Excuse me but why in the year of our lord 2022 does our annual school registration form still force us to choose between M and F, not only for each student but for each parent and each sibling and each emergency contact?? In an emergency, when my chosen emergency contact arrives at the school, does the school office intend to VERIFY IF THAT CONTACT IS M OR F and if so BY WHAT METHOD DO THEY INTEND TO MAKE THAT VERIFICATION. This is a question I asked in a letter sent to the superintendent and cc’d to the principal and the person who handles Title IX issues. I don’t know if this quite qualifies as a Title IX issue, but I was willing to invest the additional envelope and stamp just in case. Additionally annoying: I sent this same letter two years ago AND had to talk on the phone to the principal about it, and the form STILL ISN’T CHANGED.
(If this were a paper form, I would just leave that question blank and let them come at me if they felt up to it. But this is an online form, and it’s a required field, and there is no available option other than M or F.)
Also, I was complaining and asking for advice on Twitter, and Slim had the idea to contact IT using a “technical problem with the form”-type link, which strikes me as brilliant and tailored. No need to go in with banners and Reasons, talking about Inclusive Education and so forth, when you can just get the IT person to go in and edit the HTML or whatever!
Anyway. I have been feeling a little cranky at work recently (underpaid, and some days the tasks are almost unbearably repetitive and tedious), but wanted to tell you about a real perk (I wish that to be spelled “perq,” but it just isn’t) that happened today. I follow Jeanna Kadlec on Twitter, almost certainly because of seeing some of her tweets retweeted. And she has a book coming out, called Heretic (Target link, Amazon link), and it’s a memoir, and she’s an ex-evangelical like I am, so I am very interested in reading it! But I looked it up in our library system, and it’s another library that has it (or rather WILL have it, when it comes out in October), and when I tried to place a request for it, I got an error notification about that title not being available for holds.
So I went to our reference librarian, and I’ll bet you imagined an older lady in a cardigan and glasses, but actually she’s in her mid-20s and wears fashionable clothes and also contact lenses (and a cardigan, they seriously all do wear cardigans). And I asked her why I was getting this message, and she said some of the libraries in our system have a policy that the new-release books can’t go out on interlibrary loan, which is fair enough: if that particular library ordered the book, they want their particular patrons to have first crack at it. She said usually that restriction is from 1-6 months.
Then she said, “Let me see if our library has ordered a copy; they probably have, it’s probably just not in the system yet.” And then she said, “Oh! No, we haven’t. Well, I’ll just order one right now.” And she went typey-typey-typey, and then it was in the library’s to-order cart. And then she went typey-typey-typey again and put me on hold for the not-even-ordered-yet copy, so I’ll be the first one to get it when it’s published/processed. And I am underpaid and my work is getting a little boring, but that was FUN.
Also, I feel I should mention that even though I personally went from “mentioning book” to “being on hold for a copy that was ordered because I mentioned it” in about 60 seconds, and that is definitely because I work there, it’s worth noting that the reference librarians frequently do this for non-co-worker patrons too! Our library has a form, and probably your library does too, for a patron to use if they can’t find a book within the system; the librarians will first check our wider network of libraries (there are some libraries OUR LIBRARY can borrow from, even if OUR PATRONS cannot) (we sometimes need to wheedle) and, if they can’t find the book, they will evaluate it and see if we want to purchase it, and we have a budget for doing that. Sometimes the book is out of print and too expensive, but if it’s just one that has escaped our notice, the librarian will often think, “Sure, let’s give it a whirl!” and order it.
Take your perqs where ever you can get them. And if it means getting the library to order a book, and put you in first place on the holds list, so be it.
I live in Florida, and interlibrary loan once got me a book I wanted to read from a library in New Mexico! Just crazy but also awesome. I love the library, and requests, and ILL.
The requirement for M/F for everyone on that form is maddening. The 20th century called, they want their black-and-white ideas back.
“BY WHAT METHOD DO THEY INTEND TO MAKE THAT VERIFICATION” Lol! I would suggest they ask for pronouns and list they/them as an option. Pronouns help me at work in many situations. I like to refer to people by their preferred pronoun.
Also, I love your perq/perk. Our library has a “recommend” feature for books they don’t own in the Overdrive (moving to Libby) app. I do it quite a bit for books I want to read, or authors I want to support even if I own the book.
My library has been “moving to Libby” for like a year. I finally switched from Overdrive a few weeks ago, and it’s so different! There are some things I like, but mostly the feeling I’m experiencing is mild annoyance that I have a new system to learn. Browsing books when I don’t have a particular one in mind seems to be less straightforward than it was in Overdrive.
THIS. They’ll be prying Overdrive away from me at the last possible moment. It’s so easy! It puts things on my Kindle like magic! I HAVE A WISH LIST.
