OK--So I haven't blogged in awhile. . .

Now that my library program is over I've decided to use this blog for personal ranting and raving. . .

I have been spending a LOT of time with family lately. Because of their ultra-Conservative views, I have had to bite my tongue around them more than once to keep the peace. It seems almost any subject I bring up leads back to "those damn liberals."

Yesterday I happened to mention that the library where I work has been inundated with school children from two different school district's summer school programs. Public Libraries do not have rules about what children may check out. We simply cannot monitor their check-outs because most all libraries have self check-out stations where children may check out their own items. Further, there happens to be first ammendment laws prohibiting censorship in this country. Libraries are all about PROVIDING information, not prohibiting it. This has raised a somewhat sticky situation because some of the school children have checked out items parents and school staff believed were inappropriate. I explained to one parent that adults must lay down the rules and monitor what their own children bring into the home, or accompany their children to the library if they have concerns about children checking out inappropriate materials. In this case, since it was the school that brought the children, it was up to the school to discuss with the children what was acceptable to check out.

The Conservative (who will from now on be referred to as C. in this post) reaction was -- "WELL, I never had to be accompanied to the library when I was a kid. What kinds of books are kids checking out that they shouldn't?"

My answer-- "A boy wanted to check out a book that had pictures of guns in it. A parent felt he shouldn't have been allowed, but it wasn't my place to stop him from doing so, it was the parent's responsibility."

C-- "THAT shouldn't be allowed!!"

Now I was surprised by his reaction since he does not believe in tightening up our gun laws in any way. Evidently it's OK to have millions of guns floating around the country, but not OK to let children educate themselves by allowing them to check-out reading materials about guns from the public library. Hmmm.

I mentioned again the reason we could not disallow children from checking certain items out was because it was presumptuous on our parts to assume anything about the boy-- that he might be up to no good, or that his parents might object. I did not know the boy or the boy's parents. It wasn't my place to draw the line for each child who came into the library, I explained. I went on to tell C. that some people felt we shouldn't allow Harry Potter books in the library, for example, because they felt Harry Potter promoted the Wiccan religion. However, many others LOVED Harry Potter. I should not be held accountable for who may or may not be allowed to read Harry Potter. It's the same with gun books. Some parents might think reading about guns just fine. Personally I wouldn't have had a problem with my children learning responsible behavior about guns whether from a book or Cub Scouts.

"That's STUPID!" C. yelled, "There's nothing wrong with Harry Potter!"

"Yes, I agree, but it isn't my place to tell people what to read, . . . And then there are some people who don't think we should allow any books printed in Spanish or Chinese. . ," I informed him.

"WHY?!" C. asked in outrage?

"Because this is an English speaking country."

"THAT'S so STUPID!!" he exclaimed."

"So True." I agreed," There are lots of bi-lingual American citizens, not to mention citizens who like to brush up on other languages by reading. Additionally, those living here who aren't citizens still pay taxes to use our libraries. . . Also, there are people who think we should get rid of all books about sexual diseases, sexuality or anything to do with sex at all, which would include menopause or information about pregnancy or prostate cancer. Further, I don't know if you've ever noticed, but a lot of artists paint and sculpt nudes. The 700 section is full of it. Kids can check it out of course. It's not my place to say who should or shouldn't. Some parents are fine with their kids looking at art, others feel kind of squeamish about it. But gosh-- if we got rid of everything people complained about there would be nothing left."

"Well when I was a kid I lived in a small town and everyone knew everyone, so the librarian knew my parents and she knew what I was allowed to check out. THIS is so stupid!! THOSE damned LIBERALS! It's because they SUE everyone."

I had to bite my tongue. Didn't I just tell him about all the Conservatives who challenged books right and left? Good heavens--We can't go back to living in the 1930's again. Everyone doesn't know everyone anymore. Our population has grown a bit since the 1930s. We live in an age where children can get information off any computer practically anywhere within seconds and they can check out their own books at the library from a self check-out station.

But every time I disagree, he gets all upset, his blood-pressure rises, and I'm afraid he's going to have a heart attack. He is too old to understand, so I let it go. The world has changed. What scares me is he's still voting-- and he views the world as if it's still 1930.

The "problems" aren't caused by those "damned liberals." It's lack of tolerance. We need the damned Liberals to keep the damned Conservatives in line. Every time a Conservative challenges a library book there is a Liberal out there fighting for it and your right to read it. You don't like the book? Fine then! Don't read it! There are plenty of books I leave alone because they aren't my cup of tea-- BUT the difference between me and them is I LEAVE IT ALONE. I accept the fact that others may have a different take on life, a different viewpoint than me, and it's OK that we all have different views, opinions, tastes. NO-- It's more than OK. It's WONDERFUL!

Please --for the sake of Democracy-- just let books be.