Analyzing My Text's Cultural Setting

School Libraries

The Unquiet Library "Mr.Bradford's 9th Graders Researching Elizabethan Topics" (4/15/2010) via Flickr
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I will analyze my text's cultural setting specific to the topic it covers, and the values it incorporates.

1. What values, ideas, norms, beliefs, even laws of the culture play and important role in the text?
• One main creed of libraries is to provide access to any materials needed by a patron. In school libraries, this is trumped by the desires of parents and administration for a lack of religion in an institution of education. Libraries value connection with materials, parents value their dictation of their children's exposure to the world - they want to protect their children. The desperate initiative and idea of the separation of church and state has also played a role in religious materials being censored.
2. Does the text address these cultural values, beliefs, etc., directly or indirectly?
• The text directly addresses these cultural values and beliefs. It confronts the systematic rejection of library materials by parents concerned about potential religious content.
3. What is the relationship of the text to the values, beliefs, etc.? Is it critical of these aspects of culture? Is it supportive? Does it seek to modify these aspects of culture in a certain way?
• The text is critical of the beliefs of parents that religious ideas infused in any way into books for their children is dangerous or confusing. It challenges parents and libraries to change the status quo. This text asks to bring wider acceptance of children's materials into the library; it desires a lack of religious exclusion.