Comments on: Jo Ann Pinder fired from Gwinnett library system in Georgia

By: blyberg.net » Neither far out nor in deep

blyberg.net » Neither far out nor in deep — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 19:04:24 +0000

[...] “Patron’s may complain” (see flickr complaints. Often times, we seem so afraid of risking a patron complaint that it keeps us from pursuing something potentially interesting. To some extent, I believe that patrons don’t have all the information to know what’s best for them. That’s what we’re there for–to create the services they never dreamed possible, right? At any rate, it’s impossible to please everyone, all the time. Yet, even if an experiment fails and ticks off a group of our patrons, isn’t that worth the right to experiment in the first place? I believe so. The government is not the only group of people who can inhibit innovation… our users can too. Keeping a vigilant eye on them may not be a bad idea (see Gwinnett CPL). I’m of the opinion that there is no moral equivalency between our mission and that of those groups that seek to ban “offensive material” and filter our Internet connections. They’re wrong, we’re right, period. Part of our mandate is to carry a community, even when a group of its citizens are acting like idiots. [...]

By: MadChildren's Librarian

MadChildren's Librarian — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:57:22 +0000

The children are who are being hurt by the apathy, beaucracy and general lack of knowledge of what managing a library should entail. People need to govern their children. Discipline them and determine what is appropriate reading material for your child. What we should be discussing is your child coming into the library screaming, cursing, kissing, having sex, tearing up books, tearing up computer equipment, stealing anything they can grab and mistreating staff and customers and lastly fighting. Sadly, it is because YOU are so busy veching about “the gays” you are not paying attention to the fact your 13 year old girl has repeatedly been caught having sex in the library. Govern yourself and your child. No, you yimwatwits are spending precious time banning books. That is the purpose of a free access democratic society: It’s called SELECTIVE READING! I am outraged by the mindset of some parents. Your child unfortunately does not want to adhere to easily acceptable appropriate conduct rules. If you spent more time teaching your child manners, how to read a book, how to socialize and get along with others and lastly that the library is a privilege not a right. Instead you spend precious time and resources bickering about gay books. Stop spinning the wheel against the real issues. Gay people could care less about you and your out of control brat. Some of the words, language, racial/gender slurs, ridiculing the homeless it’s truly sick. But the only time we see a parent is when you claim sexuality is being taught to your child. Oh please, your child knew about sex long before he/she came to the library.

Dropping a child at the library without parental supervision should be banned. That way we won’t have any more discussions about what you don’t want Suzie to read.

By: Baby Got Books » Gwinnett is the new Cobb

Baby Got Books » Gwinnett is the new Cobb — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 01:14:01 +0000

[...] Gwinnett County, our other neighbor to the north, is poised to fight for the dumbass crown. Not deterred by their loss in trying to remove Harry Potter from school libraries, the no-bookniks are at it again. First, they fired their Library Director, who led them to a National Library of the Year Award in 2000, without cause, apparently in an attempt to “harmonize the library system with conservative values” of the community. Uh, huh. [...]

By: Sharon

Sharon — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 19:25:41 +0000

Mark, Greg, (and anyone else), do you really and truly want the government–even the local government–playing ‘nanny’ to your children?

By: Crystal

Crystal — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 16:15:42 +0000

Whether it’s a Library Board, or a director of a library, bottom line, if someone doesn’t ‘like’ you, they will figure out a way to get rid of you. Or they will make you so miserable, for example, with a transfer to another library in (roundtrip travel might be 35 plus miles) that one would resign.
Georgia is an ‘at will’ employer/employee, and most folks have no legal avenue once they are terminated. Lucky for Jo Ann to have a hefty severance check, not available to most people, unless it is in their contract. Success is the sweetest revenge, and it won’t be long for Jo Ann to obtain an even better directorship somehwere else, if she so chooses. Crystal.

