One Complaint + One Administrator = A Banned Book
David_D
Posts: 3,884
From today's LA Times:
It is stories like this that make me a donor to the CBLDF
Also, before this becomes another thread about whether you like or dislike Alan Moore, I would say that this is not really about Alan Moore. It is a story about a work for adults being removed from a section of the library for adults, because one patron let their child use their own, adult library card to check it out. . . and then later was shocked and dismayed to find that this book from the adult section had adult content. And complained.
This complaint was sent to the committee that reviews works in response to such complaints. And, despite the committee recommendation to keep the book in circulation, the head of the library decided to ban the book anyway. Because clearly adults can't be trusted with their adult library cards, so better to ban the book. “I can override their recommendation," head of the library system Beverly James told television station WSPA. "I’m ultimately responsible.”
Of course. Because God forbid we expect adults to be responsible for their own, adult library card decisions. Better the remove that decision from everyone.
I've read Necronomicon. And I call BS on the idea that the parent flipped through the book. Or, if she did, that had to be an incredibly unskillful flip. It collects a 4 issue mini, so I can't imagine the collection is large. And much of EVERY issue of that has very vivid, purposefully transgressive content. Believe me, I know parents are busy, but a 30 second flip of that book, especially if you are doing so to answer the question of, "So why are only adults allowed to check this out?" would have done the job. But that flip didn't happen. And now somehow this parent is the victim of something the library should have done differently? Rubbish.
CBLDF
It is stories like this that make me a donor to the CBLDF
Also, before this becomes another thread about whether you like or dislike Alan Moore, I would say that this is not really about Alan Moore. It is a story about a work for adults being removed from a section of the library for adults, because one patron let their child use their own, adult library card to check it out. . . and then later was shocked and dismayed to find that this book from the adult section had adult content. And complained.
This complaint was sent to the committee that reviews works in response to such complaints. And, despite the committee recommendation to keep the book in circulation, the head of the library decided to ban the book anyway. Because clearly adults can't be trusted with their adult library cards, so better to ban the book. “I can override their recommendation," head of the library system Beverly James told television station WSPA. "I’m ultimately responsible.”
Of course. Because God forbid we expect adults to be responsible for their own, adult library card decisions. Better the remove that decision from everyone.
I've read Necronomicon. And I call BS on the idea that the parent flipped through the book. Or, if she did, that had to be an incredibly unskillful flip. It collects a 4 issue mini, so I can't imagine the collection is large. And much of EVERY issue of that has very vivid, purposefully transgressive content. Believe me, I know parents are busy, but a 30 second flip of that book, especially if you are doing so to answer the question of, "So why are only adults allowed to check this out?" would have done the job. But that flip didn't happen. And now somehow this parent is the victim of something the library should have done differently? Rubbish.
CBLDF
Comments
Without getting any explanation the child (and maybe) the parents might get nightmares and will just crawl back under the rock....
And remember, the library here opted to do just that. It was the head of the library system who decided otherwise, pretty much overlooking or outright stepping on the entire philosophy of the library. I'd be interested to know her background. Was she a librarian who rose through the ranks or a career politician occupying the seat? Maybe a bit of both? I dunno... definitely sounds like politics over librarianship to me.
If this was a private institution's library, that'd be one thing: private libraries are clearly dictated by the guiding principles of the controlling institution. Private Library A decides they want books that say dinosaurs and humans lived together? That's entirely their right. Public libraries are tasked to serve a much wider audience, and maybe some of that audience doesn't want Alan Moore's Necronomicon in their libraries, but maybe some of it does. But the public has a very basic choice here: they can opt not to read it... just leave it on the shelf. If it doesn't circulate, the library won't buy any more like it, and this book itself will probably make it's way to the Friends of the Library sale cart before too long. But that choice belongs to the public, not one or two people acting on the public's "behalf."
I marched down to the library and DEMANDED this book be removed and they said "Sorry, Mr. Torchsong, the Bible stays on the shelves."