Library hears public comments about children's library content

DAYTON–The Columbia County Rural Library Board of Trustees heard public concern over content in the children's library; were advised of the receipt of $20,000 for COVID recovery; and heard a program review during the monthly Columbia Rural Library District Board of Trustees meeting on August 15.

Concern over content on display in the children's library was brought to the attention of the library board by two patrons, Seth Murdock said his wife, Paula. Recently, they checked out over 15 books from the children's library, many of which were new and featured on display, because she was alarmed at the content of racism, transgender and sexuality. They ranged from preschool board books to young adult books contained there. She stated later that there were no such books were on display in the main library when she checked out the children's materials upstairs.

Murdock referenced a statement of the strategic plan where it states the Organizational Value of serving "the community as a reliable source of information," and said that he is not advocating for the banning of books, but for integrity of content in the children's section.

Murdock quoted from a few books and pointed out that the most questionable content was usually found in the middle. One was a board book from the collection First Conversations entitled "Our Skin," by Megan Madison, et al, which addresses the color of skin. It begins with the idea that skin color doesn't tell much about a person, but then goes on where Murdock quoted, "A long time ago, way before you were born, a group of white people made up an idea called race. They sorted people by skin color and said that white people were better, smarter, prettier, and that they deserve more than everybody else."

The book then talks about racism being "the things people do and the unfair rules they make up about race so that white people get more power, and are treated better, than everybody else...Racism can be a rule, like if someone says only friends with white skin can play. Racism can be an idea, like thinking princesses only have blond hair. Racism can be a way we've done things for a long time, like how there aren't as many books written about people of color. Racism can be on purpose, like calling a person of color a mean name because of their skin color. Racism can be by mistake like if the same friend always has to play the bad guy. (See photo) One of book's illustrations show a child holding a Black Lives Matter sign and proceeds to encourage "marching in protest." The book includes a kind of glossary of terms helping parents teach about words related to racism.

Another book featured in the Young Adult section of the Children's Library is "What's the T?" by Juno Dawson. Murdock said it gave information about how to discover gender and make the transformation using puberty or hormone blockers and operations.

It also provides information about exploring how trans and/or nonbinary people can have a fulfilling sex life. The subsections included various erotic body parts ranging from the tongue to genitals and descriptions on how to use them for sexual pleasure. One section was on "Toys" meaning sex toys.

Murdock quoted from the section about the "Bum," but gave an advisory warning first. It included descriptions of massage and rubbing of the prostate gland of the anus for pleasure, as well as the need for lubricant and the use of douching.

Reviewing the books checked out, another book by the same author, "This Book is Gay" offers a chapter entitled, "The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex" with explicit instructions on the how-to including some illustrations. It claims that pornography "is fine and fun."

Several other books in question were Junior Fiction and Junior Non-Fiction, as well as Young Adult titles found in the Children's Library. One book was entitled, "When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir." Another was a call-to-action book called, "This Book is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action and Do the Work" by Tiffany Jewell.

When reviewing the book, it names only white European colonists to blame for racism in the United States and around the world. Another book Murdock referenced, "The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person," by Frederick Joseph covers topics addressing what the author calls "a white person problem." He explains throughout the book, "I don't capitalize the w in white when referring to white people, though I capitalize the B when referring to Black people. This is a personal preference, because white people are simply defined by the color of their skin, while Black people are a cultural and ethnic group."

Following Murdock's comment, Pastor Jeff Hall of Waitsburg appealed to the Board and the Director saying that their care for children is apparent in the work they do, but that these books are part of the activist agenda to reach children. He said he recognizes people differ in their definitions of truth, but patrons are entrusting their kids to the library and use it in good faith. He requested they remove the materials from the children's library.

The Board and Library Director Todd Vandenbark provided no immediate response to the commenters other than that Spann told them the Director is their first point of contact for concerns about materials and asked whether they signed in and left contact information.

Vandenbark later offered the following statement, "The Columbia County Rural Library District welcomes feedback from patrons, community members, and others regarding its collections and services. For adding and removing materials from our collection, my staff and I follow the library's Collection Development Policy. My role as the Library Director is to help select and approve all additions to the collection, including items mentioned at the Library Board meeting on Monday, August 16, 2022. To serve our entire community, my staff and I seek materials on a broad range of subject matter that reflect diverse experiences. We do not select materials based on our personal beliefs. The Board of Trustees of the Columbia County Rural Library District has delegated the responsibility for selection and evaluation of library resources to the Library Director and has established reconsideration procedures to address concerns, from county residents, about these resources. Those wishing to express concerns about library materials, services, or events are invited to complete a 'Request for Reconsideration of Materials' form available at the library."

The library received $20,000 for COVID recovery. Part of those funds was used to purchase the virtual meeting program The Owl and another portion will be spent on Family Story Time. He also presented a revised Strategic Plan for review. While discussing his revisions of the draft, there was some disagreement over what a strategic plan should be. Spann and Beleny disagreed with Vandenbark removing items and whole sections once they were already accomplished or because he proposed they should go into a Director's Work Plan from which he would be evaluated. Spann said she expected to be reviewing the changes the Board agreed to at a previous meeting. She asked to review those changes and consider the Director's proposed ideas at the next meeting.

Vandenbark, who has been with the library since February of 2021, reviewed the different library programs including the Summer Reading Program which just closed with a Movie Night featuring The Meg for older kids upstairs and Finding Dory shown downstairs for younger children. This year they had 73 kids participate. They continue to offer weekly Take-and-Make crafts for children. Also, computer classes are provided on internet use and word processing.

He said next month is Banned Books Month where historically banned books will be featured and information will be provided about why they were banned and why banning books is not a good idea for libraries. He acknowledged Associate Charlie Oribio's anniversary with the library of five years and expressed appreciation for his work.

Public attendance was County Commissioner Chuck Amerein and City Council Member Laura Aukerman. Board members present were Vice-Chair Karin Spann, Michele Smith, Chuck Beleny and Sharon Mendel. In the absence of Chairman Jay Ball, Spann ran the meeting and began by acknowledging those present.