Wisconsin library board members dismissed for refusal to remove ‘controversial’ titles
A Publishers Weekly article today painted a disturbing picture of a Wisconsin library board that saw four of its members dismissed over refusal to remove ‘controversial’ books from the library:
The controversy began in February when two patrons complained that the library’s YA section included fiction and nonfiction books about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. The patrons accused the library of promoting "the overt indoctrination of the gay agenda in our community" and demanded that the library add books "affirming traditional heterosexual perspectives."
Of course, it’s not enough that these patrons wanted books removed that offended their sensibilities, they wanted to replace them with books affirming their own views on sexuality.
If public libraries only stocked books that no one found offensive, then we’d have a lot of empty public libraries around the country. Fortunately, most public libraries are able to stock a diverse number of titles reflecting many different viewpoints.
What is most disturbing in this case, however, is that only a small minority of patrons who are offended can so easily have their own views, and their own views only, forced upon the public. Public libraries are supposed to serve the entire community. And like I always say, if a book offends you, then don’t check it out!
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