News

School Author Visit Survey Request

We are seeking help with gathering information about author visits to schools in Maine.  If you have hosted 20 authors or have never hosted an author in your school, we are interested in your response!  

Who is conducting this survey and why? 

The Maine School Author Visit Grant is conducting this survey. As we begin 2023, we are in the process of evaluating the impact of the author visit grant program.  Several years have passed since we last surveyed the school community and we are interested in knowing if this grant is still meeting schools’ needs. To help with the evaluation process, we created a new survey and are gathering feedback from people involved with planning and organizing school author visits. 

Some history about the grant

The Maine School Author Visit grant was created in 2016 following conversations with a group of school librarians and ed. techs and a few Maine authors/illustrators.  To gather information from the broader Maine school community, we also created and conducted a survey. The 2015 survey received responses from 81 participants representing pre-k -12 schools from all 16 counties in Maine.  Results were used to inform the grant guidelines and were also shared with MASL. 

The Maine School Author Visit grant currently provides an opportunity for PreK-12 schools to apply for grants ranging between $500 - $800 to help host authors who will share writing processes, story development and research experiences.  Although many authors are amazing inspirational speakers and have great messages to share, the grant’s intent is to highlight the writing connection for students.   The hope is that meeting authors and illustrators will help inspire students to read, write and/or illustrate.

From 2016 - 2020, the grant was managed and hosted by the Onion Foundation. As of June 2021 the Author Visit Grant separated from the foundation and can now be found at Maine Literacy Fund. Over the past seven years, the fund has awarded 144 grants to over 75 schools across Maine.  We are hoping to continue and expand this opportunity.  

Link to School Author Visit Survey

The survey should take between 5 - 10 minutes to complete and will close on January 31, 2023. 

You can help spread the work by sharing this survey link with other colleagues who are responsible for school library programming.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Susan@maineliteracyfund.org

We appreciate your participation with this data collection project!  

~ Susan Onion, MLIS

(Grant manager: Maine School Author Visit Grant)

The Maine Association of School Libraries (MASL) and the Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA) wish to affirm our support for the Freedom to Read in Maine Schools. We address this letter to any schools considering rating the books in their school’s libraries and classroom libraries according to the content, subject matter, and ideas in those books. 

​​MASL and MCELA have learned that some Maine school districts may be considering applying "ratings" to books in their school libraries; we believe strongly that that would be an unwise course of action. The practice of rating books violates students’ and parents’ freedoms and could cause harm to students who identify with historically underrepresented groups. Our organizations are divisions of the American Library Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. Our opinion on this matter is informed by the guidance of those organizations, which have issued position statements regarding the Freedom to Read that specifically warn against rating books.

Those statements can be found here and  and here.

Rating, labeling, or in any other manner restricting student access to books in libraries and classroom libraries is detrimental to the experience of Maine students. We urge school districts to consider the following points:

1. Maine schools have a duty to serve all their students, inclusive of their race and skin color, abilities, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender (including gender identity and expression), and/or sexual orientation. Rating books that feature characters who exhibit any of those protected identities or content related to those identities pathologizes them by “red flagging” them or labeling them as “controversial” or “inappropriate.” Thus, labeling of books in such a manner causes harm to students who identify with those identities

2. Rating books requires that some individual or group makes a “value-judgment” about the content of the books. This is highly problematic. Who will get to decide what is harmful or controversial? Why should their opinion of the book’s content have more value than someone else’s? 

3. MASL and MCELA believe that parents should have the right to determine what their own children read and have access to. Removing access to certain books takes this right away from parents by eliminating their ability to choose books for their own children.

4. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop has written about the power of reading. She asserted that books act as “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors” which allow students to see themselves and affirm the value of their identities and also to develop empathy for others’ experiences. Limiting students’ access to books because of the content of tho se books also limits their ability to see themselves reflected in the books they read and to develop an understanding of other people’s identities and experiences. This runs counter to the goals of Maine schools and our learning standards, which require students to experience literature that represents a diverse range of experiences.

MASL and MCELA urge all Maine schools to refrain from limiting students’ right to read and to maintain school and classroom library collections that allow students to “explore interests safely and without restrictions."

