At this month’s Library Citizens’ Advisory Council meeting, most committee members voted to recommend reshelving the book Verity by Colleen Hoover. The LCAC began as a way to bring challenged books to a committee for review, especially those deemed by some library patrons to be too graphic for young readers.
After one year since their formation, the LCAC has recommended removal of several books, however, Chair Chad Scott says at the meeting there could be legal challenges if the Borough were to actually remove them from the libraries. Several of the books being reviewed had been shelved in the young adult section. Ultimately, most are reshelved in the adult section.
But this month’s book Verity was already shelved in the adult section. This led Committee member Nancy Bertels to speak about reviewing what other adults read.
“Who are we to presume to review materials for other adults. Adults are capable of making their own reading choices. And parents are responsible for reviewing and evaluating and curating what their own children read. This is an easy task with our current automated system.”
Bertels is referencing the Borough Library’s system that allows parents to see what books their children are checking out. There was some discussion about reviewing books that were possibly shelved in the wrong section rather than focus on books already in the adult section.
Staff were unsure where the books on the list were shelved in the libraries. The Committee asked that the next book on the list that was shelved in the young adult section be selected for next month’s review.
The LCAC will meet again on September 15th.
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