Public libraries. 21st Century saloons?

[QuietlyListening]

Our local library has several branches. My oldest takes her son to the story hour- so far she has not found anything objectionable offered there for the young ones and none of her friends who are believers and care about these same issues. Our libraries offer books, games to borrow, and yes computers for those who don't have them or don't have internet. Some homeless do wander in but they are good about not letting it be a place where they hang out - plus the city is trying to work with the homeless situation. But you are going to find homeless people everywhere anymore. It is a sad fact of life if you live in a city/town etc. In the country/rural areas not so much.

Some of the librarians have stickers or other ways of proclaiming their particular thoughts and display them on their windows but the books so far and programs are not pushing an agenda. Our city is but so far the library seems to have stayed away from it.

I will say we live in a conservative rural area so while yes the city seems to have gotten on board with pushing the LGBTQ agenda it hasn't spilled to the library- which is county not city owned. Maybe that is why.

[steve-in-kville]

Our local library was *very* conservative until leadership changed a few years ago. There are a lot more activities, classes and demonstrations scheduled now, like introducing seniors to new technology... stuff like that. Still pretty old school compared to some in our area.

[Szdfan]

I will say we live in a conservative rural area so while yes the city seems to have gotten on board with pushing the LGBTQ agenda it hasn't spilled to the library- which is county not city owned. Maybe that is why.

Or perhaps these things are not as widespread as people say they are. I get a bit suspicious if it's always someone else's library that's causing all these problems.

[Ken]

In my community, public libraries are one of the very few safe indoor public spaces that we bother to create for children. Take them away and what is left? The mall?

In my experience, those who seek to take away libraries are motivated more by greed and selfishness rather than any concern for the interests of children.

[temporal1]

In my community, public libraries are one of the very few safe indoor public spaces that we bother to create for children. Take them away and what is left? The mall?
In my experience, those who seek to take away libraries are motivated more by greed and selfishness rather than any concern for the interests of children.

Where have you found any indication, on forum, or in any community, anyone is “seeking to take away” libraries?
Who are these greedy and selfish people you describe? i’ve never met or heard of any such person. anywhere, ever.

[temporal1]

I will say we live in a conservative rural area so while yes the city seems to have gotten on board with pushing the LGBTQ agenda it hasn't spilled to the library- which is county not city owned. Maybe that is why.

Or perhaps these things are not as widespread as people say they are. I get a bit suspicious if it's always someone else's library that's causing all these problems.

My OP is a first-person example of visiting a smaller satellite King County WA library with my young grdaughter.
What a shock when the sweet young librarian addressed me so politely, walked with us to find certain books we requested,
THEN .. when my back was turned, she slipped in a few UNwanted books, silently giving them directly to the child.

i was clueless, until the child took the books to her mother, saying she didn’t want them.

This is the basis for this topic. First person experience in a smaller neighborhood library.
i’ll never trust a librarian again, not with any child.

From a child, i loved and trusted libraries, school and otherwise.
We raised our children with libraries as go-to places for them. So much trust and respect.

CERTAINLY, THERE WERE ADULT SECTIONS.

My daughter wanted to be a librarian all through HS and into college.
She now tells me she no longer has an “open door” policy with libraries for her daughter.
Recently, she shared she feels she missed a bullet by not pursuing library sciences.

My parents were voracious readers, often checking out stacks of library books.

Do i believe all libraries are like left coast libraries i’ve experienced? No.
Do i believe this is the model lib politicians are aiming for? Yes. With both taxpayer funding and policy.

Illinois is racing to the bottom. In every way, not just porn for children in children’s libraries, children’s sections of libraries.
The level of deceit, the willingness to deceive, is off the charts.

But remember, this isn't actually happening. Don't believe your lying eyes.

- - - - - -

Horse fly facts
https://factanimal.com/horse-fly/

[Josh]

In my community, public libraries are one of the very few safe indoor public spaces that we bother to create for children. Take them away and what is left? The mall?

In my experience, those who seek to take away libraries are motivated more by greed and selfishness rather than any concern for the interests of children.

That’s precisely why I’d like to keep obscene books and drag queens out of libraries. If a man wants to play dress up, he can do it somewhere else.

[Josh]

I will say we live in a conservative rural area so while yes the city seems to have gotten on board with pushing the LGBTQ agenda it hasn't spilled to the library- which is county not city owned. Maybe that is why.

Or perhaps these things are not as widespread as people say they are. I get a bit suspicious if it's always someone else's library that's causing all these problems.

Szd,

Are you asserting the things like the drag queen story hour movement don’t exist?

[Ken]

In my community, public libraries are one of the very few safe indoor public spaces that we bother to create for children. Take them away and what is left? The mall?
In my experience, those who seek to take away libraries are motivated more by greed and selfishness rather than any concern for the interests of children.

Where have you found any indication, on forum, or in any community, anyone is “seeking to take away” libraries?
Who are these greedy and selfish people you describe? i’ve never met or heard of any such person. anywhere, ever.

How many links to news articles do you want me to post about local communities that have voted to close local libraries? Usually it is accompanied by a campaign to denigrate and smear the local library and local librarians.

Here is Douglas County Oregon a few years ago: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/201 ... to_cl.html
Here is a town in Michigan: https://www.bridgemi.com/talent-educati ... -may-close

Around here it is actually the conservative Christian homeschooling community that makes the most heaviest use of local libraries. There are homeschool activities happening nearly every single day at our local libraries during the school week. The public schools have their own school libraries. The public libraries are the only facilities available to homeschoolers.

[RZehr]

Douglas County Oregon - along with many other Oregon Counties - have vast forests that are owned by the government. These forests provided jobs back when logging was huge. Then environmentalists caused the logging and jobs to decline. I think there was a deal struck where these rural counties were given state or federal money to offset the decline in county revenue from logging these lands.

Then, the state/federal government stopped these payments to the counties. And that is why these libraries had to close.

Nothing to do with Christian homeschoolers.


This is about Douglas County:

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/201 ... _coun.html

Most of the trees in Timber Country belong to the federal government. During the past decade, in response to environmental regulations and lawsuits, the feds have drastically scaled back logging, dragging down harvests to record lows in 2001. Since 1989, about 160 mills statewide have closed, taking with them 35,000 jobs.

While regions such as Southern Oregon, Central Oregon and the Columbia Corridor have rallied around new industries, new residents and new identities, Timber Country has struggled, with limited success, to right itself.

The bigger towns, especially those along Interstate 5, are slowly diversifying. But they're still counting on timber companies to fortify the region. Many smaller towns, which lost their livelihoods along with the logs, are trying to turn to tourists, commuters and retirees.

…

Despite the industry's decline, Oregon remains the largest softwood producer in the country.

…

When harvests in Oregon peaked in 1986 at 8.7 billion board feet, 56 percent of the logs came from federal lands. At the low in 2001, the share had plummeted to 5 percent.

The hardships have laced communities with bitterness and a sense of betrayal. Politics are more polarized and conservative, Ehinger and others say.