By: Baby Got Books » Gwinnett = The New Cobb

Baby Got Books » Gwinnett = The New Cobb — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:14:40 +0000

[...] Here in Atlanta, our northern suburbs are a constant source of amusement and alarm due to their conservative and reactionary government by what appear to be the smallest minds available for the job. Cobb County used to be the county most likely to make national news for stupid decisions, like putting evolution is “just a theory” stickers in all science books. Gwinnett County, our other neighbor to the north, is poised to fight for the dumbass crown. Not deterred by their loss in trying to remove Harry Potter from school libraries, the no-bookniks are at it again. First, they fired their Library Director, who led them to a National Library of the Year Award in 2000, without cause, apparently in an attempt to “harmonize the library system with conservative values” of the community. Uh, huh. What are the conservative values of the community? Well for one thing, the library won’t be buying any more works of fiction in Spanish, because they ‘’can’t supply pleasure reading material for all language groups, so we’re not going to go down that road”. Also, “we didn’t need to cater to illegal aliens”. Here is my personal favorite and most paternalistic of the quotes in the story: Board member Dale Todd said her only objection to the Spanish books is that Harlequin romance novels are not of high enough literary value. Instead, she said, the library should offer life-skills books to help immigrants. [...]

By: DEBORAH WILLIAMS

DEBORAH WILLIAMS — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 18:11:58 +0000

I agree with TScott. The ALA should go on the record against the banning of Ann Coulter’s book. I am the last person on the planet that would buy that book however I don’t agree that any public official should advocate that it be banned. Ann is doing a good job all by herself turning people off especially conservatives.

By: T Scott

T Scott — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:37:04 +0000

Oh, and I also intended to mention that it would be good for ALA to go on record opposing the ridiculous attempt on the part of a couple of New Jersey Democratic Assemblywomen to ban Ann Coulter’s new book. Individuals can refuse to buy it (and I hope they do), but it should be available in every bookstore and every library. It’s a genuine reflection of a thread of American culture and it needs to be debated and argued with, not banished.

By: T Scott

T Scott — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:31:08 +0000

In response to Deborah’s question “at what point do we say enough is enough” — the battle is ongoing. ALA (whatever its faults) has been steadfast is its anti-censorship activities. Librarians and concerned citizens deal with these issues every day. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that these freedoms can be definitively won. There will always be pockets of well-meaning citizens who will fight hard to control what information other people can have access to, and who will attempt to ban certain books in the mistaken belief that this is the best way to protect children. Those who believe that this is the wrong direction for a free society have to be vigilant always.

By: joshua m. neff

joshua m. neff — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 13:57:24 +0000

No, Greg, you should not let your kids go to the library without you, if you think libraries have materials you don’t want your kids to have access to. Because it’s not the library’s job to watch over your kids, nor is it the library’s job to presume that all parents don’t want their children to have access to library materials without parental supervision. As the parent of a precocious and inquisitive girl, I’d be furious if a librarian prevented her from having access to certain materials or information on the grounds that “she’s a child, and we must protect her.” That’s not their call. I don’t get to tell your kids what they can and can’t watch on TV, you don’t get to tell my daughter what information she can and can’t have access to.

By: Inga

Inga — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:03:41 +0000

I don’t think that libraries have tried to take the role of parents. Maybe I misunderstood your comment? Yes libraries provide services for children, but they are just that. They include storytimes, craft events and the like and in the library where I work parents are encouraged to join their children during the programs. I have never witnessed any problems with childrens programming. On the other hand I have seen when children’s programming is not available and that has led to complaints from parents. That libraries should close their doors till parents get home from work….well, that wouldn’t be fair to those stay at home mothers and fathers would it? or to the rest of the public.I have seen many parents come in our library with children and advise them on what they think is appropriate reading material or not. They take an active role in their children’s lives. Do they agree with everything that is on library shelves? No, but who does? Again a library is a public entity and therefore must serve the public not just certain people.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 02:02:36 +0000

Your comment is correct… soldiers are not civilians… that is why they have sergeants. Arms dealers provide the landmines, all types of triggers if possible. It is up to the individual to choose what he/she steps on or doesn’t. It is not the responsibility of shareholders to monitor where a soldier steps.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 01:47:53 +0000

Then libraries should close their doors from when school lets out until parents can get home from work. They should stop advertising their services to kids and stop programming that encourages kids to come to the library.

To say its the parents responsibility is to ignore just how hard libraries have tried to take on that exact role.

By: Inga

Inga — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:16:38 +0000

Your comment is correct…children are not adults…that is why they have parents. Libraries provide the information, all points of view if possible. It is up to the individual to choose what he/she reads or doesn’t. It is not the responsibility of ALA to monitor what a child reads.

By: Ana

Ana — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:03:15 +0000

It is not up to ALA to monitor what children read or don’t…that is a parent’s responsibility. What ALA does (or tries to do) is allow the flow of information. It is up to the individual to then decide what he or she reads or doesn’t.
I agree with you without question when you say that children are not adults… that is why they have parents.