The Moscow Public Library is facing pressure to censor books containing contents related to LGBTQ and sexuality subjects, much like another small-town library to the north.
Banning books has become a hot topic among the public, while many Idaho libraries have received requests to take publications off shelves. Boundary County Library has received 18 complaints about materials it provides, and the Moscow Public Library has received four requests to remove books available at the institution. Serious pressure to remove publications discussing gender and sexuality has affected libraries around the state, including Boundary County Library, a smaller library at the northwest point of Idaho in Bonners Ferry.
The library’s director, along with 11 other staff members, resigned in September after receiving pressure from the community in regard to a policy change. Three out of a total of 14 staff members remain at the library after serious demand from townspeople, said Lee Colson, board member for zone five at the library.
The library hired a new director in November 2021 and one of her priorities was to update a policy on material selection and collection. Colson said this policy hadn’t been updated since 1983, and the new policy was voted on during the board’s June meeting. More than 100 people showed up to the meeting, who were vocal about their disapproval of the new policy.
Specific language of the policy caught people’s interest — the policy that passed stated that selections of materials will not be affected by potential patron disapproval. The library will not label or place items on closed shelves to protect the public from their content, including LGBTQ- or sexuality-related materials. Colson said it isn’t standard for libraries to label content in this way, and by doing so it’s directing the library on what items it can or can’t have.
Community members were concerned about protecting children from these materials, claiming that books containing gender identity, LGBTQ and sexuality subjects are pornographic. Colson said at the library parents can manage what their child who are younger than 18 are able to check out. He added that it’s the parent’s responsibility to manage information their child consumes and has access to. In the library’s checkout policy, parents are allowed to choose selections for their child.
Colson said this policy “doesn’t seem enough” and people want to stop access complete to particular books. Upset about the new policy that was implemented, people attended the library with their concealed-carry weapons and visited the director’s home, physically aggravated.
The library received 18 Freedom of Information Act requests in the first few weeks of August complaining about the selection policy and the materials offered. Colson said with a smaller staff, the library has been unable to process requests at this time. The library has confidence in the community, however, and while this situation is difficult tension has settled down, he said.
Though not to the same magnitude, the Moscow Public Library has received requests to question books containing homosexuality and sexuality-related topics. Chris Sokol, director of the library, said the institution has received four requests, three from parents and one sent anonymously, about titles including “The GayBCs,” “It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity,” “It’s Perfectly Normal,” “The Gender Wheel” and “Who are You? A Kid’s Guide to Gender Identity.”
Sokol said people are more than welcome — and are encouraged — to discuss materials with library members. The requests the library has received from parents are related to concerns about sexually explicit material. A mother discussed naked bodies in a book teaching children about anatomy could be explicit. An anonymous request the library received stated providing materials on gender identity is promoting the “woke agenda.”
The Moscow library revised its policy on removing materials in 2018 after looking at several public libraries and the American Library Association’s guidelines. Patrons are encouraged to discuss concerns with a library member and question a book. If they want to take action further, they can make a request, which is then processed by the Board of Trustees. A presentation is made by the director and the board decides whether or not to keep the book in the collection.
Stacie Echanove, youth services manager at the library, said the institution tries to find books that represent the community and something everyone can identify with. The library also allows patrons to suggest materials to add to their collection, and tries to have a balanced collection the community can find themselves in. Sokol added a part of the library’s policy is they try to meet the needs of a diverse clientele — not all items will be of interest or are suitable for all library patrons.
Librarians help direct people to certain selections and topics within their collection. Sokol said two kids around 13-years-old once asked to be shown LGBTQ materials in their age range. But during the last legislative session, Sokol said a bill was introduced that could interfere with librarians recommending materials to people like those children — House Bill 666 states to penalize library workers who provide materials to youth that are considered inappropriate.
Colson said the bill will be on the Idaho Legislature’s floor in the next session. He added if the bill is passed, an adult who decides a book is unacceptable can charge a librarian civilly and criminally for checking out that book to their child. Librarians around the state could be charged, fined and, in severe cases, could serve jail time.
Rebecca Rivapalacio, adult services manager, said they want everybody to feel welcome and respected at the library, but not at the expense of another patron. Sokol added librarians are here to serve the community and serve everyone in the area — the library makes materials available for everyone and they want to maintain a high-quality collections.
“You should be offended by something in the library,” Echanove said. “That means we’re doing our jobs as a reflection of our entire country.”
For more information about the Boundary County Library, visit its website at boundarycountylibrary.com. For more information about the Moscow Public Library, visit its website at latahlibrary.org.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com or on Twitter @Emily_A_Pearce.
