Vote no on library bill
I’m writing this letter to strongly advise a no vote on what might replace Idaho State Legislative Bill 384.
As a member of the Lewiston Library Foundation Board, I have spent considerable time in our library observing library staff and programing. My first-hand knowledge informs me that our library contains a wonderful collection of materials to educate and entertain patrons. There is a robust system in place that all materials go through before they are available to patrons.
Obscenity is legally defined by the Miller Test, which demands books lacking serious value in literary, artistic, political or scientific aspects be considered obscene. There are already laws in place to protect against obscene materials. As it is, many of the books falsely targeted as obscene or dangerous disproportionately feature LGBTQ or characters of color. It appears that book banners care less about upholding obscenity standards and more about silencing dissenting voices.
Every community or school library has an established procedure for vetting, shelving and removing books. Library staff are dedicated professionals, many of whom have spent years obtaining degrees in library science, and libraries have been integral to communities since the early 1900s. The Legislature is introducing this bill to wrestle these processes from the hands of professional librarians and impose a biased system that gives more power to people who want to ban books.
Please ask your Legislature to focus on underfunded schools and crumbling facilities rather than squandering resources on a nonissue like “dangerous” books in libraries.
Helen Leboeuf
Clarkston