~ Statement prepared by MASL & MCELA, January 9, 2023 

Download the document below to view citations and footnotes:

Position Statement on the Freedom to Read in Maine Schools.pdf

Image credit: Literary Hub

You have a strong selection policy. You have a strong challenge policy. You may be fortunate to have supportive administrators and school board members. Sadly, this is no longer enough to fight back the tide of censorship occurring in our schools. When books are challenged and the review committee recommends that the book stay in the library, challengers are appealing to school boards. When this doesn’t work, the attack continues in new and insidious ways.

Quiet Censorship

Books are being removed from school library shelves bypassing any kind of formal policy review. Sometimes administrators take this on, sometimes librarians and library paraprofessionals are fearful of reprisal.

Schools nationwide are quietly removing books from their libraries.

Both Sides-ism

Challengers who lose their attempt at censorship will often call on schools to add books – they’ll even donate some of these titles themselves – that are purported to represent the other side on an issue when often these books are poorly-reviewed and full of misinformation.

According to Merriam-Webster, “Bothsidesing refers to the media or public figures giving credence to the other side of a cause, action, or idea to seem fair or only for the sake of argument when the credibility of that side may be unmerited.”Example: Some schools in Maine have received donations of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters. This book is harmful to members of the trans community and, as the following reviews demonstrate, an example of Both Sides-ism:

• A Review of "Irreversible Damage" by Abigail Shrier | Psychology Today

• Library Agrees to Return Book on ‘Transgender Craze’ to Shelves | Westport Journal
  
  

New Procedures for Book Selection

Some administrators are now undermining the professionalism of library staff by requiring a book selection committee be formed to advise the library staff or by having another staff member – often an instructional coach or curriculum specialist – review all book orders prior to approval by the principal. This is a direct attack on the professionalism of all library staff.

Rating Systems for all Library Books

The most recent tactic is insisting that library books that are deemed “sexually explicit” by parents should have a rating system to alert readers of books they presumably are not allowed to read.

Hermon parents concerned over 80+ books they consider sexually explicit.

Personal Attacks

It’s a sad state of affairs when we see librarians resigning their positions or moving their retirement dates up because they no longer feel valued and supported.

Uptick in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests

School districts are dealing with an unprecedented amount of FOIA requests.

What can you do:

• Reach out to your administrators and encourage them to follow the policy

• Consider asking your school board to strengthen your IJJ policy by specifying that professional librarians be responsible for purchasing books.

• Ask for a meeting with your principal, curriculum director, and superintendent – IF you can do so safely, without risking your job.

• Share the appropriate Educate Maine Intellectual Freedom Matters handouts with teachers, community members, administrators, and school board members (MASL collaborated on this project last winter).

• Check in with your union representative.

• Talk to other librarians and library paraprofessionals in your district.

• Share your challenges with the public to rally support.

• Encourage students and colleagues to speak up and attend school board meetings

• Reach out to MASL, MLA, ALA,  National Coalition Against Censorship, and National Council of Teachers of English.

• If a book challenge is appealed, be sure to reach out to MASL and MLA who will provide your school board with a letter of support for the challenged book.

• Be aware of books in your collection that might be targets, and read/research them,

• Keep your privacy protected (see MASL Blog post on protecting your privacy).

• Ask for help, and take care of your mental health.
  
  

What you should avoid:

• Discussing specifics about your school on PUBLIC social media. We do, however, encourage you to discuss with other librarians on our closed Facebook page on social media.

• Engaging with people who are working against you; no need to enter into a discussion about it with them online.

• Talking to reporters or anonymous callers; you can refer reporters to MASL's email to contact our organization for comment.

• Sharing private information about yourself on your school webpage.

• If you feel that you will be targeted, do not attend school board meetings in person, rather, submit any input you feel is appropriate in writing.

• Be careful about putting things in writing that could end up in a FOIA request. Initiate face-to-face conversations whenever possible and use your personal email address instead of your school email.

~ Submitted by MASL's Intellectual Freedom Committee

It’s not too soon to start thinking about nominees for the Maine Association of School Libraries awards!

Each year MASL awards an outstanding School Librarian, amazing School Library Support Staff, or champion Administrator who has a distinguished record of service. Nominations for the 2023 awards are due on February 13th, so it is a great time to begin gathering materials for your top picks.

Your local community wants to know about the good work happening in your library. And the MASL Awards are an excellent opportunity to show what is happening in school libraries, as well as give recognition to the outstanding educators and supporters in your local community. The award includes a plaque and a cash donation to the recipient's school library media program, made in the name of the recipient. The award is presented annually at both the recipient's school/district and at an appropriate MASL conference or event.

