Don’t like the book? Don’t read it.

Jeff Hogan wrote recently because he doesn’t like a book in the public library children’s collection. He thinks the book is there for social engineering purposes and encourages us all to write to the librarian to protest. The Book is called “Bye, Bye Binary” and concerns the topic of gender identification.

Our local library has over 300,000 books in its catalog including the Bible, the Koran and “Mein Kampf.” The library does not promote these books, it simply holds them in a collection of books.

These are books that explore ideas, books that discuss concepts, books that allow and encourage individuals the freedom to do the same.

If you consider that a book in the library is inappropriate for your needs, there is no need to borrow it. If you borrow it, you may find that you don’t agree with it. You don’t even have to finish it. You have the freedom to do that. You shouldn’t imagine that you have the freedom to prevent others from doing so.

When people try to ban books, they are exhibiting fear. Fear that the ideas in books don’t correspond with their world view. But as my mother used to tell me: “That’s why they make chocolate and vanilla.” Not everyone thinks the same as you, nor do they have to.

Mr. Hogan was concerned that this book was in the children’s section aimed at parents with toddlers. Although they may not be living the life that Mr. Hogan imagines for himself, he might consider that there are parents out there for whom this book is appropriate.

To paraphrase the author Neil Gaiman: Books give us empathy, they put us inside the mind of other people, they give us the gifts of seeing the world through their eyes. I suggest to Mr. Hogan that he read more.

— Kathryn Jordan, Loveland