Per my previous post: now I pose a new question: If you see a badge or sticker on a library book that says “African American,” does that attract you to it? Does it imply that the book is only going to be of African American interest or concern? Or does it help you to know that the author is African American? #currentlyreading #isabelwilkerson #casteinamerica
Anna40 Interesting question: I think African American author but I've never seen it in my library. 4y
Hooked_on_books Interesting. I haven‘t seen this, but library stickers I am accustomed to seeing are usually topic or genre stickers. I think an “African American” sticker might dissuade some white readers and draw others. I‘m not sure there‘s a benefit but I don‘t know what the research would show. 4y
Hooked_on_books The more I think about it, the more I feel this is othering. This is a history book and should have that tag. Stephen Ambrose‘s books would be labeled “history” and not “white.” They should follow the same process with this book. 4y
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Lindy I have an analogy, as a Canadian. My local library uses spine labels to identify Indigenous authors; those labels attract me, a nonIndigenous reader. I think Indigenous readers will likely have different experiences with these books than I do, but I still want to read them. 4y
Lindy We also have labels that identify Canadian authors. It‘s hard to determine which authors are Canadian just by browsing the shelves. 4y
ValerieAndBooks I wonder if it‘s more acceptable if the stickers go on non-fiction titles. Not sure it‘s necessary for fiction. Being Deaf myself I know I wouldn‘t mind seeing “deaf” stickers on non-fiction. But, not sure deaf authors of fiction (which are very few, alas) would want to be “labeled” as such. 4y
Lesliereads @Lindy thanks for sharing that your Canadian library has stickers for both Indigenous AND Canadian authors. This helps me understand that such stickers are helpful for readers all over; and that African-American authors are not being negatively set apart. 4y
Lesliereads @ValerieAndBooks thank you for your perspective - it‘s one I would not have come up with on my own. It‘s funny how an author may not want to be “labeled” as anything besides “Author,” but, for readers, it is often important to know when we are reading more broadly than the CASTE system of authors favored in many of our education systems. 4y
Lesliereads @Hooked_on_books I think you are right about “African American” stickers dissuading some readers AND drawing some readers. Maybe the intent of introducing some of these “identity stickers” was to help readers appreciate and locate authors not commonly read, referenced, or taught in western Eurocentric institutions 🤔.... 4y
Lesliereads @Anna40 thanks for participating in my survey 😁 4y
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