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Updated: 7:44 PM Nov 18, 2009
Public weighs in on library book battle
It was a standing room only crowd Wednesday afternoon at the Jessamine County Public Library, as a public meeting was held over a controversial book.
Posted: 7:03 PM Nov 18, 2009 |
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22 Comments 
Did they go too far?
Two library workers say they were fired after refusing to let a child check out a book they thought was inappropriate.
The controversy has stirred up lots of talk in Jessamine County.
Wednesday, people got the chance to tell the library board what they think.
At issue is the book "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier."
Library workers Sharon Cook and Beth Boisvert didn't think the book was appropriate for children, because it contained explicit sexual content.
When they kept a child from checking it out, Cook and Boisvert said they were fired.
Wednesday's meeting at the library was a standing room only crowd.
Dozens of people on both sides spoke out.
The library policy currently states it's a parents responsibility to determine what a child may or may not read.
The library board says its now reviewing its policy to see if a change is needed. But members say it may be months before a decision is made.
Latest Comments
The terminated staff would have canceled the hold on the book no matter who had dared to reserve it. She went through the formal reconsideration policy for this title, did not agree with the board's decision, and tried to take matters into her own hands to prevent anyone from checking it out. Neil Gaiman has an excellent synopsis halfway down this page http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/local-man-in-hate-mail-outrage-shock.html
Does anyone else find the hypocrisy in the fact that they will allow young children to check out a bible everyday but they find a book that contains less violence, sadism and sex to be inappropriate. The bible contains endless horrific acts and people push it on young children.
There continue to be arguments that have nothing to do with why the librarians were fired. They were fired for breaking well established rules and invading a patron's privacy. As far as protecting children from offensive materials, the librarians could talk to the child or child's parents when they came to check out the book on hold. Or, the workers could approach the director about the situation. But, instead, they broke policy by checking on the hold then broke policy by removing the hold. Censorship is not among library workers' responsibilities. They are free to communicate with patrons, but not to regulate patrons' rightful choices. This situation was first an issue of employees flagrantly violating policies; policies in place to assure the privacy and rights of all patrons. As a secondary issue, it is one of censorship. The worker held the book for over a YEAR. The book's content? The workers/community members can appeal to the director or board in these situations.
