“Graphical sex” books will return to library shelves in Nampa, Idaho
Nampa library restores ‘Joy of Sex’ books | West Treasure Valley | Idaho Statesman.
OK, so these books, which feature “graphical sexual illustrations” were taken off the shelves of the Nampa Public Library. They were put in a director’s room and made available upon request, which got the ACLU up in arms.
I understand what’s going on there, and applaud the library board for returning the books to the shelves (because I don’t believe any books in a library should be held in a secret room, or furthermore, that a library director should be able to impose his values on which books should be in the locked room.)
I find it interesting, however, that after doing a search for these two books on the Logan Library’s Web site (“The Joy of Gay Sex” and “The New Joy of Sex”) neither of them are listed as part of the library’s collection.
So what’s worse? Having the books and then removing them or not having the books at all? What’s the difference at the end of the day?
-Tyler
9 Comments
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Sep 9th 2008 • 16:09
by David
I’m not trying to make assumptions about Logan here, but there is one flaw in your argument. Libraries have limited budgets and must choose what to stock. There is no reason to add books to the library collection that are very likely to be unused.
Sep 9th 2008 • 21:09
by Craig
We’re definitely not talking “Huckleberry Finn” here with these two particular books.
Sep 10th 2008 • 13:09
by Federal Farmer
Tyler, I am going to have to disagree with you here. The ACLU seem to think that this is a “civil rights,” issue, which would make it more convenient in the end. Yet “The Joy of Gay Sex,” was removed alongside “The New Joy of Sex,” which indicates that these books were both deemed inappropriate for general readers for other reasons not mentioned. Most of these “Joy of Sex” books have illustrations which are quite graphic. Therefore, why is it wrong for a public library to restrict the use of such materials for some readers, particularly children? We have ratings on films and have “parental advisory” notes on music, what restrictions are placed on publicly-funded books? Society has developed standards of decency and have more-or-less defined obcenity, and when it comes to children, I don’t at all think that my kid needs to be perousing “The Joy of Sex,” and I would hope that the public library would assist in that department.
Sep 10th 2008 • 20:09
by jess
i don’t have a problem with the books being placed a spot where an adult has to ask for them. at least they are available. there’s no shame in asking – at least no additional shame to take the extra step to ask as opposed to just checking the book out.
well said, ff. while i don’t think the books should be openly available for children, i think adults should have the right to check the book out.
Sep 11th 2008 • 14:09
by Tim Carter
I think Sarah Palin would ban the books:
‘[Former mayor] John Stein says that as mayor, Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. “She asked the library how she could go about banning books,” he says, because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them. “The librarian was aghast.” That woman, Mary Ellen Baker, couldn’t be reached for comment, but news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving “full support” to the mayor.’
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html
Sep 11th 2008 • 15:09
by Cameron
Tim, perhaps you haven’t seen this list yet.
Sep 11th 2008 • 16:09
by Aaron Orgill
Tyler, I think about everybody on this blog who knows me would say I’m open-minded and a pretty live and let live guy. But FF and Jess are 100 percent right, it is completely appropriate to have restricted access to certain books. Not many parents would want their 10-year-old to have access to something so obviously “adult”. If they were burning the books, or getting rid of them altogether, that would be a different story.
Sep 11th 2008 • 16:09
by Tim Carter
Cameron, I think this is what you are pointing me to, #40 on the list:
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/08/breaking_news/doc48c1c8a60d6d9379155484.txt
Sep 11th 2008 • 16:09
by Tim Carter
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2008/09/08/breaking_news/doc48c1c8a60d6d9379155484.txt