The following open letter was written as a letter to the editor of a regional newspaper. The newspaper serves an area where the library was under threat of losing funding for carrying LGBTQ+ books like my book, The Legend of Jamie Roberts, volume 1. (For more on that, I wrote a blog post all about it here.)
Dear Editors,
A local resident emailed me recently to let me know there are people in Steubenville trying to cut funding for your local libraries. Why? Because the libraries are carrying books like mine, The Legend of Jamie Roberts. The books I write have LGBTQ+ characters. This is reason enough for some people to try and convince others to cut funding from your local libraries.
That’s unfortunate. Because public libraries are great places to seek stories and information from perspectives besides your own. These folks will try to couch it in “concern for the children.” But it’s not about the children at this point. More on that in a second.
Here’s the thing. Public libraries have books on all kinds of subjects and points of view. Personally, I disagree with JD Vance, Ann Coulter, and Bill O’Reilly. Do I want their books banned? No. Do I want the libraries to have their funding cut because they carry those books? No.
Public libraries are a public good for everyone in every community. No matter your political leanings or religious beliefs. I’m an LGBTQ+ author and former librarian who regularly goes to church on Sunday. Those that read my books, know that.
About those “concerns for the children” – I grew up with people who tried to limit access to stories by and about LGBTQ+ people (limited as they were when I was a child). Did it work? No. I still found those books and read them. All that these “concerns for the children” instilled in me is that the adults in my life tried to control what I read and could access. Once I got to read these books, that made me question the legitimacy of their authority more than anything else. Why would they try to keep these books out of my hands? Why were they trying to dictate what I could read? They can try to hide behind “concerns for the children” all they want. The real reason is because they want to control what you know and learn, and keep you afraid of certain, specific people.
Young people should be curious and engaged in their world. That’s what books foster. It’s better to be curious and engaged than blindly obedient. If people want their kids to grow and thrive, encourage them to engage with their curiosity and to read broadly.
I am firmly against censorship, no matter if it manifests as explicit book banning or trying to cut funding for public libraries.
I don’t just write this to voice my thoughts, though. I also write this to encourage your readers to start attending library board meetings, and write letters to library board members and the local board of education. Talk to friends and encourage them to do the same.
Public libraries are shaped by the input of their readers and their local community. So what kind of community is Steubenville trying to form?
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That’s all for now. Thank you for your support.
You. Are. Awesome.
