Old Books and Illiteracy

* I’m still shaking my head in disbelief. “State Weeds Out Old, Inaccurate Books at Schools” (May 30) addresses the fact that many of the books in L.A. school libraries contain outdated information and that there are people who believe that this is somehow to blame for the illiteracy of today’s students. While no one would argue that the books mentioned don’t contain outdated information, the information contained in books has nothing to do with literacy. Literacy is being able to read and write. What one reads or writes is basically immaterial. Being up on current events and political correctness is something totally different. Why should anyone read about Da Vinci or Einstein considering that they haven’t invented anything recently?

How easy it is to blame the fiasco of illiteracy on defenseless, outdated books instead of where it belongs; on the shoulders of school bureaucrats, ineffective teaching methods and teachers. Don’t pass the buck to the books. Solve the problem.

BRIAN M. WATSON

West Hills

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Thank you for pointing out that California is dead last in the quality and quantity of books in its school libraries. You also pointed out that it takes the skills of a professional librarian to create and maintain a relevant collection of books. However, few people realize that a professional school librarian is first a teacher. We must possess a teaching credential before being admitted to a library credential program, and our role in the school should be first and foremost that of teaching literacy and information skills to students.

KAREN McKAY

Avalon School Librarian

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Do I thrill that the state is now spending $158.5 million for new books and materials or upchuck at the reality that schools have been rife with bad information for over 20 years?

LOUISE CLARKE STONE

Sunland