Visit our website to learn more about each award:

Taranko School Librarian of the Year 

Support Staff Educator of the Year

Administrator of the Year

Forms must be received as email attachments by February 15th at maslibraries@gmail.com

Thank you for sharing this message with your colleagues to help us honor the meaningful experiences happening in Maine School Libraries!

~ Jennifer Stanbro

MASL Past-President and Awards Chair, 2022-2024

OUT Maine serves LGBTQ+ youth, supports parents and caregivers, and trains professionals in organizations and businesses around the state. OUT Maine works with many schools to improve school climate for LGBTQ+ kids, including in-service trainings with teachers and administrators, support for GSTAs (Gay/Straight Alliances), and more.

We're sharing an excerpt of their recent post on book bans and challenges here in Maine, and what communities can do to push back. Please consider spreading the word through your social media networks and school communities — read the full text of the post here.

BOOK BANS IN MAINE? REALLY?!

YES — AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

“Sorry this book is coming back late. It’s just — I never expected to read a book that was so close to my own life. Like. Never. With some weirdly similar and specific details! So I had to read it twice, then I made my dad, sister, and boyfriend read it.”

The student was returning the book Gender Queer to their high school library somewhere here in Maine. This reader’s response is exactly why our LGBTQ+ youth need books in their libraries that reflect their lived experiences — as a reminder that they’re not alone, that they exist, and that their stories matter. 

Gender Queer is a graphic novel memoir penned by Maia Kobabe about the process of discovering eir self-identity as a nonbinary and asexual person. 

This award-winning book also happens to be the #1 most challenged book in 2021. What’s a challenge? Any attempt to remove or ban the book from a public or school library collection.

In 2021 the number of challenged books reported to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom was higher than in the twenty years they’ve been documenting attempted bans, and 2022 is on target to exceed that number. This disturbing trend is a coordinated effort engineered by national groups with an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda. 

First, a little background on what we’re seeing here in Maine, then some ways you can be part of the solution to support LGBTQ+ youth. 

It’s about way more than banning books with LGBTQ+ content.

On October 27th, MASL tried something new with a Dine and Discuss format for professional development, with the support of several partner organizations — the Maine Council for English Language Arts (MCELA), Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association (MCSTOYA), and Educate Maine.

We hosted a dynamic and inspirational speaker, Lawrence Alexander, who presented virtually to 8 locations around the state. At each location, a host librarian or teacher facilitated refreshments (with the help of a small stipend from MASL), viewing Mr. Alexander, and discussion afterwards. We were hopeful that this format for professional learning would be fruitful because it would allow us to enjoy the benefits of an in-person experience without requiring people to travel great distances. We also hoped that this event would help to develop connections among educators that would be lasting and inspire further collaboration. 

Responses such as these suggest that we're onto a good idea:

“I loved the opportunity to connect with other librarians and look forward to more conversation in the future!”

“Thank you for allowing non-librarians to join in!”

“It was my first time attending a Dine and Discuss. It was informative, welcoming, intimate, and inspirational. I hope to do more in the future. Thank you!”

“...appreciate how it allows people from all of Maine to participate!”

Mr. Alexander spoke for about an hour and we all took notes furiously as he shared a great deal of useful information and thought-provoking questions. One participant said: “I thought the presentation was insightful, thought-provoking, and an important prompt for school librarians, as well as other teachers, to start thinking about how we make active choices to include and equitably celebrate all of our students in schools”

Another added, “Lawrence was a great presenter. I have attended many, many DEI-focused talks and workshops and I still took away new information this time. I like how he framed things in a different way than a lot of other workshops (more action-oriented). I loved the prompting questions on the ‘Moment of Reflection’ slide (I'm still sitting with the ‘Will you protect me?’ question) and the monoculture/multicultural slide especially. Thanks for a great presentation!”

After the presentation, the 77 librarians and other educators around the state took a break to enjoy some snacks (everything from pizza to homemade tacos were enjoyed), and then gathered together again to engage in some activities and discussion questions that MASL provided. As one participant said, “It was a great evening. Our discussion could have gone on for days after! Such important information.”

If you missed it, or wish to revisit the content, the slide deck from the presentation can be accessed here. And if you’re a MASL member, you can access the recorded presentation on the members only section of our website.

~ Heather Perkinson, MASL President

Looking for ideas for parent-teacher conference day and ways to promote your library? Debra Butterfield, MASL member and Mentoring Chair, hosted Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31) in the Gardiner Area High School Library. Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the nation.

