The following letter was sent to the Harford County Public Library by Anne Baker of Bel Air. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication:
Harford County Public Library System
1221-A Brass Mill Road
Belcamp, MD 21017
June 2, 2012
Dear Ms. Hastler, Harford County Public Library Administrators, Material Selectors, and Board of Trustees,
As a member of the Harford County community, as a reader, as an educator, and as a certified Maryland public librarian, I am disappointed and embarrassed by your decision to self-censor our local library system. Specifically, I am referencing the articles published by The Baltimore Sun and The Aegis reporting your choice to not provide copies of the popular romance/erotica titles from the 50 Shades of Grey series by E. L. James.
Ms. Hastler is quoted in the Baltimore Sun as stating, “No, we’re not censoring.” However, by the American Library Association’s definition, censorship is: “the suppression of ideas and information that certain persons—individuals, groups or government officials—find objectionable or dangerous. … The censor wants to prejudge materials for everyone.”
I understand selection policy. But Ms. Hastler also states, “A lot of the reviews that came out very publicly and quickly identified these books as ‘mommy porn.’ Since our policy is that we don’t buy porn, we made the decision not to purchase the series.”
Here you admit you have decided to self-censor these books. You have made a decision based on sexual content and by certain reviews describing these titles subjectively as “mommy porn”. If these are truly the simplified reasons you stand behind your decision, they are unprofessional and unethical.
There are plenty of other romance and erotica titles in your collection with graphic sexual scenarios. It is not your place to determine what you wish to make available to the public based on subjective opinion. Especially, in this case, a New York Times Bestseller fiction title, and a Goodread’s 2011 Choice Award Finalist for Best Romance. This book may not be enjoyed by everyone, but it certainly may be of interest to local book club readers, romance and erotica fans, and even non-romance readers whose curiosity is piqued by its recent popularity.
The American Library Association’s stance on selection policy versus self-censorship states: “No library can make everything available, and selection decisions must be made. Selection is an inclusive process, where the library affirmatively seeks out materials which will serve its mission of providing a broad diversity of points of view and subject matter. By contrast, censorship is an exclusive process, by which individuals or institutions seek to deny access to or otherwise suppress ideas and information because they find those ideas offensive and do not want others to have access to them. There are many objective reasons unrelated to the ideas expressed in materials that a library might decide not to add those materials to its collection: redundancy, lack of community interest, expense, space, etc. Unless the decision is based on a disapproval of the ideas expressed and desire to keep those ideas away from public access, a decision not to select materials for a library collection is not censorship.”
Hence, your disapproval equals censorship. Please do not cheapen our profession by reporting to the public and media you are not doing something that you are clearly, transparently doing. Censorship hurts us all. It denies us the personal decision we each have: the right to gain access to information and material and to determine if this material is appropriate for our needs. The Code of Ethics of the American Library Association states, “We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources.”
May I remind HCPL of the ALA’s first and foremost policy from the Library Bill of Rights: “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.”
I cringe to think how many other materials have not passed HCPL’s selection approval based on similar pretenses. And I am surprised by your decision. It connotes an impression HCPL does not wish to be relevant in a society that is constantly questioning libraries as pertinent modern institutions. We remain defined by our decisions and actions, as well as our inactions and denials. This decision on your part I’m afraid is one huge step backwards for what libraries stand for as a whole, and is immediately unfortunate and regretful for our Harford County community.
I agree with Ms. Hastler’s statement that choosing what to read is, “up to everyone’s own judgement.” Providing materials and allowing access to information – research and recreational – is our job, our charge, and our mission as librarians. Censorship, in its many forms, is not.
I admire and congratulate your upstanding employees who abide by these ethics and who do not stand beside your administrative decision. I support them wholly.
Thank you for reading and considering my concerns.
Earnestly,
Anne A. Baker, MLS
Bel Air, MD
Sources referenced:
American Library Assocation’s Bill of Rights
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
American Library Association’s Code of Ethics
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics
Harford County libraries won’t stock ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and sequels
May 30, 2012 By Mary Carole McCauley, The Baltimore Sun http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-05-30/news/bs-ae-banned-book-20120530_1_novels-library-patrons-harford-county-public-library
Amen.
Sure, Ms. Baker, and after you get copies of 50 Shades of Grey in the library, I’d like to view this month’s Hustler and Juggs magazines in my local branch. I’m sure you’ll support this, right? You don’t want to have any censorship, do you? Otherwise, I suppose you would be the one getting to draw the line, and that would just be silly.
