Uncategorized 6:42 pm
This is a comment that was posted on the ‘Reconsideration Policy of Wasilly Public Library‘ thread. I thought it deserved front-page status.
LUCY-if you would like to comment any further on this issue, we would love to hear from you. Thank you.
Where can we get a RELIABLE copy of hte books Mayor Palin wanted banned? Banned Books Week is coming up – the PERFECT opportunity for us to loudly and publicly state our case against Ms. Palin…
I guess former librarian Laura Bush has no problem with this…
Wow.
Mary Ellen is out of the office on a previously planned vacation until September 7. I live across the state from her so I don’t know if she will make a statement to the press when she returns. There is no one in Alaska except Mary Ellen who could possibly comment on what types of books Sarah Palin would find objectionable, but it’s pretty clear that anything sex-ed would be on the list…such as the “It’s Perfectly Normal” book since Palin is a strong, vocal supporter of abstinence only education. Believe me, every librarian in the state is following and talking about the Palin story. It’s one thing to have our dysfunctional Governor messing up life in our wacky state where we can keep an eye on her, but it’s quite another to set her up on the national stage. I am a Democrat, but I know and like a number of our GOP leaders in Alaska, especially Lisa Murkowski. Sarah Palin is our worst nightmare of a poorly educated, poorly informed micro-manager who thinks she has marching orders from god to do what is right. Be very, very afraid of this woman.
To the best of my knowledge and the verbal recollection of others around the state who knew Mary Ellen in her Wasilla years, her relationship with Sarah Palin remained difficult and book censorship was a continuing issue. Mary Ellen is not a combative person by nature…she is smart and funny and rather quiet. Not someone who would make waves without a reason.
Censorship is prior restraint on publication. It has to do with freedom of the press, not public libraries.
To Not Censorship:
while technically, yes, the denotation of censorship refers to pre-publication of books and pre-production of theatre, today’s connotation doe include decisions of access, including public libraries.
Is there another word you would suggest for this control of access?
September 4, 2008 at 5:45 pm editI have worked in Alaskan libraries for 20 years and can assure you that the story about Mary Ellen Emmons is true. After Palin was elected she did her darndest to work with her but the pressure to censor materials got to be too much and Mary Ellen resigned and moved across the state where she rebuilt her life and continues to work in a library. She is reluctant to bring up that part of her past. We all wish she would make a statement to the press, but you forget that Palin is still our Governor and she is one mean, small minded woman and we may need her support for our libraries in the future. There is SB119 waiting for funding right now, which would provide matching funds for new library construction and $$$ for our school libraries, for instance. Once you cross Ms. Sarah, she keeps you on her list for life.