EDITORIAL: Library Board process worked in protecting readers' rights

Sep. 18—Why it matters: A parent's objection to an adult novel at the Waconia library didn't warrant removal of the book by the Carver County Library Board.

Here's a telling example of what public libraries are up against when it comes to demands to ban books these days. A parent wanted a book removed from the Waconia public library who hadn't even read the book.

To be fair, the work was an adult graphic novel, and she did say she looked at the pictures. But she also admitted to not reading the text because she didn't understand the words.

It's not a leap to assume that many of the book objections are coming from people who have not read the entire work they are wanting to be removed. Cherry-picking objectionable wording or illustrations without taking context into account is in the book-banning playbook.

The other strategy is clearly for conservative groups and their followers to bombard libraries with requests to ban books. A small number of people were responsible for most of the book challenges in schools during 2020-21 school year, The Washington Post found in an analysis. Individuals who filed 10 or more complaints were responsible for two-thirds of all challenges. In some cases, these serial filers relied on a network of volunteers gathered under the support of conservative parent groups such as Moms for Liberty.

The American Library Association found that efforts to ban books nationwide nearly doubled last year with more than 1,200 book challenges compiled by the organization in 2022, nearly twice as many as the 729 challenges reported in 2021. Of the titles targeted, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color, according to the ALA report.

In this south-metro case, the Carver County Library Board recently stuck firmly to its book-objection process and policies, as it should, and refused to pull the book "Gender Queer: A Memoir." (The board members all took the time to actually read the book.)

The novel is shelved in the adult nonfiction section of the library; the parent objected on the grounds that children could still reach the book, according to MPR. That's like banning motorized vehicles because kids can crawl from the back seat into the driver seat.

The Library Board stands behind offering a variety of materials for people of all walks of life and interests — a role the general public wants libraries to serve.

The wonderful aspect about public libraries is the wide variety of materials available and the opportunity for adults to decide what you want and don't want to read. If the parent didn't want her child reading "Gender Queer: A Memoir," she shouldn't check it out. She also should ask a librarian to offer materials she would like to check out. If budgets allow, librarians are happy to accommodate requests.

The attack on libraries over reading materials takes the emphasis away from giving readers opportunities to explore the rich world of the written word and instead introduces paranoia about what you can and can't say, what you should and shouldn't read.

Jacqueline Woodson, author of "Brown Girl Dreaming," says it best: "Banning books put simply means giving some folks the opportunity to know less about a thing than others."