Letters to the Editor

To the editor,

The Dayton Memorial Library has been a hot topic of conversation for months now. These conversations are important. Expressing our concerns is a part of civic discourse as long as we do so respectfully. My concern is access to information. Did you know that there are over 29,000 items available through our library district? (For perspective, the controversy has been over 11 books.) What a resource for our community! Our librarians are also an excellent resource for library patrons. They are knowledgeable and helpful. Thank you, librarians!

The books that have caused controversy are shelved in the Lower-Level Library where books for children and adolescents are available. Parents have expressed concern that their children might be exposed to sexually explicit information specifically in one of the books in question. Adolescents are insatiably curious, especially when something becomes controversial or is said to be "off limits" by a parent. Some young people may seek books simply out of curiosity; some seek to understand or normalize feelings they are struggling with. Some might find the information "gross" as at least one concerned citizen did. However, those who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity may find the information a lifeline. Literally. "Grooming" has also be expressed as a concern. Since "grooming" is defined by many resources as involving befriending a young person for criminal sexual activity, a book cannot groom. Information cannot groom. Children who are born straight are straight. Children who are born LGBTQ are LGBTQ. Exposure to books, no matter the content, cannot make a child gay or transgender. Accessing such information may be, however, a critical step to self-acceptance. Isn't the mental health and wellbeing of a few children worth some discomfort on the part of the community? I believe that even one child lost to self-loathing is too many. Who are we trying to protect? If the answer is all children, then access to books that support understanding and self-acceptance are an important part of a library's circulation.

Let's build community with open, respectful discussions and by support our resources, such as the library. To dissolve the library district, as a recent petition supports doing, weakens community.

Mary Lenox

Dayton

To the editor,

I am a Dayton resident, a small business owner, a community volunteer, a previous library manager, and most importantly a mother of two boys. I am writing to address my take on the book issue at the library and reasons for a petition to close the library.

Below is an event timeline that led to my decision to start a library dissolution petition:

August 11, 2022: A particular book called What's The T?" was on DISPLAY in the middle of the room downstairs in the children's section of the library. At eye level for elementary aged children, not for the adults. This book includes chapters and sections on how to please your partner or yourself sexually. It includes bold font that points out oral and anal sex and the use of sex toys.

August 15, 2022: The patron who found the books brought them to the library board and expressed concern about the content of the books and the location they were found. No comment or action was taken by the board.

August 22, 2022: I emailed the director and board with concerns about inappropriate books on display in the basement and asked if the director could move them upstairs to the adult section. He emailed me back asking me to fill out a form to have the books removed. I stated I didn't want them removed, just moved and that it shouldn't take a form for the librarians to do what is right. He did not respond. No board members responded either.

September 6, 2022: After learning the board and library director were informed of the books in the library's children's section at a meeting, and were not taking action to remedy this, I went to the library to cancel my account and my 4th grade son's account. I told Todd we would not reopen our accounts until they took actions to make it a safe place for our kids again.

September 19, 2022: I attended the library board meeting and voiced the inappropriateness of availing these books in the same room as the kid's section. The board had no comments to attendees. Again, Todd told us to fill out a form.

September 25, 2022: Todd sent out a newsletter and Facebook post about "Banned books week" He stated that he purchased titles that have been recently challenged in libraries, covered them in brown paper so that you could not see the title, cover, or author, and put them out in the community for people to find. I asked him for a list of the titles and specific places they could be found. He gave me a list of 21 titles. Among them was the book being challenged, "What's The T?" and "This Book Is Gay" (which includes pictures of minor-on-minor sex acts), both by the same author. Fifteen of the other titles included sexually explicit content, racism, abuse against minors, etc. He listed The Depot, The Court House, and the Post Office as participating businesses. I went to the courthouse and the post office and asked about the books. Both places stated they were NOT participating in the program and had no idea what it was all about.

I received a Facebook message from the manager of the train depot who stated she was participating in it (which is sad as that is also a place that children are encouraged to go and explore and learn). But now I am not only questioning the motives of our library director, but also wondering why he seems to be deceiving the community. Is he trustworthy?

October 2022: Several people filled out the form for reconsideration. After a month Todd finally responded the books would not be reconsidered and would stay in their current location.

While this is going on, the Library Facebook page posted more than 15 times about banned books. He also bought additional copies of What's The T? to add to a book club kit.

At a library board meeting at the beginning of 2023, the board voted to change their policy for reconsideration. There were two changes; first a patron must read the book cover to cover or their request will not be considered. Second, once the board decides on a book, it can NEVER be reconsidered.

Does this sound like a board looking out for the best interests of its community, or, the best interests of their employee?

In addition, when the library was on the ballot back in 2005, those petitioning stated the library would only take $0.25/$1000 assessed property value (their minimum) unless something happened like a fire, flood, or major repairs--they would not dip into the junior tax pool to take the extra $0.25. This is not the case; they have always taken more.

Currently they are up to $0.47 out of the allowable $0.50, for an annual budget of just under $500,000/year. For a town our size, a library our size, with low participation, I am trying to figure out where all this money is going and why it is needed. Are we overspending and getting away from the purpose of the library and the actual needs of the community? Remember the Fire Department and the hospital are also part of the Junior Tax pool, but the library gets to request their funds first. Had the parks and rec district been voted in, they would have been a part of that same tax pool and would have had nothing left over to use towards the pool project.

In the February Board meeting, the board voted 4-1 not to act on the request for reconsideration of the book "What's The T?" and leave the book where it was; saying their hands were tied because of policy.

Let's remember who is in charge of writing and changing policy, this same board. It was at this meeting that Library Director Todd brought in a guest speaker. She was very clear in telling the community that any request for reconsideration we make will ALWAYS be turned down. We have no recourse to win with this avenue.

This meeting was my pivotal point, I decided to print the petition and start collecting signatures to dissolve the library. The library staff and board have lost my trust and of many in the community. Participation numbers are lower than what I had consistently at the Prescott Library, and the budget is too high. We do not have a vote in who sits on the board. They are appointed by the commissioners. This means that we did not choose these people to represent us. If they are not going to listen to the needs and concerns of the community, what are they doing?

I went to the most recent library board meeting where board member Chuck Beleny spoke about the inconsistencies in policy. The policy states their responsibilities to protect minors from explicit and harmful images and text on the computer, but they allow the same harmful material in print downstairs in the children's section. He requested a date for a special meeting to go over all the library policies and discuss inconsistencies and update outdated policies.

"If the board agrees," I thought, "I would gladly put this entire petition on hold. Maybe there is hope to save this!" Then Board Chair Jay Ball spoke up saying "there is a difference between computers and print. It is what it is."

Chuck asked again for a policy evaluation meeting, Jay made the executive decision not to set a policy meeting. He stated "That would take too much time. We are all volunteers and we don't have the time to do that. It is what it is."

Is it not the job of our Library board to do this very task? Does that sound like a board member who has the best interests of our kids or our community in mind? It certainly doesn't to me.

I have reviewed the RCW for our library. We have no say in who sits on the board. We have no say in their budget or how much they can take each year. We have no say in collection development. The only right we have as voters, is to decide if the library can exist or not.

Currently, it is my opinion our current library is not serving the needs or interests of the majority of our community. They are not being good stewards of our tax funds, and it is time to close it down and look at what is most needed in our community and work towards new goals. The only way to find out the needs of the community is to put it on the ballot which gives everyone a voice, not just five people.

Jessica Ruffcorn

Dayton, Wash.