Freedom to Read Statement
5.2 Professional Ethics
Candidates practice the ethical principles of their profession, advocate for intellectual freedom and privacy, and promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility. Description
This is a simple freedom to read statement that I created for students at the elementary school level. It uses the acronym “I READ” to spell out five points of a library Bill of Rights, including “Read anything and everything you want.” It was designed to empower students in their reading. Analysis The best part of my freedom to read statement is that it is simple and designed to be understood by elementary school students. I especially like the mnemonic “I READ” as it is easy to remember. The downside of that simplicity is that the statement is limited in what it covers. It does not describe the focus on providing diverse materials that cover a wide range of viewpoints. I created it so students would feel welcome in the library, but I worry that it does not adequately communicate my commitment to ensuring that they have access to any and all reading materials that interest them. Reflection Intellectual freedom and the right to read are areas that are very important to me. In my brief library experience, I have found that it is very easy to censor students’ access to reading material in the belief that it is in the best interest of the students. However, my job as a media specialist is to encourage students to read and fuel their desire to learn new things. Looking ahead, I want to use this bill of rights in my media center. I am interested to know if students like it, remember it, or do not pay much attention to it at all. Once I can get some student opinions about it, I will revise it as necessary to best communicate my commitment to students’ intellectual freedom. |
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