraries; 24% (or 1,119) took place in public libraries. There were 32 challenges to college classes; and 106 to academic libraries. There are isolated cases of challenges to materials made available in or by prisons, special libraries, community groups, and student groups. The majority of challenges were initiated by parents (almost exactly 48%), while patrons and administrators followed behind (10% each)." ~From the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Banned Book Week: Challenges vs. Banning

Banned Book Week (BBW) 2011

What is the difference between a challenge and a banning?

According to the American Library Association:

"A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection." ~American Library Association's About Banned & Challenged Books

Looking to learn more on Banned Books Week?  These resources will be helpful:

• American Library Association's Banned Book Week Website: Full information on Banned Book Week and the history of the event. 
• More on the differences between a Challenge and a Banned Book
• More Terms & Definitions relating to Banned Book Week

Banned Book Week: Most Frequently Challenged Books

Accompanying all of the Banned Book Week displays is a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged and Banned Books from 2000-2010.  Pick up a handout from one of the three locations to figure out how many banned and challenged books you've read. 

You may be surprised by the number of titles you have already read!

Banned Book Week Displays

To celebrate Banned Book Week, there are several displays throughout the library.  Stop by to view some of the most recently challenged titles and check one out.

The East Lobby display cases are full of titles and the West Lobby has a large display of titles that have been challenged or banned.

Feel free to remove the covers from titles to see which have been challenged or banned.

Check out the Banned Book Week section in the New Books area.  Pick up a handout to see which of the most frequently challenged and banned books you have read.

On Display: Mother Goose & Nursery Rhymes

Currently on display in the east entrance display cases is a collection of materials related to nursery rhymes and Mother Goose.  The case contains materials from the general circulating collection, the children's collection, and the Cirriculum Lab collection.

If you are interested in checking out any of the titles on display, please see a staff member at the library's Circulation Desk.