* I have not read the book in question. However, I take exception to a statement made in a previous message. I do not mean to speak out against a particular book that I have not read. I am speaking on the statement that we don't have a right to suggest certain books over others to our patrons. I am not passing judgement on any particular book. Also, I do not want to sound as attacking the author of any material or list member. With that being said... *
Dan said, "..as librarians, we need to be careful not to let our own personal views impede the patron's access to the whole range of opinion on a subject." Although this may be true with a parve subject, the case of Christian Missionaries and Cults is a big problem in today's Jewish Society. More and more of our children and young adults are attending Universities and Secular High Schools and being drawn into these Non-Jewish groups and away from Judaism. No matter what "Jews for Jesus" or "Hebrew Christians" may call themselves, they are simply not Judaism. I would not like to discredit my good Christian friends by calling these groups "Christians." Rather, any group who tries to turn Jewish people away from Judaism is nothing more than a cult. Therefore, any material that concludes that "there is no valid way to exclude messianic Judaism from "authentic" Judaism" is wrong and we do a greater disservice to our patrons by offering them books that are false. As librarians, library technicians and library workers, we are the gate keepers and therefore obligated to help steer our patrons to materials that are truthful. There are other books out there on a variety of subjects that are written based on lies (e.g. propaganda) and I am sure that any of us wouldn't suggest a book to a patron that was a lie. In every topic, there are always better books and materials out there. Part of our jobs is to seek them out and make them available to our patrons. Jeff Jeff Corbett Library Technician McLean Budden 2525-145 King St. W Toronto ON M5H 1J8 Tel & Fax: 416 642 8084 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: www.mcleanbudden.com ========================================================================== HaSafran - The Electronic Forum of the Association of Jewish Libraries Submissions for HaSafran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org/