What about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition? Will that be under lock and key to avoid tempting potentially malleable minds into a life of wanton sexism?
Censorship and book burning. Welcome to the Harford County Library system.
Not an easy decision but a necessary one. I appreciate that she did it. If you want to read a copy then go buy a copy and stop whining.
Alex, isn’t the point of a library so a person doesn’t need to buy books? I have no interest in reading the book but I don’t like that HCPL is censoring bestselling novels. I’ve seen the book “Becoming Sister Wives” in the library about living a polygamist lifestyle. They allow that type of book but not 50 Shades? Wow!
You haven’t been to the Library in years. Its a card core porn.
While I don’t agree with selective censorship of books, even this one, I do have to stop and question the dumbing down of America. This book is written at an eighth grade level and really, other than the erotica, has had lots of feedback for having really no real literary content or good writing to speak of.
All the press and media gimmick have just spread like wildfire to have people just buy into the hype. Almost like “shape-ups” which every women was screaming about in gyms, salons, and offices across America. Next thing you know there’s women walking awkwardly around parks and malls thinking these things are the best thing since sliced bread. Later found to be a complete hoax and FAD resulting in class action lawsuite and refund to those poor Saps. Guys are no different, except we fall for even more ridiculous stuff, heck Joe Montana was sporting them and I did see men giving up the “man card” at local establishments.
But the dumbing of America is captured in the ability for substandard writers to throw together horrible writing similar to that grocery checkout romance novels with centaurs to the X10 (tenth power) and all of a sudden you’ve got a hit. Crap writing with lots of erotica, boy the literary masters of our day would be proud.
Anne A. Baker, MLS, is completely wrong. Seeing she is an MLS, I am saddened further. She apparently intentionally leaves out material information that would show the library has not committed “censorship.” Instead, the library has done the right thing. The existence of many voices pressuring the library to violate its own policies has not caused the library to budge from following its policies, and for that it is to be applauded.
Ms. Baker cites the ALA’s so-called “Library Bill of Rights.” That is merely the ALA’s suggestions for communities, not a Bill of Rights. Further, it continues to oppose “age” discrimination even after the US Supreme Court has shown again and again that “The interest in protecting young library users from material inappropriate for minors is legitimate, and even compelling, as all Members of the Court appear to agree.” The ALA does not agree and seeks to continue to promote its views despite the Supreme Court holdings. So Ms. Baker’s citation as an authority of the “Library Bill of Rights” indicates she too wishes to promote her view that anything goes, instead the truthful view that there are legitimate limits on library collections or actions.
Here is information from a reliable source, as opposed to the ALA, showing the library’s actions have a legitimate and even compelling basis:
US v. American Library Association, 539 US 194 (2003) http://laws.findlaw.com/us/539/194.html
“To fulfill their traditional missions, public libraries must have broad discretion to decide what material to provide to their patrons.”
” …libraries have discretion when making decisions regarding what to include in, and exclude from, their collections.”
“Review for rational basis is probably the most that any court could conduct, owing to the myriad particular selections that might be ….”
“Public libraries are indeed selective in what they acquire to place in their stacks, as they must be.”
“Most libraries already exclude pornography from their print collections because they deem it inappropriate for inclusion. We do not subject these decisions to heightened scrutiny….”
Lastly, let me add a quote from Dan Gerstein about people, like Anne A. Baker, MLS, who scream about censorship:
“The … elites have convinced themselves that they are taking a stand against cultural tyranny. …. [T]he reality is that it is those who cry ‘Censorship!’ the loudest who are the ones trying to stifle speech and force their moral world-view on others.”
Hey Dan, why don’t you continue the quote from the Supreme Court? Like the part about an “adult user’s election to view constitutionally protected…material” in that very same paragraph? That case is about Internet filtering anyway.
Finette, your logic would obviate selection policies. In other words, the simple finding that “constitutionally protected…material” may be viewed means there is no need for a selection policy because anything goes as long as it is constitutional. The US Constitution effectively becomes the library’s selection policy. That is a nice thought but it is entirely inconsistent with libraries having selection policies as the Court discusses elsewhere, as I quoted. Selection policies necessarily mean libraries select what material gets into the library, and the US Supreme Court was very clear that libraries may legally exclude material for the various reasons SCOTUS discussed.
Further, the ALA recommends libraries have material reconsideration policies to ensure compliance with library selection policies, and I’ll guess many if not most libraries have such policies. I am sure you think they are a terrific idea, as I do. If there were no selection policies because, as you argue SCOTUS is saying, anything at all that is constitutionally legal is allowable, then there would be no need for material reconsideration policies. Yet there they are, in thousands of libraries, all referencing the library’s selection policy.