Yes! Same here! I’ve been informed tartly by Overdrive that it is disappearing soon and I’ll have to switch to Libby, and I’ve now tried Libby and so far been annoyed by it.
Yes! I love the “recommend” function for library ebooks/audiobooks in Libby/Overdrive. And just as Swistle mentioned with actual books, when you “recommend” an ebook/audiobook in Libby/Overdrive, you are FIRST on the list!! Love that feature.
And my library has bought every book I recommended in Overdrive!
Might we see a copy of the letter you sent, in case our schools also use an online system that requires ticking M or F for LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PERSON just as yours does, and we would also like to complain?
I love my library. Not only do I read lots of paper books, but I have also listened to more than 50 audiobooks this year FOR FREE, just by using the app. I didn’t even have to physically go to the building that houses the books! Unlimited listening, HUGE catalog, and when something is not available (not often) I can request it and be the first hold on it, should they get a copy of the audiobook version. And twice this year already, that has happened! One was a new book, one was a few years old.
Librarians and library workers should absolutely be paid more. And libraries deserve better funding!
Ooo, this is an interesting idea. I think what might be most helpful would be if I showed the GIST of the letter, so that anyone who has that I Don’t Know Where To START feeling would have a START, but could do it in their own words / change things around to suit their own needs.
I began by addressing the letter to the superintendent of our school district.
First paragraph, THE GIST: I have just completed the annual registration forms. I noticed I was asked to choose M or F (with no other options) for not only each student, but each parent, sibling, and emergency contact. If it had been paper, I would have left it blank—but that was not an option and I was forced to choose.
Second paragraph, THE GIST: I can’t think of a legitimate reason for the school district to ask this question or to limit the answers to two. If I or an emergency contact came to pick up my child at school, would the school office be verifying the M/F, and if so, BY WHAT METHOD. If the justification is identification, wouldn’t height and hair color and eye color and skin color and photo ID be better methods—and yet only M/F is requested. And if the school office cannot verify M/F (WHICH THEY CANNOT, RIGHT?? THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PEEK INTO ANYONE’S ANYTHING), then why are they asking?
Third paragraph, THE GIST: My assumption has been that the school is supportive and inclusive of all learners, including non-binary students. This form makes a strong statement to the contrary, leading me to wonder about a possible deeper issue than just a form.
Fourth paragraph, THE GIST: My dearest hope is that all of this happened only because of switching to a new online form, and then Covid coming along and rearranging the priorities list; and that the school definitely is not intending to exclude non-binary people OR to request non-essential personal information from students and their guardians/siblings/contacts. I hope to see this situation fixed soon.
Then I signed my name and listed the CCs: the principal of the high school, the principal of the middle school, and the high school employee in charge of Title IX (this was listed on the school’s website). On the CC’d copy I sent to the Title IX person, I included a note saying that I had sent a similar letter two years before, and had spoken to the principal of the high school afterward; if I had thought of it, I also would have included a copy of that letter from two years earlier—but I did not think of it.
At my workplace (Canadian federal government), there is simultaneously a push to: 1) not ask for information about people unless we need it and are going to do something with it, and 2) start collecting more gender disaggregated data (i.e. find out what statistical answers/data are coming from which segments of the population) so that we can more effectively do gender-based-plus analyses on programs and policies. It’s a bit of a conundrum, because it’s turns out we’re simultaneously asking for things like M/F too often without needing to, but not getting enough information that shows us how to fulfill needs that are perhaps more prevalent in one segment of the population than others.
The BEST thing I find about using the app for ebooks and audiobooks is that I can get MOAR BOOOKS even when out of the country on vacation! All I need is a wifi connection! And my books are never late being returned because it’s automatic! And I only need space in my luggage for my tablet!
My boys attend a private Catholic elementary school, and it annoys me each year that our paperwork asks for “mother’s name” and “father’s name” on the paperwork. I mean, can we at least acknowledge that some children may have other parenting relationships, and use more generic labels? Sheesh.
It SHOULD be perqs.
Recently I went to a website that had more than M/F options (including something like “don’t want to share”) and it was a website that totally surprised me. I wish I could remember what it was because that would certainly be more impactful than me saying, “no, it was a very pleasant surprise.” But it SHOULDN’T surprise me because ALL websites should have more options than M/F. Sheesh.
I am super, super jealous of this perq. And now you are FIRST. Our library website has a place where you can request a title that they don’t have, but a) it’s difficult to find and b) you can only make 1 or 2 requests per day and c) there is a LIMIT to what you can request in your lifetime as a library patron. WHY.
I recently encountered a very pleasing form…somewhere…that let me choose “Mother,” “Father,” or “Parent” as my relationship to my child, and I really appreciated that. I notice a fair number of college-related websites are set up like that, so it might be a college website I’m thinking of. Or maybe a doctor’s office thing? I can’t remember.
