This is going to be a great project! We are very excited.
In case you misplace your outline, here is a copy (pdf):
We have tried to get at least one copy of each book on the list. However, you may also want to go to the Vancouver Public Library to get a copy as you will not be able to take the copy out from Gladstone. If you need help looking in the VPL online catalogue, please ask one of the Teacher-Librarians (Ms. Parungao or Mrs. Montroy) or Ms. Loo.
You will be using NoveList Plus to work on this assignment. To get there, click on the “Webcat” link in the menu above, then “Databases”. The link is at the bottom of the second column from the left. The username and password is the same that is used for all the other databases. Please see one of the Teacher Librarians if you have forgotten what they are.
Once you are in NoveList, simply type the title of the book in the search bar. **This weekend I noticed that there are some error messages that are coming up when using the databases. If this happens, log in again and try your search again**.
Make sure to scroll down to look at the reviews for the book.
You are required to hand in a Works Cited for this project, and you may use Easybib. It is a good idea to register for an account; please do so before starting to create citations (the link is in the top right-hand corner of the Easybib site). It’s a good idea to create one so all your hard work doesn’t get lost. Also, make sure to click “Print as a Word Doc” when finished. Doing this will create a formatted Works Cited that is a thing of beauty!!
There is a link in the menu above for “Works Cited”. *Please make sure to go through all the information on this page, in particular the MLA Works Cited Handout, the Marking Rubric, and the tutorial on Easybib* if you haven’t used this tool before. Be careful as Easybib citations sometimes contain errors. Please check your finished citations against the MLA Handout and/or check with Ms. Parungao or Mrs. Montroy (we are more than happy to check over your work!!)
NoveList is a Database; make sure to choose this when using Easybib. If you are citing one of the reviews, for example from a journal (School Library Journal), then choose “Journal” in the box that asks “What kind of database article are you citing?“. Fill in all the boxes as requested.
Other links that may be of use for this assignment:
Articles in databases, e.g., Academic Search Premier from WebCat.
Challenged Books and Magazines from the Freedom to Read website (Canada)
Frequently Challenged Books, from the American Library Association. There are lots of great links on this site.
Here’s an interesting article from CBC News (April 11, 2011): Award-winning Sherman Alexie novel among challenged books
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A from The American Library Association
New York Times Article Archive – the complete archive ofThe New York Times
If you come across any other good sources of information that can be added to the above list, please email the link to Mrs. Montroy (hmontroy@vsb.bc.ca). Thank you!!