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Mary G
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| Posted: Feb 01 2007 at 7:34am | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
Can I rant for a moment (and hijack the thread a bit)? The Winged Watchman and many other Hilda Van Stockum books always come highly recommended by homeschoolers. We are in the midst of The Mitchells right now and love it. But when I searched on my county library system's webpage, do you know how many Hilda Van Stockum books came up? Zero. Zilch. Nada. I then looked at our neighboring county's system and found only one (The Cottage at Bantry Bay). I am not talking about small libraries in rural areas. These are extensive collections in large counties in the DC suburbs. How is it that they have basically none of her work???!!! It just makes me so angry. The libraries are filled with twaddle and can't be bothered to stock great children's literature by this particular author. 
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. It's been bothering me since I did a search late last week.  |
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Irene,
I was just thinking about this too. I tried to find a copy of
The Jeweller's Shop to borrow from the library. Finally found it on ILL -- but it had to come from Fort Smith Arkansas -- the middle of the Bible Belt! Then I tried to get a copy of Montessori's Mass Explained to Children and that had to come from Christendom's Library!
But then I was able to get a few of VanStockum's books from our Denvery library, so go figure. I think it's a case of more Catholics asking for the library to carry these. Also, you have to remember that these books are from a relatively small publishing house that might not be on the library purchaser's radar. My MIL used to buy books for her library in Atlanta and it seemed pretty random how she chose books -- but she had specific catalogs that she bought from and then if she had any budget left over (HAH!) she might buy a couple of individual, small press books on a chance....
Hound your library and get them to stock the books. They may not know anyone wants them....
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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knowloveserve
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When my kids get old enough I can't wait to read them these:
-Narnia
-The Great Brain series
-The Little Princess
-The Happy Hollister series (anyone else know about these?)
-Huck Finn
-Number the Stars
-Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry
-To Kill a Mockingbird
Does anyone know any "must have" saint collections that would be good for all ages?
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Mary G
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| Posted: Feb 01 2007 at 11:41am | IP Logged
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knowloveserve wrote:
-The Happy Hollister series (anyone else know about these?)
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I devoured these in grammar school -- I can still see the shelf of red-bound books that I would read, and reread and reread....such happy memories! Don't you just love books!
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MaryG
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my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Karen T
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| Posted: Feb 03 2007 at 8:49pm | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
| But Alice in Wonderland! I'm frankly surprised by this. I must admit that I've never read the book. But I've seen movies and plays based on it and don't like them at all. The last time I saw it in play form, I thought it seemed like Lewis Carroll wrote it while on psychedelic drugs or something. Ducking and running for cover now . . . . |
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I've never like Alice in Wonderland either. I did read it aloud to ds b/c he saw the book and asked for it and I disliked it just as much this time as when I read it as a kid. Just doesn't appeal to me. Except the Cheshire cat - love that grin...
Karen T
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onemoretracy
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I think I am the only HS mom here to dislike Charlotte's Web. My son (7) is reading it now and I like it better than I used to though. I think the cartoon movie of it kinda ruined the book for me. I just get so ticked that no one realises that the spider is the amazing one, Duh! 
We are reading Peter pan now and I really like it much better than I expected. Of course my only knowledge
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Tracy
DH Lee
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DS Ryan-9
DS Luke-6
DD Laine-6
DD Mary Clare-3
DD Sara (Dec.6 '08)
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teachingmom
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| Posted: Feb 06 2007 at 12:48am | IP Logged
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Mary G wrote:
| Hound your library and get them to stock the books. They may not know anyone wants them.... |
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I've been told by a children's librarian that the reason my purchase requests for some books have been denied is that the books are older. They don't want to spend money on older books, even if they are brought back into print and they don't already have the titles.
I wasn't going to request the Hilda Van Stockum titles because of that, but you encouraged me to try again. I even wrote in the section entitled "Why would this title be a good addition to our collection?" that these books of historical fiction are very popular among homeschoolers. Alas, my requests for both The Borrowed House and The Winged Watchman were denied. 
I am considering enlisting the help of other county homeschoolers for a strategic campaign to flood the purchasing office with requests for Hilda Van Stockum's books.  I already have copies of those on their way from Amazon, but in my mind, it's the principle of the thing.
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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
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Mary G
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| Posted: Feb 06 2007 at 7:43am | IP Logged
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teachingmom wrote:
Alas, my requests for both The Borrowed House and The Winged Watchman were denied.
I am considering enlisting the help of other county homeschoolers for a strategic campaign to flood the purchasing office with requests for Hilda Van Stockum's books. I already have copies of those on their way from Amazon, but in my mind, it's the principle of the thing. |
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Irene, I'm so glad you're not giving up on this -- you just never know what will get the library to finally purchase something....the proverbial straw that broke the camels back!
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MaryG
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MichelleW
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Irene, How about buying and donating the books you'd like to see your library carry? They surely would not refuse a donation?!
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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ALmom
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Michelle:
No, they never refuse a donation, they just end up in friends of the library booksales instead of on the shelves.
Janet
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MichelleW
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Rats!
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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Kelly
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I'm so glad you're persevering in your quest for the Hilda van Stokum books---"Five for Victory" has been one of our all-time favorite reads, followed by the sequels. By the time we finished, we felt like the Mitchells were our friends! All wonderful.
As for the Great Library Dilemma, aaah, I feel your pain! I've had all the same experiences, and then some, culminating in my building a huge book collection over the years, gleaned from school libraries (including the Catholic schools) who were dumping their books. Just a month ago, I picked up 60 books, for FREE, from our nearby university library. Great books, hardbacked, like "Green Mansions", and "We Took to the Woods" and "West with the Night". Guess they need more room for all those issues of "Psychology Today" or something  Seriously, though, the librarians all tell me the same thing: if the books don't get checked out, they have to withdraw them-they need the space.
One of the areas I've been APPALLED with in the libraries is in the Children's section of Biography. At our own Catholic school library, they were dumping hardbacked saints biographies, lots of Mary Fabyan Windeatt and Vision books, and putting in biographies on Magic Johnson and Cal Ripkin. Not to detract from these people, but I just don't think their "accomplishments" stack up against the saints! I mean, Magic Johnson boasted about sleeping with over 200 women, for pete's sake. I also noticed at our public library several glowing biographies on Ho Chi Minh (which I devilishly moved over into the adult section, next to the Tom Clancy books...) and a plethora of books on actors and pop singers. Meanwhile, I couldn't find anything on one of the early presidents. I just scratch my head and wonder.
When I asked the librarian at the public library, what they did with their withdraws, she told me they "dispose" of them. Not the Friends sale (at our library), that's only books people have donated that the library doesn't want. They literally dispose of them. When I asked WHERE they disposed of them (envisioning some lively dumpster diving) they got all cagey and furtive and wouldn't fess up. This was a long time ago, but it seems there was some allusion to their burning them, just to make sure no one got their hands on them: apparently they were worried about library employees taking them, selling them on ebay or something, then getting accused of selling government goods or something along those lines. While I understand their dilemma (tho the obvious answer seems to be to hire someone to sell the books on ebay, duh) it made me livid that the books WE pay for are destroyed, without our even getting a chance to take them back. I actually called the local newspaper editor and complained to the editor there. Grrr. Very frustrating.
OK, my rant for the day. In the meantime, aren't we lucky to know about so many wonderful books to fill the minds of our children. And admittedly, the Great Book Hunt, tho a challenge, is awfully fun
Kelly in FL
Kelly in FL
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: Top 12 ....
