>>> WELCOME TO "AT ISSUE."

I'M H. WAYNE WILSON.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR JOINING US, THIS TIME ON EFFORTS TO BAN BOOKS.

IT'S NOT A NEW PHENOMENON IN AMERICA, WE CAN GO BACK TO THE 17th CENTURY, WHEN THE EARLY PROTESTANTS AND THOSE WERE ATTEMPTING TO BAN BOOKS BASED ON RELIGION.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE 1950s, WHEN COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA LED TO THE REQUEST TO BAN BOOKS IN AMERICA.

HERE WE ARE AGAIN.

LAST YEAR IN ILLINOIS THERE WERE 67 ATTEMPTS TO BAN BOOKS, THAT'S UP FROM 41 THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW LIBRARIES RESPOND TO THAT, AND WHAT THE DUTY OF THE LIBRARY IS WITH THE FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT INDIVIDUALS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO KARI GARMAN.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALSO WITH US IS ALYCE JACKSON.

ALYCE IS THE MANAGER OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE PEORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ANN REEVES IS HERE, THE DIRECTOR FOR THE EUREKA PUBLIC LIBRARY.

I MAY POINT OUT, NOT FOR TOO MUCH LONGER.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> AND YOUR REPLACEMENT WILL BE?

>> CYNTHIA O'NEIL.

>> AND ALSO WITH US IS RANDALL YELVERTON.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> LET ME START WITH YOU, RANDALL.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOW YOU STOCK SHELVES, WHETHER IT BE BOOKS OR MAGAZINES, THERE'S A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY?

I WOULD CALL IT HOW YOU STOCK YOUR SHELVES, BUT -- CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW, I WANT EVERYONE -- I ASSUME IT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR, YOU STOCK YOUR SHELVES WITH SOME POLICY IN PLACE.

>> SURE, THERE'S SOME CORE PRINCIPLES IN PLACE, WE WANT TO GO OUT AND FIND THE BEST MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR OUR PATRONS, WE'LL LOOK AT LIBRARY JOURNALS, SO WE CAN VET THESE MATERIALS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING SOME OF THE BEST INFORMATION, SOME OF THE BEST QUALITY MATERIALS OUT THERE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MATERIALS THAT ARE POPULAR, WE KNOW THAT OUR PATRONS ARE GOING TO WANT TO READ, THERE'S A MIX OF MAKING SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS GOOD, AND WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING MATERIALS THAT WE KNOW OUR PATRONS ARE GOING TO WANT TO READ.

>> SO YOU KNOW THIS HISTORICALLY, THERE'S A TRENDING, NOT JUST -- WELL, THIS TYPE OF BOOK WORKED BEFORE?

>> YES, AND DEFINITELY KEEPING ABREAST OF THE NEWS, TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION THAT IS TOPICAL, THAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE HEAVILY PROMOTED, BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR PATRONS ARE GOING TO BE ASKING FOR PARTICULAR BOOKS AND PARTICULAR SUBJECTS, BASED ON WHAT IS TRENDING IN THE MEDIA.

>> SIMILAR PROCESS OVER AT THE NORMAL PUBLIC LIBRARY?

>> YES.

>> WE CALL OURS A MATERIAL SELECTION POLICY, IT NOT ONLY GUIDES US IN -- FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE OUR BURDEN OF WHAT TO SELECT, BUT IT EXPLAINS, WHY DO WE SELECT WHAT WE DO.

WHY DO WE NOT BUY TEXTBOOKS, FOR EXAMPLE.

WHY WOULD IT BE UNLIKELY FOR ME TO PURCHASE A RARE $200 ITEM FOR THE NORMAL PUBLIC LIBRARY CIRCULATING COLLECTION, THINGS LIKE THAT, SO IT -- THE POINT OF THE MATERIAL SELECTION POLICY IS NOT ONLY TO GUIDES THE LIBRARIANS, BUT ALSO TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY AS TO WHAT WE BUY FOR THEM, AND SORT OF HOW LONG WE HOLD ON TO IT, AND IF YOU'RE A LOCAL AUTHOR, ARE WE GOING TO PURCHASE YOUR ITEM AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS ARE ALL COVERED IN OUR MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY.

AS IS OTHER PROCESS FOR RECONSIDERATION.

IF SOMEONE FINDS THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS NOT TO THEIR TASTE.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW PEOPLE MIGHT FILE A COMPLAINT IN A MOMENT.

YOU USED A PHRASE THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, THE BURDEN OF SELECTING MATERIAL.

IS IT A BURDEN OR IS THAT A PHRASE YOU USE IN A LIBRARY?

>> WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY THE BEST THING EVER.

EVER, EVER, EVER.

I LOVE MY JOB.

SO IT'S -- IT'S NOT A BURDEN IN ANY SENSE, EXCEPT IN SO FAR AS ONE OF THE BEDROCK PRINCIPLES OF LIBRARY SELECTION IS TO ENG SURE THAT YOU HAVE BALANCE AND YOU ARE SELECTING FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.

