Posted on Aug 23, 2022
Conservatives in Idaho target 400 library books — but the library didn’t even own them
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For months, a group of conservative Christians have inundated the staff and board of a public library in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, with complaints about books they didn’t want to see on the shelves.
Their list of more than 400 titles predominantly focuses on young adult books with LGBTQ characters, scenes describing sexual activity or invoking the occult.
The only problem: None of the books are in the library’s collection.
Still, the activists in this town of 2,500 people wanted the books pre-emptively banned. They fumed that the library planned to join the American Library Association, a nonprofit trade organization known for fighting censorship that local activists falsely accused of “promoting pedophilia.” They started a campaign to recall four of the five library trustees over a policy against restricting access to controversial books, putting up signs around town that read: “Our Mission is to protect children from explicit materials and grooming.”
Their list of more than 400 titles predominantly focuses on young adult books with LGBTQ characters, scenes describing sexual activity or invoking the occult.
The only problem: None of the books are in the library’s collection.
Still, the activists in this town of 2,500 people wanted the books pre-emptively banned. They fumed that the library planned to join the American Library Association, a nonprofit trade organization known for fighting censorship that local activists falsely accused of “promoting pedophilia.” They started a campaign to recall four of the five library trustees over a policy against restricting access to controversial books, putting up signs around town that read: “Our Mission is to protect children from explicit materials and grooming.”
Conservatives in Idaho target 400 library books — but the library didn’t even own them
Posted from nbcnews.com
Reading
Conservative
1st Amendment
Freedom of Speech
Bonners Ferry
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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The library is 5 miles down the road from me. Going from the best small library in the US four years ago to this takes a lot of chutzpah on all sides who care more about their wokeness or Godliness than the library. Combine that with interesting legal actions involving the library board not having proper elections, the County Clerk not doing her job regarding elections, tax bills to residents by an organization we don't vote for, and the list is endless. This stuff could have been nipped in the bud if things were essentially set up like Los Angeles' system when I was a kid. Back in the day, there was a section for "over 18" by the librarian's desk. But the Board essentially said, they will decide which books and if sensitive, just put a sticker on the binder. That amped up the other side even more. The books in question can be obtained upon request, but that wasn't enough. Bottom line, it has been a predictable outcome when two sides want to have a fight.
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