In Laura Flander’s article, Librarians Under Siege, she discusses many issues facing today’s libraries. Such issues include: the USA Patriot Act, federal agents hounding librarians for patron records, and what librarians are doing to fight back. This is a facinating topic and even though this particular article is geared toward public libraries, many of the same scenerios can be applied to school libraries.

Flanders explains that the last time agents in a library were a problem was during the late 1970’s when "Soviet block" citizens were reading up on the latest discoveries in America’s top science libraries. Because of September 11^th, the feds are back and stronger than ever. One major difference is that the librarians are not as passive as they used to be. In the old days, agents could "appeal to [their] patriotism" and they would turn over records. In many cases, librarians are a litttle tougher than they used to be.

With the USA Patriot Act behind them, federal agents are hitting America’s libraries hard. It seems that agents can do whatever they want and the entire process remains completely secretive. ALA began arming librarians with information about warrants, subpoenas, and exactly what rights they have in this process. After all, information is power. Librarians across the nation are under a lot of pressure to keep their patrons records private.

It seems to me that federal agents have a huge umbrella when it comes to the Patriot Act. They can retrieve anything they want just by saying it is in the interest of fighting terrorism. My question is; What happens to the college student who is writing a term paper on the Islamic culture? When his reading records are uncovered will he be on a suspected terrorist list somewhere? What happens to the school kid who is interested in science and the book he checks out happens to contain information about chemicals that can cause explosions? Is he immediately accused of being a potential "Columbine shooter?" There are so many problems with the Patriot Act, it is time someone took the free license to search without explanation away from these agents.

Reading to Kids Who Are Old Enough to Shave by Candy Blessing immediately caught my eye because of all the discussions I have participated in regarding this subject during my Library Science courses. The backbone of the article is when you have reluctant readers the best way to light a fire under them is by modeling. What better way to model reading than to read to kids. Regardless of age, maturity, interests, or home life, everyone loves to be read to.

Blessing’s article offers suggestions for "launching a successful read a loud program" in your school or classroom. To me, some of these seem like basic, no brainers. First of all, you should select an appropriate book, one that is suitable for your student’s age, interests, etc. Then, you should read the book prior to sharing it with kids. That way you can familiarize yourself with it, work out pacing issues in advance, and think of questions to pose to your students before and during the reading. She also suggests that you read to your students at either the beginning or end of class and that you allow them to relax while listening to the story.

I thought this article was well written and very informative. For teachers who have reluctant readers and even those who do not, it offers a lot of tips on how to start reading a loud to your kids. Most secondary teachers are doubtful about the benefits of reading to teenagers, but Blessing is quite convincing and I agree with her statements.

Tim Wadham reflects on the days when authors did not feel it important to include a plot in their books. It’s hard to imagine, but if you think about it, he’s right. I have read a number of books and seen a number of movies that had really interesting characters, great style, but nothing really happened in the end. Wadham looks at two books, Holes and A Long Way from Chicago in which the authors, Louis Sachar and Richard Peck write because they have a story to tell.

Wadham equates the storytelling abilities of Sachar and Peck to ancient folklore. He points out that even though these authors have completely different styles, they both succeed in building a relationship between the reader and the characters. After all, isn’t that what makes us not want to put a book down? Wadham also explains the similarities between Sachar and Peck’s storytelling to oral tradition. He believes that oral tradition might live on because of authors like these.

Language is another aspect Wadham looks at. He believes that authors should use language to support their plot. They should not expect their ability to sound good carry the whole novel. Language, or a flowing style is not enough to bond readers with characters. Sure, it helps the reader get through the pages, but it is not what really pulls you in.

I found Wadham’s article to be very enlightening and well written. He covered a topic that I had not thought about before, but completely agree with. I too would like to think that Holes and A Long Way from Chicago might one day become benchmarks for future writers. These stories and stories like them have to ability to captivate audiences of all ages, that is what will make them classics.