ALA Senior Council Members Plan Effort to Resist Community Control Over Library in a Public Emails. (Made available courtesy of SafeLibraries.org and the MetroVoice Newspaper (September '08 edition)
The National American Library Association is currently planning their strategy on how to divert the media's attention and maintain control over our community library. The following are selected public emails from senior members of ALA council. They share not only how they are planning to divert the medias attention, but how they plan to maintain control over the the St. Louis County Library system, which is actually under the authority of St. Louis County Executive Charles Dooley. However, Charles Dooley.
In response to a question from ALA Councilor Charles Pace of the St. Louis County Library to all members of the ALA Council, ALA Councilor James Casey of the Oak Lawn Public Library nicely summarizes the stategy used to undermine local control of public public libraries.
In "[alacoun] Censorship issue," Charles Pace, 08/05/2008 , Charles Pace asks all ALA Councilors:
Dear Colleagues:
I wanted to make you aware of an intellectual freedom/censorship issue we are facing here in St. Louis County. A well organized group calling itself "Citizens Against Pornography" is upset about some of the materials that we have in our teen collections. Rather than go through the normal materials reconsideration process their solution is to create a citizen review committee to "give input into the collection development process", no doubt they would expect such a committee to be staffed by their appointees. Needless to say we are adamantly opposed to such a step and will resist any efforts to create what is in effect a censorship committee. I am curious to know though if any of you in public library settings have experienced similar efforts lately and if so what the outcome was. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Pace ALA Councilor-At-Large
To this, in [alacoun] RE: Censorship issue, James Casey, 08/05/2008, ALA Councilor James Casey of the Oak Lawn Public Library responds:
Charles:
Oak Lawn Public Library was subjected to very serious pressure from censor groups and became a major feature of their accusations on blogs and websites. http://www.safelibraries.org/ I'm afraid that it "goes with the territory". I would advise that your library be firm in resisting their demands, but avoid getting into arguments and "back and forth" in the local media. A polite, dignified statement by your Board should be sufficient. Continue referring to that statement of principle when asked about the issue and try to move the attention of local media to more positive matters such as your programs, circulation, construction plans, long range plan, etc.. The storm will die down when the media becomes bored and moves on to other issues.
--- It has long been my contention that censors are less interested in removing items from your collection than there are in posturing in an ostentatious manner as champions of righteousness. The more you argue with them or discuss their demands in a public forum, the more publicity they receive. If you accept their demands, it will only lead to more demands since their real motive is to remain in the public spotlight. A "citizens committee" would give them a long term 'soap box' and might even become a political factor. You were wise to resist this demand.
Good Luck!
Jim Casey – Councilor-at-Large
Then ALA Councilor Sue Kamm reveals some behind the scenes help was provided to Charles Pace. She reminds other ALA Councilors of the existence of the ALA's "Office for Intellectual Freedom" for the very purpose of defeating local opposition to ALA agenda. This is from [alacoun] RE: Censorship issue, Sue Kamm, 08/05/2008:
I replied privately to Charles, but I want to remind Councilors (and others) who face issues such as his that the Office for Intellectual Freedom is well-equipped to help people deal with them.
Your friendly neighborhood CyberGoddess and ALA Councilor at Large, Sue Kamm Email: suekamm[at]mindspring.com Inglewood/Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Dodgers Truest of the Blue, 2000 Visit my blog: http://suekamm.blogspot.com/ "High fly ball hit into right field ... she is gone! In a year that seems so improbable, the impossible has happened!" - Vin Scully, calling Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run, Game 1, 1998 World Series