THERE SHOULD BE NO LIFETIME LIMIT ON REQUESTS!! DO THEY WISH TO DISCOURAGE THEIR ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPATORY PATRONS?? NO THEY DO NOT!! SO WHY ARE THEY??
It’s true, it SHOULD! Especially since it was originally a short form of “perquisite”.
Our school forms have an undefined option, which isn’t perfect but at least acknowledges something beyond the binary.
I use the request to order form at my library all the time and I LOVE it. When I place the request, it automatically puts a hold on the book, and I think the library has ordered almost everything I’ve requested. I’m a person who likes to read a book to make sure I like it enough to reread before buying it.
Ooohh, am off to see if my library has a request for an order! I just read about a new(ish) book that I would LOVE to get my hands on; but it doesn’t seem to be at any of the local libraries.
Slim’s idea is a good one. I’d start there. And then follow it up continuously until something is done. Not to mention, WHY the heck do (did I) we have to do the exact same forms over and over again when NONE of the information had changed? That used to make me insane…back in the day.
That’s a pet peeve of ours, too, as you might imagine. Thanks for your allyship.
I looove making purchase suggestions to the library, but I take it way too personally when they don’t accept them. Often the reason is “not available from our vendor” which, when we’re not talking about an obscure title, suggests they need a different vendor. But sometimes it’s “doesn’t meet our collection development guidelines,” which implies “we deem your suggestion UNWORTHY.” Ouch. I want to say, listen ladies, I’m a librarian too, and I’m telling you your collection needs developing.
We want to buy things our users want to read! Suggest purchases and we will buy them! Unless they cost $500 or are out of print and then we will try to get it through ILL for you!
Signed,
I’m wearing a cardigan RIGHT NOW.
My library has a form to “Suggest a Title for Purchase” and I’ve totally used it, but unfortunately it doesn’t put the book on hold for me if they purchase it or notify me if they have or even show which books I’ve suggested in the past, all of which are features I would love to have. Thankfully there isn’t a lifetime limit, though they do say we are only allowed a maximum of 3 requests per month and to only request titles that were published at least 6 months ago.
Another fun perq of working at the library – you can likely get a free membership to netgalley (all you need is library email address) and get ARCs. There is an ARC for Heretic, which I just requested, tyvm.
I also noticed a few people mention their library moving from Overdrive to Libby – it isn’t the library’s choice. Overdrive IS Libby. They are no longer supporting their old app Overdrive.
I like the Libby app way better, if that’s any consolation for people? I also like that you can delay your hold for a bit if you really want to read something and it becomes available at a bad time. I don’t remember if Overdrive had that feature, but I really wish there was a print version of that feature at my library too!
Overdrive did have that feature. It may have been a little more clunky to do than with Libby.
Your own public library may also have that for borrowing physical materials. It’s called Suspension of Holds. You can save your place in line, letting the next person go, until you are ready to read the book, then you “unsuspend”. This also works nicely when you know you’ll be out of town and you don’t want to miss that book you’ve been waiting for.
That is an awesome benefit.
Oh hey, my friend wrote her first book recently and I’m going to request that my library buy a copy when it comes out in Canada (apparently it has to be out for a patron to request it in my library system). BUT if anyone else wants to get their library to order a copy it’s Entry Level by Wendy Wimmer (Weetabix for those who, like me, have been around the blogosphere enough to remember when people wrote “online journals” and went to “Journalcon”) and I haven’t read it but I’ve read her blog for lo these many years, and she has a PhD in creative writing, so I feel confident recommending it without having read it yet.
THAT’S MY BIX! What a blast from the past. Thank you for sharing!
I have worked in two bookstores, and while working in an actual bookstore is the best way to cure you of the silly daydream that “working in a bookstore would be such a lovely job” (spoiler alert: they let people in them, and people largely suck), borrowing books for free was NEVER less than magical.
We have an actual form on our library website where we can suggest books to order. It is a fun thing.
I hear you on the underpaid and sometimes boring and repetitive. Overall I love my job and feel really lucky that I get to do it extremely part-time, but my husband got a bonus last week that is more than my entire year’s income. Which is fabulous, but a teeny bit demoralizing.
When I started my current teaching job, I was bequeathed digital copies of all my predecessor’s forms for field trips and events and stuff. Which was awesome, except all of them say stuff like “I give permission for my son/daughter….” and I have been editing them to say “my student” every since. This year I have expanded that effort to referring to “your grownups” when I am asking kids to get forms signed by a parent.
Interestingly, as of a year or two ago our school’s data system now includes a non-binary option, so when I print my rosters it now includes a tally at the bottom of total male/female/non-binary. And while I have not yet actually SEEN a student in my class registered as NB, the option does now EXIST!