Monday, November 06, 2006

Intrigue!

I am a member of the Board of Trustees for our local public library. It is a position for which my interest waxes and wanes. Some months I couldn’t care less about library policy and dread the meetings. Other months I get all pumped about being the backbone of democracy and providing access and information free to the masses. All in all, it is a worthwhile thing. Most of the time I enjoy it and can see that the library board is helping to better our community in our own small way.
I got an email today from our Library Director asking me to be on an ad hoc committee. Someone has asked that a children’s book be taken off the shelves. Intrigue! I’m so excited! It’s a weird thing to be excited about, I know, but won’t that be interesting?!
I’m not sure who else will be on the committee...I assume one will be a staff member…I represent the Library Board….maybe a member of the general public? We read the “offending material” and review our library policies and then make an official recommendation to the board as to whether the book should be taken out of the library or not. I’m thinking it will have to be pretty bad for me to recommend banning a book….but I guess I should go in with an open mind…but banning a book?!? I’ll keep you posted.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow...i am definitely intrigued! it's very fahrenheit 451...please let us know what the scandalous book is. i'm with ya' - it would have to be pretty bad to be burned, i mean, banned.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it banned book month or something just last month? In our library they had this whole table set up with books that had been previously banned. They even had stacks of copies talking about the history of book banning...it was sweet and I also think that you're in for some good stuff. Enjoy it for all of us.

emdunbar said...

I've seen some of those banned book displays--it's amazing what has been considered scandalous, and how the tides turn. Apparently it's the illustrations that are causing the uproar in this case. When I know the title, I'll let you guys know.