I need to ask for some doper help, and I did get permission from The Powers That Be to ask for that aid.
I was just hired by a charter school as a special education teacher for a charter school which has students from 6-12th grade. The room I was given was the “Library” and I have become the defacto librarian. While being given a library was an answer to a life-long-dream I never dared to voice, I have a problem. The contents are a sham. I have 6 copies of the same “How to Upholster” book. An extensive set of French clasics in French (No one is teaching French right now and as far as I know my limited French is more than anyone else in the school has.) I have bunches of books writen by American Conservatives from 15 years ago, and all sorts of Biographys of dead white guys. I have several classroom sets of textbooks no one wants. I have about 10 books in the whole room that a kid would like to read, and I brought 6 of them. If this is how I had been introduced to books, I wonder if I would read.
Here is what I need; books that kids want to read, particularly urban kids. I am hoping that I can ask people to go to their book cases and send me books they don’t use anymore, but not just any books. I am looking for books that should be in a middle school or high school library. In particular I need Harry Potter, anything by Dean Meyers (I hope that name is right, he wrote Monster), Artimis Fowl, anything by Corneila Funke. Gossip Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Princess Diary. The list could go on and on. I could also use light appropriate reading in Spanish. I could use The Autobiography of Malcom X, and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I need a good dictionary and a thesarus or two. Maybe even some assorted MLAs. I also could use other people’s suggestions to make this a somewhat functional library. I know that many of the Straight dopers would be as offended as I am by a prop library for a bunch of urban kids.
I’d go to your local Public Library first. They are constantly “weeding” their collections and they also get a lot of unsolicited donations, the vast majority of which never get put on the shelves. You probably won’t get Harry Potter, but there will be some appropriate stuff.
Check them out for contact information for groups that can help you further, useful blogs and websites, reading lists, cheap book distributors, and more. Best of luck!
Do you want to start a Doper book drive for donations? If you don’t mind used books, why not ask Dopers to donate? I know, we don’t have the sturdy library editions, but if you are desperate, I bet many of us have books we’d be willing to donate for the cause. I know I do, and I’d pay book rate for shipping them to you, too.
Are you willing to take used books in good condition? I work in a library, although I don’t work for the library(baker in the cafe), but I do get to see the donated stuff sold in the used bookstore the library maintains. It’s all good stuff in good condition, and very cheap. I could get some stuff for you there.
I second the suggestion to talk to (or even join, if you can) the ALA.
If any of the stuff you don’t want or need is in sellable condition, hie thee off to a local used book shop, or to eBay, or to textbookx.com, or whereever. Hold a sale. Get rid of it. Then use the money to buy some new stuff.
Go to your local used book shops and make friends with the owners. Ask for their help, support, and recommendations.
Talk to the kids and see what they’re reading. Don’t forget fantasy series like Forgotten Realms. They’re quite strong in my store.
If you have kids that aren’t readers and you want to hook them on books, bring in some good graphic novels. Watch the ratings if you don’t want grief from the parents. Some of the graphic novels are great education and exposure to the world (e.g., Persepolis).
Yes I would love to do a book drive. Used books in good condition are absolutely wonderful. I will also be joining the ALA, thank you for that suggestion.
Sorry, I don’t think any of my books would be appropriate.
If you have donations to spend, check out church and yard sales. Twenty-five cents for paperbacks, a dollar for hardcover, and if you say you are collecting for a school, you might get a better deal.
Lisa Bartle, who runs the site, is a friend of mine. You’ll find lots of good books there, and you can also shoot her an email explaining your situation and she can recommend more ‘urban’ books as well, or point you to someone who can.
You might be better served by looking at a state/regional library association - I don’t know what state you’re in, but you can use your favorite search engine to search for the state name + library association, and you’ll usually find it. That might be a better way to get in touch with people who are local and can give you advice. This depends very much upon the association, though - there may or may not be a focus on school libraries.
I think you are correct, so would Toni Morrison. I don’t think The Color Purple should get me in trouble when I already have The History of Courtisanes and The Sex and Lies that Brought Down a Presidency. I keep going back and forth on that last one, mostly I think it should be thrown away, but am reluctant because I am afraid it is my bias. I think it belongs in a grown-up library, but the oldest of these kids were 10 when all that happened. Most of them don’t really recall another president.
While I know very little about online bookdrives, I’ll speak to a few people on your behalf. I know that the school library here sometimes has unsolicited donations that could be used elsewhere, and the same goes for the public. Possibly tomorrow when I get back from the University, I can make some rounds.
Also, I thought I’d mention it to bump this thread - libraries need help…
Do you want only fiction, other than the dictionaries and thesauruses? 'Cause I’m thinking that a set of Larry Gonick’s cartoon-based works–The Cartoon History of the Universe, etc–would be good to get the older kids started.
Is there a particular ideology you must follow, or avoid?
While I am not a member, and have no age appropriate books, I have a suggestion.
Ask people here to donate books.
Ask them to absorb the shipping cost; use an Enlightened Self-Interest argument. Kids who read are smarter and are less likely to go to prison to be a charge on the state, and more likely to be witty and eventually join this board and entertain and enlighten us with their amusing anecdotes and insightful observations.
Ask them to P.M. or email you to get a mailing address. (Check your options to be sure you can receive them.) You might want to arrange to have the shipments delivered to the post office closest to the school, and pick them up there.
You might also look into setting up a not-for-profit organization, so people can claim the charitable donation. In some states it is very easy; but you’re a teacher, you know how to research things.
Dopers:
Come on, you people are Dopers; you read. I know you have three books on your bedside table, two in the car, and one in the office for emergencies. Your paperbacks are two deep on the bookcase, horizontally. (Don’t pretend you read nothing but the finest fiction, too difficult for these kids.)
This person is trying to get poor kids to read; this is a very good thing. This is the season for giving, and we should help.
Will you take paperbacks? How about mystery/crime novels? Not the finest literature in the world, but I do have lots of them. I’ll see what else I have.