Age Restrictions And Opening Doors

Public libraries are a vital part of society, and as a free-of-cost space that can immensely benefit anyone’s life, regardless of who they are, I believe that they deserve to be preserved. Libraries are a perfect example of everything that American democracy represents, they progress the growth and modernization of the American people, and they conform to society in a way where they stay true to what a library has always been while also allowing people to have fun and expand their horizons. While libraries originally were only a source of information where people could go to educate themselves beyond the school system, they have come to evolve in fascinating and valuable ways. As cater’s to society’s needs, we owe it to public libraries, and especially ourselves, to allow these ever-changing organizations to thrive.

In chapter 2 of Through the Eyes of a Child Donna E. Norton explained some milestones in the child’s literature development then shared the children and the family changing views of the early books for children. Traditions and values were told through stories by parent and shared from generation to generation, which was one of the milestone of the children’s literature. Another milestone of literature started in the mid-1400s, which was the early printed books handwritten by the monks and scribes. Later, in1600s political upheaval, religious dissent, and censorship brought a big affected to the children’s literature. The Puritans were the first to provide children’s literature in their schools. By1640s, Massachusetts required families by law to teacher and read literature to their children. Other milestones mentioned in the chapter where the two adventure books that appeared in the late 18th century and the Newbery’s books for children. John Locke was a writer and publisher in 1744 who wrote and published books for children.

Throughout time, countless great children’s books have been published and then loved by many. To name a few, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. What do these three books have in common? They were all published as children’s books, then kept out of their hands for numerous reasons. Parents and teachers claimed these books were unfit for children’s reading. They either introduced topics that were not open to them yet or went against their lifestyle. All around the world, great books are being kept from children for doltish reasons. They are being censored, then banned from their eyes. Taking this literature from them is ruining their childhood; it is preventing children from learning about the world and being ready for it. Censoring in children’s books needs to become less harsh or else they are going to grow up in a sealed world.

The Victorian Era was the ‘Golden Age’ for children’s literature, as adults expressed childhood innocence and purity in texts by starting again with a childlike perspective in order to engage with the audience. Many authors sought to create books for children to further emphasis the ideals of childhood innocence, goodness and the vision of restoring the moral wellbeing of adults and society, such as Lewis Carroll and Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote mainly for children, tales of adventures and child-like interests.

The Library center should be a cozy relaxing place in the room to read a book. There should be enough books displayed for the children in

My mom signed me up for the community library when I just turned 6 years old. Even if I did not know how to properly read at the time, I had to go there every afternoon to keep myself busy as an only child. Being opened to books at such an early clearly has had a major impact on my life and personality. From the local tales of my beloved Senegalese society to the deep and sophisticated French literature, I have traveled through cultures and generations. Whether it is Emile Zola’s collection of novels or Albert Camus’s philosophical texts, these books raised me and taught me about life, love, and resilience. As times went by, reading was no more a regular pastime but a detrimental part of my existence. The lessons and morality I gained from each story always pushed me to challenge the status quo, to be curious, to be adventurous but most importantly to be a problem solver.

The fifteenth through the sixteenth centuries brought more to children’s literature. Children made a progression from hornbooks, to ABC books and primers, to the small

The different architectural styles and use of public space throughout Pratt Institute expresses both the function of the university and its relation to Clinton Hill and to changes occurring in New York City. Pratt’s original campus consisted of three brick Romanesque Revival styled buildings that were built adjacent to one another, the Main Building, the East Hall Building, and the Student Union, and Pratt Institute Library, which along with the Rose Garden, were available for public usage. Characterized by its extravagant masonry, massive appearance, rounded-arch windows, and arcaded entrances, the Main Building was designed after the Romanesque Revival Style to reflect the wealth and sophistication of the newly rich, like Charles Pratt, the

Even though books are static (the format depends on the end-user), within the next 10 years the library’s design will drastically change as technology advances such as digitization of books and the “read-write media culture”( Stein, C, 2014, p. 78). First of all, instead most of the space being designated for books, the library becomes the hub for people

Former president of the American Association of School Librarians, Sharon Coatney, addressed that “Even small children can learn to evaluate materials and decide what is best for them to read or not. This is where teachers, librarians and parents have the very real responsibility to expose kids to only the very best in literature and the most fair and unbiased nonfiction materials.” People of all ages including small children should be taught how to judge literature and figure out if it’s right for them. It is important that people expose themselves to different types of literature and judge it accordingly. Coatney also called out that “The exercise of the right to know must be tempered by a child's need for physical and emotional well-being.”

My second year as the Library Assistant in a middle school as only proven to reinforce my love for reading and books. As I begin this journey into discovering how libraries identify the reader, choose books, and effectively display collections, I am excited to learn all there is about the complicated life of a librarian.

The children’s section has an entire floor to itself and has a separate entrance located conveniently next to the parking lot. The entire space is designed to be as interesting and friendly as possible to kids of all ages. As soon as you walk through the sliding doors, an array of colorful posters greets you with information on the library’s services and upcoming activities for the month. Inside the library proper is an open and inviting space with areas dedicated to kids of all ages. On the far end of the library is an area dedicated to playing with an assortment of toys and blocks for younger children to amuse themselves with. From the ceiling there hangs a variety of colorful sculptures and mobiles and along the perimeter are posters instilling the importance of reading and education into the kids. Most importantly, the library is laid out in such a way that kids can easily locate books appropriate for their ability. For younger kids, the shelves are all half sized and organized by age. Along the top of each shelf is a display of books indicating the type of book located there. Older kids have a little nook dedicated to them that is laid out similarly to an adult section. Altogether, the children’s section embodies a space that is both openly inviting and easy to navigate for young

Students read differently today than they did twenty years ago. In 1996, I was eleven years old. I did most of my reading in novels and textbooks. I didn’t have an e-mail address; I didn’t even know that e-mail existed. Today, however, students read through a variety of media. Students still read novels and textbooks, but the older they get, the more they read on online.

As technology advances and progresses more, some people began to question the existence of public libraries and what value they'll hold in the future. More devices are being produced that can replace books, such as Kindles, Nooks, and other apps that can be downloaded on any portable electronic device. These devices, however, can’t replace all that libraries can offer. Public libraries will still be in use and serve us in the future. These facilities still offer people internet access, services for children and families, and access to reading materials.

I became interested in the library field at a young age. Through school library programs and trips to the public library with my family I developed an appreciation for the library as a place and for the talented men and women who staffed the library. This appreciation continued through my time at Southern Connecticut State University, where I earned my BS in information and library science in the winter of 2011. It was in through the university’s library, Hilton C. Buley library, that I revived my first professional experience in the field of library science. I worked for three years at Buley as a student worker in the access services department. During these three years I felt an immense sense of fulfillment in my work which propelled me to further my education in the field and enroll at San Jose State University.