To support the campaign, the library hosted a Find Your Good event during parent-teacher conferences. Students enjoyed pizza, a variety of activities at stations run by community guests, and earned community service hours for participating. The eleven stations ranged from video production to fly-tying to felting.

Butterfield partnered with a local community agency to help identify and invite some of the guests that matched student interests and requests for activities. Students were able to experience that they matter to members of the Gardiner community. One student noted, "It was amazing to see how much passion members of our community have for their interests and that they were willing to share it with us."

Running a program like this on an evening when the school was already filled with parents and partnering with an outside organization to bring community members into the library to engage with students, adds up to a festive, fun atmosphere for the community and positive outcomes for students.

It’s also a great example of advocacy in action: every adult who was part of the event, as well as the parents wandering by, witnessed a thriving, engaging school library environment. A few months from now when it’s time to vote on the school budget, those voting adults will know the value of what the library offers the young people in their community. Kudos, Debra!

Did you know that MASL is an affiliate member of the New England School Library Association? NESLA celebrated one hundred years as an organization in 2018. The website was recently updated, and the revised constitution was approved at the meeting on October 19.

It was incredible to come together with retired and practicing school librarians dedicated to the growth of school librarianship, and hear reports from each member of the association. We even had a special guest from Australia who shared about the association activities there, plus a presentation from a NESLA grant recipient who reported on how the funding has been put into action.

Our MASL board provides representation at the fall and spring meetings. An executive board continues to work throughout the year on key initiatives that are of mutual concern for affiliate organizations. MASL brought forward the idea of featuring events and professional development happening in neighboring states on the NESLA website. The feedback was embraced, so please watch for this added element. You can explore other affiliates and partners’ websites and learn about what’s happening in school libraries in other New England states. This connection strengthens our MASL voice in the American Association of School Libraries, and with legislation.

~ Debra Butterfield, MASL's NESLA representative and Mentoring Chair

MASL is full of many outstanding, dedicated members! Let’s get to know some of the amazing people who make up our organization. This month, our member spotlight is on Liz Guillemette!

Where do you work? 

Maranacook Community High School in Readfield, ME

What grades do you work with? 

9-12

How long have you been in your position? 

This is my second year as the librarian at Maranacook. Before moving into this role, I taught English for 17 years, the last ten at Maranacook. 

What do you like being about a MASL member? 

MASL was a welcoming network for me as a new librarian. Changing roles meant that I went from being in a department to being a department of one, and MASL provided the resources and support I was missing. MASL has been a wonderful resource for connecting with librarians from across the state, staying current on issues (especially Intellectual Freedom), and navigating certification. 

Thank you Liz, for being our first member spotlight!   

~ Regan Parker, MASL Membership Chair 

Growth Agents

Become involved as a MASL mentor and be an agent for growth by offering support and expanding professional vision. A mentor can provide support through a one-time message or develop an ongoing relationship. Mentoring is a reflective practice for both the mentor and mentee. Expanding connections through mentoring helps strengthen our profession and Maine libraries. 

Mentoring Form

Please fill out this form to indicate your interest in being involved in our mentoring program this year. 

Support

The MASL mentoring chair will help connect mentors and mentees. The mentoring chair, Debra Butterfield, can be contacted at dbutterfield@msad11.org for support. 

Certificate Hours

A reflection log can be submitted by mentor and/or mentee to the mentoring chair to earn up to five certificate hours per school year. 

MASL Mentors in Action: 

• Supports goal setting, planning, learning,  decision making,  problem solving, and reflecting.

• Provides confidentiality, emotional support and encouragement. 

• Offers resources or helps identify those related to identified needs. 

• Models best practices for a professional learning journey.

• Counsels, collaborates, and coaches. 

• Draws upon MASL resources and standards in librarianship as a foundation for mentoring. 

• Develops a mutually agreeable contact schedule and seeks support from the mentor chair as needed. 

• Reminds mentee of the opportunity to submit the reflection log for certificate hours.
  
  

Resources

Mentoring Matters: A Practical Guide to Learning-Focused Relationships by Laura Lipton and Bruce Wellman. 

Mentorship Matters 

Nine New Teacher Librarians: An Effective Onboarding Model 

The Just-Right Mentoring Balance

~ Debra Butterfield, MASL Mentoring Chair