Erotic Romance in Libraries – A Soapbox Moment

Several nights ago (was it House night?  I can’t think of why else I would have had my TV on Fox to begin with), local Fox News affiliate Fox 30 ran a story about Erotic Romance books in public libraries.  Other than the stereotypically bible-belt statements expressed by the mother (she’s entitled to her values and her 15 minutes of fame, so I’m not knocking her), the only comment that stuck out in my head was when the “reporter” (this is Fox, I’m using the term in it’s loosest possible defined sense) stated that libraries rate movies; shouldn’t they do the same for books?

Moron, I remember thinking as I drifted off to sleep.  Libraries don’t rate movies, the MPAA does.

Today the story was picked up by Smart Bitches, and fellow local author Anne Douglas carried the story the day that it aired.  Anne is lucky enough to be a patron of the branch that dared allow a minor check out the book in question, and gives a pretty nice first hand account of the branch.

Reading this on Smart Bitches got me all fired up again, and in a wide-awake state this time.  Sis and I spent a lively 10 minutes exchanging links on the subject (it’s good to have a sister who’s a librarian, for more reasons than just this) and she oh-so-helpfully gave me some links.

Like this one for the ALA Intellectual Freedom website.

What About Protecting Children From Pornography, Whether Or Not It Is Legally Obscene?

The primary responsibility for rearing children rests with parents. If parents want to keep certain ideas or forms of expression away from their children, they must assume the responsibility for shielding those children. Governmental institutions cannot be expected to usurp or interfere with parental obligations and responsibilities when it comes to deciding what a child may read or view.

Then there’s this suggestion -

 If a child borrows something from a library which that child’s parent believes is inappropriate, the parents are encouraged to return the item and make use of the expertise of their librarian to locate materials they prefer, among the hundreds of thousands of choices most public libraries make available.

Someone needs to let the ALA know they left off the part about going to Fox News and demanding our public libraries need censorship.

From Travlin Librarian sis sent me

 Use of the MPAA ratings system to restrict young people’s access to films and videos is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights and an impermissible prior restraint on free expression.

And from that hotbed of liberalism the Texas Library Association’s Bill of Rights there is (emphasis theirs, but with my complete agreement):

MPAA and other rating services are private advisory codes and have no legal standing*. For the library to add such ratings to the materials if they are not already there, to post a list of such ratings with a collection, or to attempt to enforce such ratings through circulation policies or other procedures constitutes labeling, “an attempt to prejudice attitudes” about the material, and is unacceptable. The application of locally generated ratings schemes intended to provide content warnings to library users is also inconsistent with the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS.

I could go on, but time is short.  And really, I’d rather spend my time reading some sensual, explicit romances than frustrating myself with the “news coverage” skills of Fox News and their ill researched stories.

I wrote the acquisitions department over a year ago requesting some specific titles be added to the library.  I think it’s time I write them again – not with a request, but with a “Job Well Done” statement and an appreciation for the utter crap they have to put up with for doing that job so well.