Unable to Book Ban,Library is defunded

[drofgnal]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...wn/8323736001/

Sad day for readers everywhere.

[meeera]

Jonesboro, Arkansas was defunded also.

[issybird]

Carry on, with the obvious caution. Facts are fine; please eschew partisan opinions.

[ZodWallop]

Reminds me of the book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee. She talks about how community swimming pools were closed down, filled in and demolished rather than be integrated.

Now people are doing it to their libraries.

[bcbob]

The article presents a false choice. There are millions of books available and the library can only put a few on the shelves. Librarians always have to make a choice as to what books to carry and the choice means that other books will not be in stock. If a community does not agree with the librarians’ choice it is certainly their right to withhold their hard earned money from the library. I think it would’ve been better to fire the librarians but apparently that choice was not available to the community.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by bcbob

Librarians always have to make a choice as to what books to carry and the choice means that other books will not be in stock. If a community does not agree with the librarians’ choice it is certainly their right to withhold their hard earned money from the library.

The library is there to improve the community. Not to push it in a specific direction, but to give it more options.

Acquisitions librarians purchase a wide range of books. Checking the Patmos Library's books on the U.S. Civil War, most may be sympathetic to the union cause, but not all. If you are going to fire librarians for using their professional judgment, I doubt good ones would agree to work there.

As a heavy library user, I can't imagine a good library without lots of book I disagree with.

[haertig]

The taxpayers pay for the library. It's their choice to fund it or not, for whatever reason(s) they decide. They voted against this libraries funding not once, but twice. That is not a mistake or an anomaly.

I imagine there is a lot more behind the majority voting "no" on the funding than this news article is presenting. The article implies that the voters are pushing an agenda. My gut tells me that it is more likely the news media that is pushing an agenda. You can't trust the media to report in an unbiased manner any more. So my take on this is, "There is more to this story..."

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by haertig

The taxpayers pay for the library. It's their choice to fund it or not, for whatever reason(s) they decide. They voted against this libraries funding not once, but twice. That is not a mistake or an anomaly.

No. It's just ugly and sad.

I imagine there is a lot more behind the majority voting "no" on the funding than this news article is presenting. The article implies that the voters are pushing an agenda. My gut tells me that it is more likely the news media that is pushing an agenda. You can't trust the media to report in an unbiased manner any more. So my take on this is, "There is more to this story..."

I trust your gut less than you. But did search around for "Jamestown Michigan Library" and all results seem to agree including:

Fox News: MI library loses funding after being accused of 'grooming' children with books that contain LGBTQ themes

and local sources:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Only library in Michigan town to close after voters defund it for refusing to ban LGBTQ books

Click on Detroit: Western Michigan library targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ group loses most of its funding

Not EVERYONE is lying.

[Sarmat89]

Hit them where it hurts, I say. It is unwise to bite the hand that feeds you.

[MGlitch]

History is filled with people voting for terrible things so I’m really confused why anyone would use the excuse of “well people voted for it” as if that makes everything ok. Especially when it comes down to a 45/55 split, it’s hardly what anyone can consider a mandate for the side that “won”.

And the idea of “hitting them when [sic] it hurts” is absurd since the removal of the library is going to hurt the whole community more than it will the individuals who were making the decisions to not ban books.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

Hit them when it hurts, I say. It is unwise to bite the hand that feeds you.

I don't understand this comment. What do you mean?

[Sarmat89]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

Especially when it comes down to a 45/55 split, it’s hardly what anyone can consider a mandate for the side that “won”.

If you have a 50/50 split, you should be extremely careful not to antagonize the half of your population. Libraries funded by municipalities have no right to push any agenda or have a political position.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

If you have a 50/50 split, you should be extremely careful not to antagonize the half of your population. Libraries funded by municipalities have no right to push any agenda or have a political position.

"Our library should carry a variety of books to cater to the variety of need that exists within our population" is not pushing an agenda. It's fundamental to the mission of libraries. Diversity and inclusion is mainstream librarianship, and should not be controversial or partisan.

(Before following up, please check issybird's caution above; I believe I have stuck within it, but will move to P&R if the mods feel otherwise)

[jhowell]

In my youth I spent a lot of time in my local library. It makes me sad that this library is being used by both sides as a weapon in a fight over social issues.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by jhowell

In my youth I spent a lot of time in my local library. It makes me sad that this library is being used by both sides as a weapon in a fight over social issues.

Providing access to books for kids isn't using a weapon. Very surprised to hear this in a forum about reading and books. The one thing I hope we can all agree on is that reading is great, there should be more of it, and everyone deserves access to stories and information.