Banned book lecture sparks discussion on explicit library book

As controversy and discussion continues across the state of North Dakota over the presence of sexually-explicit library books in public libraries, a meeting was held on Monday night at the Barnes County Historical Museum featuring a guest-speaker talking on the subject of banned books.

Emily Wros, a librarian at the Univeristy of North Dakota in Grand Forks and head librarian of the North Dakota Library Freedom Committee, spoke on the history of book bannings in the United States, providing examples dating back to the days of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She emphasized the importance of libraries to provide a diversity of viewpoints, and how book bannings have been used to silence opposition to movements such as abolition and segregation.

“Ideally we’re not trying to impose viewpoints on the public, we’re just trying to make them available,” Wros said. “If you manage to actually balance something one day, the next day it’s going to be different. That’s why we have a democratic soci

ety, is to keep having these conversations, about what is obscenity, what isn’t obscenity, what is appropriate consumption and what isn’t … I’m a maximalist, I’ll put anything out there.”

Following her speech, Wros fielded some questions from the audience concerning the moral obligation the community has to safeguard children and the challenges faced by that in a digital age.

One question floated concerned the “elephant in the room” of the Internet, which provides access to incalculable amounts of information and considerable volumes of graphic content to just about anyone. Wros spoke to the challenges that attempting to regulate this has caused libraries.

“It’s a balancing act,” she said, noting that many libraries have filters to keep people of any age from looking up pornography, but those filters can be indiscriminate and can also prevent people from finding more valuable information, like information on cardiac surgeries, breastfeeding or prostate cancer, prompting some libraries to remove those filters.

“Don’t you think,” one man in the audience asked. “(that) we as a community have a moral right to protect our children from some of the things we can find at the library?”

“Of course every parent has the right to decide what their children are learning,” Wros replied. “The problem is brought into deciding what other parents can expose their children to. You (may) want a certain book removed … because it’s inappropriate for children. But the next parent may not feel that way, and they may feel that book … is something they really need in their family right now. Each parent has the right to decide that for their own families. So it’s a balancing act, I’m sorry (but) there’s no easy answers to any of this.”

A possible compromise to the trouble of the book would be restricting access to it, but Wros said this has posed challenges to libraries in the past as well.

“The reason we don’t … (keep) certain books behind the desk, the reason generally we don’t do that anymore is … because they are sensitive subjects, like substance addiction, people may be very reluctant to ask a librarian about that because they may be going through that themselves,” Wros said.

One man compared the restriction of some materials to children to other bans lawfully enacted in the city.

“We ban vape cigarettes because the flavors may be enticing to kids…we ban them in Valley City. We now allow anyone who is six-years-old or older to grab a book off the shelf that will show you the pictures, anything you want to see,” he said. “You don’t have to know the meaning … my question is, do we have a moral obligation to our youth to put it up on a higher shelf?”

Wros acknowledged the validity of the issue, but said that the library isn’t necessary the right entity to decide that.

“The official answer to that is that it is the parents’ responsibility,” she said.

Pastor Terry Detwiler said that he’s seen an increase in children identifying themselves in various ways – as cats or dogs or as transsexual – and he asked whether this is a consequence of a greater emphasis on these identities in society.

Wros made a key statement about the importance of open discussion on topics like this.

“It’s important that we all keep talking to each other. Have an open mind and try to keep in mind that other folks are sincere in their points of view and they want the best for their community and their children,” Wros said. “We will always have to (talk about this) or else a society stagnates.”

At their last public meeting, the Valley City Barnes County Public Library board refused to hear comment from members of the public concerned about the book, “Let’s Talk About It;” they declined eight different requests to have the book’s presence reconsidered. Hilde van Gijssel, library board president, offered an argument for why this book’s inclusion is so vital:

“They did a huge survey in North Dakota, 11,000 students K-12 … this was published in North Dakota. Of those 11,000…about 10 percent identified as LGBTQIA+,” Van Gijssel said. “Of those 1100 students … 60% contemplated suicide, 45% of that group has made plans to commit suicide, 33% of that group has actually tried. So we’re talking about lots and lots of students. What the data also showed, this is backed up by several several studies … if you have proper information … at least the knowledge that the feelings are there will reduce the suicide feelings.”

The Times-Record contacted van Gijssel to find out the specific survey she was referencing, though she could not provide its name, directing us towards a survey of high school students conducted last year.

The most similar survey we were able to locate was the ND Youth Risk Behavior Study, which does indicate that about 18 percent of over 2,000 students surveyed had said they considered suicide; with six percent that had actually attempted it. The majority of those who had considered or attempted suicide were female; there was no information on their sexuality or gender identity.

A long-term study in Sweden indicated a less than one percent suicide attempt rate for individuals suffering from gender dysphoria, according to statsforgender.org, a resource assembled by those who are critical of gender affirmation as healthcare.