Really, Librarian?

finsup · October 2012

I've had this issue w/ the school librarian that she lets DS check out the same books over and over again. Its 2 books. 1 is "fastest trains" the other is "all aboard". So yea, we get it, he likes train books.

Toward the end of last year I asked her to please help encourage him to try some new books, yea yea yea she will etc.

So new year starts, guess what. Same 2 books the last couple of weeks. The kicker is this week he came home with 2 books in his backpack. THE SAME FREAKING BOOK. So now I have 2 copies of this "All aboard!" book to read at home.

WTF? Why would she allow a 4yo to check out 2 copies of the same book? Also - when I take him to the library all it takes is a bit if encouragement for him to branch out and choose different books. So its not like I'm asking her to manage a massive tantrum in the library over a train book.

Now I have to make a phone call and I'm annoyed.

ridesbuttons · October 2012

I don't know how old your son it, but reading the same books over and over and over again is completely typical and is supportive of early reading skills. Provided he has some variety at home and is not exclusively looking at the same one or two books, I'd go with this for a while.

finsup · October 2012

He's 4. He does have variety at home, and like I said when I take him to the library he doesn't gravitate toward the same books, really. I want to ask her about it, I just kind of get the feeling that he checks the same books out every week because its familiar and comfrotable and we are really working on him being more flexible.

Karalyn44 · October 2012

ridesbuttons:
I don't know how old your son it, but reading the same books over and over and over again is completely typical and is supportive of early reading skills. Provided he has some variety at home and is not exclusively looking at the same one or two books, I'd go with this for a while.

With all due respect, I disagree with this. While it may be a typical toddler/preschooler trait, when you're dealing with a child who is inflexible by nature and is unlikely to decide on his own to pick something new, an adult needs to step in and teach that child that it's okay to go outside your comfort zone. You don't have the luxury of assuming that the skill will eventually develop, and the longer you wait to teach them to be okay with something different than what they're expecting, the harder it's going to be on everyone, especially the child in question.

Finsup, I think you're correct in addressing this with the librarian (again). Can you also speak with DS's teacher and ask that they assist in selecting a variety of books? Depending on your DS, you could start with baby steps by saying that it's okay to pick out books about modes of transportation, but that they have to be two different topics. Or one book about trains is okay, but the other has to be about something completely different. If your DS is okay with being redirected away from trains but simply needs a push in the right direction, then I would ask that there be no train books unless you give the okay.

Karalyn44 · October 2012

-auntie-:

Or you could take the ABA approach. The aversive is a scheduled conference to discuss on Friday afternoon after school. Repeat as often as you don't like her behavior. I did this with DS's 1st grade teacher; she was a real slow learner who got stuck in traffic every friday afternoon.

LOL Auntie!

finsup · October 2012

So I spoke to her. She agreed that he has been gravitating toward the same books but didn't realize she let him check out 2 of the SAME book last week. (she apologized).

She did say that when she suggests other books for him that he gets upset and she sees a trantrum coming on....so? I guess she just gives him what he wants to avoid the tantrum.

I asked her to make those 2 books unavailable next library day. Let him choose from the shelf that everyone else chooses from. If that seems too overwelming or he doesn't want to, then she can let him choose from 3 books. If he still doesn't want to choose then he doesn't get a book.

She may have to manage an unhappy kid the first week, but knowing my kid, if she can help get him over this hurdle, he'll be good to go.

We'll see.

birdie_1010 · October 2012

My son was having the same trouble last year. He kept checking out Dinotrux every.single.week. Finally I bought him his own copy for home and requested that he not check that book out from school anymore. That at least got us to the point that he brings home a few different books now.

I'm glad you were able to talk to the librarian. Hopefully she follows through on your request.

fancynewbeesly · October 2012

I am a librarian in an elementary school, and my two BIGGEST rules about book check out are:

a) They can't take two of the same book--or two books from one series (ie. Junie B, Magic Treehouse)

b) They can only renew a book one time.

c) Sometimes if I notice that they only take a certain book--i will cut them off mid year.

None of those rules are to punish the kids at all. Mostly with 800 kids in my school, and they of course seem to want all of the same books--i.e. holiday books, if I always let them take two of the same book or same kind of book, there wouldn't be enough to go around. That is the same for the renewal--one time and then it goes back on the shelf. I actually enforce the rule that they can't check out books that just got returned from their class. I also make notes in the system all the time, so things don't slip by me--they usually will buzz when I check out a book to a kid.

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