Monday, October 2, 2023

National Banned Books Week, October 1-7


 

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read, while also drawing attention to current and historical censorship within schools and libraries.  Although typically taking place during September, Banned Books Week 2023 will be held October 1-7, 2023. The theme of this year’s event is “Let Freedom Read.”

Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.  Banning and censorship of materials leads to the loss of voices, perspectives, and ideas that are often marginalized already. 2022 marks the largest number of attempted bans since the American Library Association (ALA) started gathering data about materials censorship. 



By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. The Top 13 (due to several ties) Challenged Books of 2022 are:

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Number of challenges: 151

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Number of challenges: 86

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Number of challenges: 73

Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

4. Flamer by Mike Curato

Number of challenges: 62

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

5. (tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green

Number of challenges: 55

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

5. (tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Number of challenges: 55

Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Number of challenges: 54

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Number of challenges: 52

Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Number of challenges: 50

Challenged for: depictions of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

Look for ALA’s Top Challenged Books of 2023 list in April 2024! You can view preliminary data, through August by selecting the following link:

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data

 

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Spotlight Resource of the Month

 Spotlight Resource of the Month

Brought to you by the CVTC Library


Last year, CVTC library began sharing materials with the 55 public libraries in the MORE system. Students and employees can now request library materials from any of the libraries to be delivered to CVTC, or they can request CVTC materials to be delivered to any of the MORE libraries or the CVTC River Falls Campus. The MORE consortium is the largest in Wisconsin and spreads across much of the CVTC district. Students and employees can now use their CVTC IDs as their library cards at any of the MORE libraries. 



MORE also provides access to one of the largest shared collections in the world, with resources such as the Wisconsin Digital Library, Freading, and Flipster. Requesting materials has never been easier with the MORE library app, which includes a digital student/employee ID. For more information visit the Library Help Guide to get started, browse the catalog, or to find your closest library.

Monday, July 17, 2023

CVTC LIBRARIANS ATTEND NATIONAL LIBRARY CONFERENCE

 

CVTC Librarians Attend National Library Conference

Librarians from CVTC had the opportunity to attend the annual American Library Association (ALA) conference in Chicago last month. Over 25,000 library, museum, and information services employees worldwide attended the event to share with and learn from each other.

CVTC librarians attended sessions on new or rising technologies, innovative spaces, collection and patron trends, and DEIB. In addition, they had the opportunity to hear from authors, publishers, and vendors about forthcoming work. CVTC also sponsored a press publishing table at the conference to highlight the work of the Open RN project to promote student affordability.

 

  

Top photo: Jen Cook, CVTC Librarian (right), and Carla Hayden (left), Librarian of Congress
Bottom photo: Vince Mussehl, CVTC’s library director, touring the University of Illinois - Chicago’s innovative learning center in the library

Questions about the conference? Stop by the library or email the Library team.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

 

National Library Week: April 23-29


National Library Week is a time to recognize and remember the libraries and librarians in your organizations and communities, and the work they do to teach, provide access to information, and promote equity to people of all backgrounds. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs. The CVTC Library serves all staff, faculty, students and now the community with the recent joining of the MORE Public Library Consortium. So far this year, over 80,000 people have walked through our doors, nearly 20,000 items have been borrowed, 100,000 digital resources were accessed, and over 800 students have had classroom library instruction. One of the most progressive academic libraries in Wisconsin, we offer unique study spaces; video, board, and yard games; cooking supplies; and even musical instruments. A small library with a big impact! Nominate a library star or learn more about your CVTC librarians and library staff.

Stop by in the library this week to make a library button and enter our drawing for a gift card, available Monday-Saturday. Wednesday April 26th we will also have some free cookies available to celebrate!

Thursday, April 6, 2023

New Video Service - Kanopy BASE

 



The CVTC library is excited to announce our new Kanopy Video Service, Kanopy Base.  With Kanopy, you and your students can enjoy access to high-quality streaming content, including films, documentaries, and educational content. This valuable resource is a cost-effective way to enhance your teaching and research efforts, and we're excited to offer it to you. There are around 10,000 titles with unlimited streaming options.  You can access and explore what it has to offer here - https://cvtc.kanopy.com/ 


Kanopy BASE includes coverage of the following subjects: 

Film Studies

Race & Class Studies

Gender Studies

Media Studies 

Global Studies 

Education

History

Sociology

Psychology 

Law

Art and Architecture

Science, Technology and Engineering

Political Science

Health and Medicine 

Business

Journalism 

Literature

ESL & Languages

World Cinema 

Music, Theatre and Dance.  


If you have any questions or need assistance getting started, reach out to the library @ library@cvtc.edu for help! 

Thursday, January 26, 2023

MORE Delivery to River Falls

 As you know, in July CVTC joined the MORE library system, allowing materials from our campus to reach our students at a library near where they live while also allowing materials from 54 other MORE system libraries to be delivered to CVTC students at the learning center in BEC.  




We are happy to announce that starting February 1st our River Falls campus will also be a delivery stop for library materials.  Students, faculty and staff will be able to choose CVTC - River Falls as a pickup location.  Books checked out at other MORE library locations will also be able to be returned at the River Falls Campus.  


You can access all the materials available in the MORE system on their website, https://www.more.lib.wi.us/


Remember we do have a small collection of popular fiction books and DVDs available at River Falls.  Check them out next time you are on campus.  


Contact Us

If you have questions please contact the library at library@cvtc.edu or stop by the library desk at the BEC Campus. Be sure to check out our blog for new resources, book reviews, and updates!