So I appreciate your effort to raise a potentially legitimate concern, but it does not square with the dicta and holding of the case, nor with the guidance of the ALA and the policy and practice in nearly every library. Nor with common sense, for that matter.
And yes, the case is about Internet filters. The Court discussed Internet filters in light of existing book selection policies with have been around for centuries. So the Court spent considerable time and effort on the issue of book selection polices. It them applied what it learned to the modern context of Internet filters. Such time and effort should not be brushed away with a simple notation that the case was about Internet filters. I encourage you and everyone here to read the case through so you can be fully informed and make up your own minds.
Thanks for commenting, Finette.
It’s porn for soccer moms and ladies that wear moo-moos. I think folks are upset because they have now been put in a category that they thought was only for the perverted. I’m sorry if the banning of that book from the library makes you all feel dirty, but there are lines, and they need to be drawn somewhere. The HCPL has not denounced the book and held a burning, they simply do not believe it fits within the guidelines of what the public should be paying for and dispersing. If you want to experience erotica in Harford County, you need to get it from another source, like a paid bookstore, online source or from a shady shop on route 40. Welcome to what us guys have been dealing with for years.
With limited financial resources available to the HCPL system, they have to make decisions as to what is purchased. I am more than willing to donate my “Fifty Shades of …..” series. Would that solve the problem?
So, so very sorry to have upset the thumbs down crowd…..
A ravenous bunch.
No, it wouldn’t solve the problem. Perhaps you learning to read and understand might help. The issue is not about money. Did you not understand that? The issue is about library policies. The library followed their policy. Not sure why that is news.
Censorship? Sorry, I don’t see this that way. Anyone who wants to go out and buy this book, or any book, can do so. The library cannot stock every book, nor should they be expected to. One can dispute their decision not to stock this particular book, but to label that decision as “censorship” is incorrect in my view.
Beemerman, the definition of censorship is: The practice of officially examining books, movies, etc., and suppressing unacceptable parts. Please explain how HCPL’s statement regarding the book does not fall under the category of censorship?
That’s simple. Simply look at the US Supreme Court quotes from US v. ALA I commented on above. It is not censorship for a library to have and properly apply a selection policy. Why even have a selection policy if anything goes? Indeed, why even call it a library instead of just a warehouse if is has no selection policy or is not allowed to apply it by people shouting “censorship.”
And again, the case you’re citing is about Internet filtering.
@Finette, I discuss that in the comment I left you above moments ago.
Excellent letter!
This book is on the best seller list. I’ll bet the library has copies of every other book on the best seller list. I so look forward to the annual hoopla that Harford County Libraries raise during banned books day/month. Maybe there will be a copy of 50 Shades on display then?
Come on over to the beautiful Perryville library. If you have a MD library card, you can borrow books there. And the Cecil County libraries do have copies of the banned book.
Sorry, Barbara, can’t make it to the beautiful Perryville library in gorgeous Cecil county. I can’t afford the ridiculously increased tolls thanks to MOM and his gang. BTW, how much trash do you guys have on your shelves? Surely this book is not the only one?
Wow, I am fascinated by the reasons for wanting this book to be purchased by the library. It’s my right, it’s the only book(s) on the NYT best seller list that hasn’t been purchased, failure to purchase doesn’t follow the library rules on a national level, etc, etc, etc.
Now, I am further fascinated that this book was the one that finally got my daughter’s friends (24 yr olds) to join her in a book club. None of my suggestions worked and neither did my daughter’s favorite book, to kill a mockingbird. HOWEVER, I DO NOT want my 13 year old to have access to this book. She has heard enough talk about the book to be curious, but she doesn’t have access to it without going through me, the gatekeeper. The library avoids usurping my job by just not carrying a book that appeals only to ones prurient interests. If you really need to read it, we live in an OPEN society…..go buy it. Don’t expect me to support your interest in this sort of trash and we all have a duty to protect our children. I applaud the library for just being real!!!!
So…do your job as a parent and don’t let your minor child check out something you don’t want her to read?
@Finette, “doing your job as a parent” has nothing to do with library selection policies. Your comment suggests that libraries can do away with selection policies simply by declaring that parents are responsible for their own children, not librarians. While they may be true, and many libraries already declare that, it has nothing to do with selection policies.
@Kim Wagner, understand that a typical library properly following its selection policy will almost always have material that would be inappropriate for children. Yes, keep an eye on your children and on materials recommended by the ALA, but no, a selection policy’s function is not to ensure a library is safe for children, just in case anyone was wondering.
