1 Moore, Tania
From: Lynn Unger <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 3:23 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Pornograohic library book
I support our Mayor Pro‐tem and our newly elected City Council in removing pornograohic material and books from our public libraries. Parents not liberal librarians should have the final say in protecting our children from inappropriate materials.
Regards,
Lynn Unger
7871 Shell Cir, Huntington Beach, CA 92648
10/17/2023
SS #9 (23-878)
1 Moore, Tania
From: Lindsay Klick <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2023 9:28 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: No Book Bans at HBPL
My name is Lindsay. I am a mother of two school‐aged children, an HB resident for 20 years and a Children’s Librarian in Orange County. I am extremely troubled by a development that is threatening our beloved public library system.
The Huntington Beach Public Library (HBPL) is under pressure by politicians to re strict and remove materials currently available to all. These attacks are led by Mayor Pro Tem Gracey Van Der Mark and supported by Mayor Strickland and councilmembers Burns and McKeon.
Proposed book bans = government overreach
On October 17, the Huntington Beach City Council will review and debate meas ures that would “prevent minor access to age‐inappropriate, obscene, pornographic and/or sexually explicit materials in City libraries.” But who determines what falls into these categories? “Pornographic” and “obscene” are legal terms—none of the books in HBPL qualify as such. “Age‐appropriate,” however, is subjective. Under the current system, parents det ermine what is appropriate for their families. Parents who are concerned about specific content are already VERY involved in their children’s selections.
Parents who prefer to give their children “free rein” currently have that option. Neither approach is wrong! What is wrong is Mrs. Van Der Mark’s proposal to form a board of parents who subscribe to her own pers onal beliefs to determine what is right for everyone else. She has proposed removing materials with “sexual content” from the children’s area. Her definition most certainly includes materials even mentioning the existence of members of the LGBTQ+ as well as books about reproduction, bo th of which are popular and circulate well currently. This is true government overreach. Plus, it’s a waste of the council’s time—we already have a functioning system of safeguards in place.
Current common‐sense library standards
The following policies and practices are standard for all public libraries:
● Children need a parent or guardian’s permission to get a library card. ● Minors und
er 11 must be accompanied by an adult in the library.
● Materials are arranged in secƟons: children’s, tee
n and adult areas.
● Using th
e library’s website, parents can access the list of materials their children have checked out at any ti
me.
● Library staff can assist fa
milies with personal book selecƟon based on family needs and concerns. (This is called “readers advisory”—librarians are happy to help!) ● Public websites like “co
mmonsensemedia.org" are also useful tools to guide parents in helping their childre n select books.
● Library use
rs may iniƟate the formal review of any item in the collecƟon by compleƟng a Library Materials Evaluation form.
Our library works for our community
The Huntington Beach Public Library is well used and much loved. Each year thousands of satisfied families use the library to access over a qu
arter of a million books or printed materials. Given these numbers, it’s impressive that there 2 were only five book challenges in the last five years. Gracey Van Der Mark herself has successfully used the current re‐ evaluation process resulting in a book being moved from Teen to Adult.
The truth is that many who are working to restrict materials do not actually use the library. They are acting on the unfounded fear that libraries and reading are dangerous, a fear the Mayor Pro Tem is fueling. Forming a group of very conservative parents to “pre‐select” materials for library purchase IS book banning. We as library users need to stand up to those who would set limits on our children’s reading. Deciding what our kids can read is our job, not theirs.
Free people read freely. Period. The time for library whispers is over. It’s time to shout!
—Lindsay Klick ‐ Mother, HB Resident, Librarian
1 Moore, Tania
From: Ted Ross <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2023 3:45 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Huntington Beach City Council Mtg Agenda Item : 23-878 Reference : 23‐878 Review of Councilmember Item 23‐532 ‐ SelecƟon, Display, and CirculaƟon of Library Books and Other Materials within HunƟngton Beach Public Libraries AƩachment 1
Pleas note spelling error in Miller Test on Chart Titled : References and Links: DefiniƟons and Sources for AddiƟonal InformaƟon
Miller Test: the test
by which materials are evaluated for obscenity. Involves a triparƟte standard, evaluaƟng materials on the basis of three criteria: • (1) whether 'the average person, applying contemporary standards' would find the work 'taken as a whole' appeals to 'prurient interest;' • (2) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; • and (3) whether the work, 'taken as a whole,' lacks series literary, arƟsƟc, poliƟcal, or scienƟfic value. (LINK)
Note spelling error “series” should be “serious”
Ted Ross
HunƟngton Beach resident