Book Banners May Force Closure of a Virginia Public Library October 1

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She’s the editor/writer of (DON’T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/writer of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her subsequent e book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

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Since not less than May of this yr, the Samuels Public Library in Front Royal, Virginia, has been the goal of a e book banning marketing campaign. Dubbed “Clean Up Samuels,” members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church gathered collectively at a assembly May 13 referred to as “Beer, Babysitting and Cleaning Up Samuels Library,” which got here with a hyperlink to a web site itemizing dozens of books the group thought of “smut.” It comes as little shock the bulk of books are these within the youngsters’s and younger grownup sections by or about LGBTQ+ individuals and themes.

The Clean Up Samuels group is comprised of 53 people, who’ve flooded the library with over 800 reconsideration types. The group has not stopped at demanding e book removing, although. They have turned their consideration to defunding the library if their calls for aren’t met.

Statistics about Samuels Library via the Save Samuels website.

This story appears like one taking part in out in different libraries throughout the nation, together with Dayton Memorial Library in Washington state, Ozark Dale County Library in Alabama, and the Patmos Public Library in Jamestown, Michigan. For Samuels Public Library, funding to the establishment ended July 1, and with out help for receiving their funds, the library–which serves the whole thing of Warren County’s almost 41,000 residents–it can shut its doorways October 1.

The Warren County Board of Supervisors elected to withhold 75% of the library’s funds following calls for from the Clean Up Samuels group to take away 134 they deemed inappropriate. As a end result of the choice and push from the e book banning group, the library’s director resigned in early August. The Board supplied no clarification for what wanted to be finished with the intention to obtain the rest of their annual funding.

Today, Tuesday, September 5, 2023, is the final day for public remark earlier than the library’s potential closure. A gaggle, Save Samuels, has stepped as much as push again in opposition to the e book banners and in help of the library, and have put collectively a petition and name for all supporters to indicate as much as the board assembly this night and demand restoration of funding.

“Our group is now over 600 and we have so many parents, allies, grandparents, teachers and even teens speaking out and fighting to save our library,” mentioned Kelsey Lawrence, founder of Save Samuels. She created the group through a Facebook occasion together with her good friend Sydney Patton, who invited individuals to indicate up at a county supervisor board assembly in help of the library and its funding in June. The hours-long board assembly resulted within the determination to fund Samuels at solely 25%.

“Even in the midst of the setbacks like the vote and our director’s resignation we have had wins. We have found community in our group, and empowerment in this activism. It is truly a beautiful thing to see and to do together.”

In response to each the requests to take away books and withholding of funding–once more, with no clarification from the county board as to find out how to get their full funding again– the library board determined to develop two extra ranges of library playing cards. This would permit dad and mom to find out what supplies can be accessible to their youngsters. The library additionally determined to create a “new adult” part of the library, which might accumulate titles deemed finest for these 16 and older. The board determined to pursue this selection following assessment of three of the titles challenged by Clean Up Samuels. All three have been retained following assessment, although one title was relocated to the brand new part.

Save Samuels is asking anybody within the space to indicate as much as the county board of supervisors assembly this night at 5 pm, 220 N Commerce Ave, Front Royal, Virginia. Come ready to talk up on behalf of the library and demand full funding be restored. You’re additionally invited to signal the petition demanding that the library obtain its full funding allotment.

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“Write to the county officials and tell them that they want Samuels Public Library to be funded and that they want the entire catalog to remain intact. Tell friends and family,” emphasised Lawrence. “This is our library and we love it. It is a safe place that should be protected. It serves the community in so many ways. The staff of this library are thoughtful and caring and do not deserve the backlash and name calling that they are getting.”

She added that locals ought to be a part of the Save Samuels Facebook group to get entangled.

“We need our community to stand up and speak out about this, and help inform others about what is happening. Our library needs to be protected and it is going to take all of us to win the fight for our library,” mentioned Lawrence. “Our libraries, schools and towns need us to stand up for them. We need to secure these places for our children and the future of our communities.”

Even if you happen to’re not native, it’s each price taking note of this story and responding. Write to the board of supervisors in Warren County–info right here–in addition to write in help to the library board itself. Save Samuels has developed a sequence of prompts and speaking factors to make the method straightforward. If your library is an element of the Blue Ridge Consortium of libraries in Virginia, the closure of Samuels would instantly affect your consumer expertise as properly.

“When people in power tell you what they want to do-believe them. I think too many people believe that our institutions will never fall, and so chose to not get involved,” mentioned Lawrence. “This belief led to the community not getting involved until the middle of May, months after the opposition had strategized, organized and harassed the library staff. We had so much catch-up to do to organize and fight this. If you hear about this happening in your town-get involved.”

In Warren County, Virginia, a mere .13% of a county’s inhabitants may decide the power for its entirety to entry info and sources at its tax-funded library.

“We need to be aware of what is happening in our local government because this happens when we stop paying attention. We cannot let these people be the only voices in the room,” mentioned Lawrence.

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