From what the Sun editorial stated, people who are part of the e-book system can get the book through Harford County Public Library system. So it’s only those who do not have computer/technology access (or still like to hold a physical book in their hands) that are denied access to the book. I think they indicated that the ACLU was ‘looking’ at the issue because of the inequality of access among patrons.
” the ACLU was ‘looking’ at the issue because of the inequality of access among patrons.”
The ACLU threatens people and places left and right. When it comes to libraries, often its threats are flat out empty threats. That said, the ACLU frightens many people into falling in line, and they know it, so they use threats frequently.
If the ACLU threatens any library, contact me and I will take apart the lies line by line.
For example, in Nampa, ID, the ACLU threatened a library with suit for a certain action based on a claim that embarrassment amounts to a First Amendment violation. Sounds reasonable, right? Well not when you find out the ACLU already lost on that very same issue five years previously in the US Supreme Court. So that’s an example of empty threats the ACLU uses. In my opinion, they should be countersued for treble damages due to vexatious litigation.
By the way, the empty threat working in Nampa because the people did not know the ACLU had already lost on that same issue. And there were no consequences to the ACLU for this flat out lie. This is why the ACLU sends threat letters to library after library–it’s got nothing to lose and a lot of sheep to shear.
I could see censoring the books due to the appalling writing. Seriously, I would have expected better from a major publishing company. They should have at least sent the writer a thesaurus or found a free one on the internet to recommend.
Censoring it for a few whips and chains? I don’t agree with that. Beyond the BDSM angle, how is the series any different than the other mommy-porn books in the romance section?
“Fifty Shades of Grey” is a simpleton-type book. The authoress is making a fortune. Libraries are banning, censoring, not ordering, ordering, have waiting lists, whatever the case may be. How many folks wish they had written the series and were laughing all the way to the bank? I wonder if the Abingdon Regal Cinema will ban the soon-to-be motion picture from its screen(s)?
My understanding is that this “book” was originally composed and distributed for free on the internet as recently as the last year.
Also maybe the library just isn’t interested in paying the suddenly high “market” price for it. In my opinion, though frustrating as a reader, our libraries shouldn’t pay more for new release fiction. Nobody needs to read this stuff now, and if they do, let them pay for it.
A poorly written book.
It reminds me of the South Park episode(is that banned yet?) where the boys write a book full of bad language and it becomes a huge success.
People will read anything if you put a few sexual words into it.
Don’t buy into the hype. Save your money and get your porn for free on the internet just like your kids are doing.
Do you actually think kids are going to the library looking for this stuff?
orgasm
virgin
no fisting
plastic zip ties
contractual romance
holy @#$%
holy ^%$#
holy *&^%
“I can fix him” mentality
There, you have now read the book.
Save your money.
Best comment yet! LOL! You really could become a best-selling author with your way with words. I hope your next synopsis is as equally compelling.
It seems to me the library has to make these types of decisions on a daily basis and some books lose and some win. Libraries can’t carry every book that every person wants. I’ve tried to get some books from booksellers and was told they did not carry them. Is that censorship? If Ms. Baker wants the book so badly she can buy it, download the ebook version from HCPL or get it from the Balto. Co Library. This whole thing is a tempest in a teapot. YIKES.
Any book available in the public libraries of the state of Maryland can be requested and it will be delivered to the library of your choice. I’ve done before and it works just fine.
I just cringed reading the words Bobby wrote; “…the banning of that book from the library…”
Truly a phrase I never thought I would hear in my lifetime. Sad.
Should there be books in the public library that preach hate toward ethnic groups or religions, or should they be banned? Should there be books in the public library that show how to make bombs from simple household ingredients, or should they be banned? Should there be pornagraphic books in the public library, or should they be banned? Lines need to drawn somewhere. Pornography is always open to a huge gray area and I feel that the library may have been a little conservative in their decision, but it was their decision to make, and I respect that. Nobody’s rights were violated, now go get your copy online.
Why do lines NEED to be drawn? All art should be boundless and available. Period.
Freedom of speech comes with responsibility,it is not wide open. Should pictures of explicit sex act be available at the local library?
Adults should be able to access the book from their library if they aren’t able to digitally and without buying it. Libraries are already filled with books depicting sex and violent images, so what’s the problem? Maybe because the book is on everyone’s radar thanks to the media, who probably wouldn’t have even picked up on it in the first place if it didn’t start out as Twilight fan-fiction (which to me is more cringe-worthy).