Introduction

There are a few ideas the first week that stuck out to me.  First, I really liked to read the "Reader's Bill of Rights".  Oftentimes I think children/students need to be told that it's okay to not finish a book.  I have that conversation with my own children and my students (when my students choose their independent reading).  I always encourage my children and students to give a book a couple of chapters to determine if it's something that they would like to continue reading since reading should be active, encouraging, and interesting.  The right to browse and the right to reread is also very important.  Rereading a text--whether it's a board book or a chapter book--allows the reader to engage differently each time.  Details are noticed upon rereading that may have been missed the first time, so there's something to be said about continually engaging with a book.  I also really like to see students browse for books.  This tells me that they are really trying to find a book that would be interesting instead of just grabbing something from a shelf. 

The presentation also included information that I think is important as a librarian: the difference between choosing literature for the child and choosing literature for an institution.  While there are many constraints on materials for a library, there are fewer for choosing for a child which resonated with me.  I think it's important for a parent/teacher/librarian to really know the abilities and interests of children so they can choose materials they enjoy.