The Ketchikan Public Library’s advisory board convened Jan. 10 for a highly anticipated first meeting of the year. Hearings on two book challenges were on the agenda.
Ketchikan’s City Council chamber was filled with residents of all ages on an especially cold Wednesday night. Most were there because of two books in the public library’s teen section: Red Hood by Elana Arnold and Flamer by Mike Curato.
Deborah Simon, a member of the library’s advisory board, formally challenged the books last year in both the public and high school libraries on the grounds of content she deemed inappropriate for teens. She cited controversial ideologies, profanity, violence and even menstruation and vigilantism in Red Hood as some of her reasons for the challenge.
After a review process, the staff of both libraries denied the challenges. These hearings are part of the public library’s appeal process.
“Our community needs a part in creating objective criteria on which to base the decision of what books to purchase, and what those books’ intended audience will be in our entire community,” a visibly frustrated Simon said at the Wednesday meeting, adding that the challenges weren’t about restricting knowledge but giving the public a say.
“How can I possibly appeal a decision when I don’t know the standards that were used to make it?” She asked, referring to what she perceives as a lack of clarity in library operations.
Ketchikan resident Kelly Johnson spoke during public comment to say that the placement of these books matters. She said teens won’t go into places they don’t feel welcome, like adult sections of the library.
“Whatever they or their friends are dealing with, whatever they’re curious about – they want to know. Often, however, they’re terrified of asking,” Johnson told the board members. “Having a wide variety of information – including information that can be found in fictional stories – is vital. Especially information that includes the idea that survival is possible. Even surviving your own depression, sorrow, fear and loss. Teens need to know it can happen.”
Over a half dozen residents spoke against moving the books out of the teen section.
“My grandson’s first indoor soccer game is happening right now, and I’m here and I’m not happy about it. So, don’t like it? Don’t read it. Don’t want your kids to read it? You are in charge of your kids,” said Kathy Bolling. Bolling said that Ketchikan has its share of problems, including homelessness and drug abuse, but these book challenges aren’t one of them. She called them a waste of community time and resources.
Resident Suzan Thomspon expressed concern about the precedent that moving books sets. She said that a library patron had complained to a local librarian that the new additions to the children’s library had “way too many brown faces on them.”
“Do we remove the books?” Thompson asked. “Do we accommodate her by putting them in another section of the library where children won’t be exposed to them? Should we direct the librarians to stop buying books that feature brown faces? I don’t know where we expect all this to end. You take care of your family; you make the rules of what your children can or can’t read. The rest of us, we’ll take care of ours.”
Others took the podium to argue that removing books that discuss sex or self-harm will not erase teens’ curiosity about their own identities, sexual orientations, or the mechanics of intimate relationships.
Adults weren’t the only ones speaking at the meeting on teens’ behalf though. Sophia Pilgrim, a 15-year-old high school student, stood before the dais to defend the book, Flamer, a graphic novel about a teen who is bullied for his appearance.
“The significance of keeping Flamer in the teen section cannot be overstated. It’s a lifeline for those struggling with their identities. It offers guidance, assurance and the knowledge that they are not alone,” she said. Pilgrim quoted a passage from the book: “Fear and hope are bound up together inside of us alongside our flaws and our divinity. In this darkness we find an inner light to guide us. And there is light in you, even if you cannot see it.“
The meeting grew increasingly contentious following public comment.
The book’s challenger, Simon, said she was deeply saddened by the public defense of the book and complaints about her use of the process.
“Deborah, I think that’s really unfortunate,” advisory board member Kate Govaars challenged. “I mean, we heard from the public here and the only dissenting voice, and I don’t mean any disrespect, is you. But I struggle to understand what your endgame is here. And I really want to understand that.”
Simon bristled at the suggestion. Govaars clarified that the public comments at the meeting were overwhelmingly in opposition to the challenges and the goal of the board was to service the public. Simon expressed acute frustration at what she said was unfair and unconstitutional treatment by the remainder of the library advisory board.
In the end, the board voted to keep the book Red Hood in the teen section. Simon’s motion to move Flamer from the teen section died in a 5-1 vote.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that the library advisory board postponed a vote on Simon’s motion to relocate Red Hood from the teen to the adult section until the April advisory board meeting. In reality, Simon’s motion to move the book failed in a 4-1 vote with one board member abstaining from voting.