AND SO IN THE SENSE THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY WELL, THAT YOU WANT TO BE CHECKING CONSTANTLY TO ENSURE THAT WHAT YOU THINK YOUR COMMUNITY WANTS OR NEEDS IS IN FACT WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY WANTS OR NEEDS AND IS CIRCULATING WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE IN SORT OF A LOVELY PROLONGED DIALOGUE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND WHAT THEY WOULD ENJOY, IS WHAT YOU ARE BRINGING IN FOR THEM.

SO IN THAT SENSE, YES, THERE'S A BURDEN OF DUE DILIGENCE ONE MIGHT CALL IT, IN ACTUALITY, IT IS THE BEST JOB IN THE LIBRARY.

>> THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT -- PEORIA IS A LARGER COMMUNITY.

FOR EUREKA, A SMALLER COMMUNITY.

YOU MAY HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS, I WOULD SAY?

>> I'M NOT SURE I WOULD SAY STANDARDS, OUR BUDGET ENTERS INTO IT, WE ARE A SMALLER COMMUNITY.

AND OUR SPACE DEFINITELY ENTERS INTO IT.

THROUGH THE LIBRARY ALONE, WHICH SPREADS THE BURDEN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE ALLOWED TO BORROW FROM ANY OTHER LIBRARY AS WELL.

WE WATCH THE TRENDS, SIMILAR TO WHAT RANDALL SPOKE ABOUT.

WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF ONE ON ONE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE COMING IN, THEY TELL US THINGS THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, THINGS THEY REALLY ENJOYED THAT WE CAN MAYBE LOOK FOR MORE LOOKS BY THAT AUTHOR OR BORROW MATERIALS FROM OTHER LIBRARIES IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM TO EXPAND OUR OWN COLLECTION THAT WAY.

>> SO IT'S NOT ANN REEVES MAKING DECISIONS, YOU HAVE THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION STANDARDS, BUT PEOPLE COMING IN?

>> WE DO -- AND I THINK ALL OF US RELY ON THE TRAFFIC THAT COMES IN THE DOOR, THE CIRCULATION NUMBERS.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT IT SOON, BUT THE PROCESS OF REMOVING BOOKS, BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO CROWDED, THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT ANY MORE, IT IS A COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY THAT EXPANDS FROM WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PURCHASE AND PUT ON THE SHELF TO WHEN HAS SOMETHING AGED TO THE POINT THAT YOU NEED THAT SPACE FOR SOMETHING ELSE?

>> IS THERE A POLICY, OR DOES THAT DEPEND ON THE BOOK AS TO, WE HAVE NEW MATERIALS COMING IN, WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH SPACE.

>> A LOT OF OUR LIBRARIES, SOME OF THE LARGER ONES, WE STILL HAVE SPACE ISSUES.

WE'RE THINKING, OFTEN TIMES IT'S LIKE RETAILERS, WE HAVE TO HAVE NEW MATERIALS IN THAT PATRONS WANT, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO REMOVE OLD MATERIALS.

WE HAVE TO KEEP THE BEST IN WHAT IS NEW, THAT REQUIRES SOMETIMES ROUTING OLD MATERIALS, AND THE QUALITY OF THE BOOK ITSELF.

AS IN CONDITION.

>> CONDITION.

AND THEN JUST SEEING -- MAYBE IT IS AN OLDER BOOK, BUT IF IT'S STILL CHECKING OUT, THEN YES, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ON TO THAT OR CHECK OUT THE CONDITION OF IT TO SEE, MAYBE WE WANT TO REPLACE THAT OLD TITLE WITH A NEWER ADDITION TYPE OF THING.

WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GETTING RID OF ALL THE OLD STUFF TO REPLACE IT WITH THE NEW THINGS.

IT IS -- IT'S A BURDEN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO.

>> IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION AMONG LIBRARIES.

YOU MENTIONED THE INTERLIBRARY LOAN.

SO YOU MAY NOT -- BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT NORMAL HAS THAT BOOK, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY -- >> EXACTLY.

I KNOW -- I'LL SPEAK FOR A COUPLE OF MY CO-WORKERS, THAT'S ONE THING, WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING TO WEED BOOKS OFF THE SHELVES OR DVDs OR WHAT NOT, ARE WE THE ONLY LIBRARY IN THE AREA THAT HAS IT, IS IT SOMETHING WE SHOULD HOLD ON TO?

ARE THERE FIVE OTHER LIBRARIES THAT HAVE IT, AND MAYBE OUR OLDER COPY THAT IS WORN OUT, MAYBE WE CAN GET RID OF THAT ONE.

>> LET'S GET TO A CURRENT ISSUE HERE, KARI, THAT COULD BE AGE APPROPRIATENESS OR SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT CERTAIN BOOKS ON THE SHELVES, LBGTQ PLUS IS AN ISSUE, RACISM IS ANOTHER ISSUE.

HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT WITH ANY COMPLAINTS THAT MIGHT COME IN.

>> THERE'S SORT OF A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH THERE, IN OUR MATERIALS SELECTION POLICY IT SAYS VERY CLEARLY, SOMETHING THAT POPS UP IN THE LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS.

WHICH IS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR OUR PROFESSION THAT SAYS, WE DON'T SENSOR, AND THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION AT NORMAL, BUT JUST AS LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS TO REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

RIGHT IN THE MATERIAL SELECTION POLICY, IT WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE GOING TO REFLECT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE, SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE THERE.

AND THEN WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT SELECTION DEVELOPMENT IS A PROCESS OF A PROLONGED RELATIONSHIP, A PROLONGED DISCUSSION IN A SENSE, WITH YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE MATERIALS YOU GET FOR THEM, WHETHER THEY'RE REQUESTING SOMETHING OR OBJECTING TO SOMETHING.

THE FIRST STEP IN ANY CONCERN ABOUT A MATERIAL IS TO TALK TO THE PATRON AND TO LISTEN AND SAY, TELL ME MORE, WHAT WAS IT SPECIFICALLY THAT UPSET YOU ABOUT THIS ITEM OR WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS?

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT PEOPLE SAY FIRST IS NOT THE HEART OF THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE ITEM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING OR THAT THE STAFF MEMBER WHO TAKES THAT CONCERN FROM THEM, THAT WE ARE HEARING THEM AND UNDERSTANDING THEM AND REFLECTING THAT CONCERN BACK TO THEM.

OFTEN, I THINK, IN THE PROCESS OF RECONSIDERATION, THAT'S WHAT THE PATRON WANTS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS TO FEEL HEARD AND TO SAY WHY DID YOU BUY THIS FOR THE LIBRARY.

AND I TRULY ENJOY GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TOO TALK TO A PATRON AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I BOUGHT THIS BOOK BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR REASON, FOR THIS PARTICULAR POPULATION, AND AS PART OF OUR FORMAL PROCESS, WHERE WE CALL IT A REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, WE ALSO ASK OUR PATRONS, HEY, IF YOU DON'T APPROVE OF THIS ITEM, WHY NOT?

HAVE YOU BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, HAVE YOU READ IT, HAVE YOU FULLY VIEWED IT, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST INSTEAD?

AND THAT'S A VERY INTERESTING MOMENT FOR ME AS A SELECTOR, AS WELL AS FOR ME AS A LIBRARIAN, WHERE YOU CAN SIT BACK AND THINK, DO WE HAVE A HOLE IN OUR COLLECTION IN THIS AREA.

IS THERE SOMETHING I SHOULD PURCHASE FOR THE COMMUNITY WE DON'T HAVE NOW?

I'M ALWAYS GLAD TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

>> RANDALL, A SIMILAR SITUATION IN PEORIA, IN HOW YOU DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS.

I KNOW THERE'S A FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS, BUT QUITE OFTEN IT'S SOMEONE COMING IN SAYING, WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS BOOK, THIS MAGAZINE, WHAT HAVE YOU, BECAUSE IT REPRESENTS LBGTQ CHARACTERS IN IT, AND MY YOUNG CHILDREN I DON'T WANT THEM EXPOSED TO THAT.

I ASSUME YOU HAVE TO SATISFY A BROAD SPECTRUM OF AUDIENCE?

>> SURE, AS KARI WAS SAYING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR COLLECTION IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

OFTEN TIMES WHEN A PATRON WILL COME IN WITH A COMPLAINT ABOUT A BOOK, WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT STAFF, EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT TEAM WHO ARE GOOD AT ENGAGING THAT CONVERSATION, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE MATERIAL.

OFTEN TIMES THAT CONVERSATION HELPS INFORM THE PATRON AS TO WHY OUR COLLECTION IS AS IT IS, AND THAT COULD BE AN INSTRUCTIVE MOMENT, AND THEY CAN WALK AWAY WITH A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF WHY OUR COLLECTION IS.

AND THEY WON'T CHALLENGE THAT POLICY.

>> HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET A CHALLENGE?

A FORMAL CHALLENGE?

>> RARELY, I PROBABLY GET ONE A YEAR.

WE'RE PRIVILEGED IN CENTRAL, ILLINOIS, I THINK A LOT OF OUR PATRONS UNDERSTAND THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A LIBRARY USER, AND APPRECIATE IT.

APPRECIATE THOSE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

>> KARI HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET A FORMAL COMPLAINT?

>> I WOULD SAY IN TERMS OF FORMAL COMPLAINTS, MAYBE ONE A YEAR, AND WE HAVE NOT AS YET BEEN THROUGH OUR ENTIRE FORMAL PROCESS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL ITEM.

ANN YOUR LIBRARY IS IN A SMALLER COMMUNITY, ABOUT 5300 PEOPLE.

NUMBER ONE, HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO YOU GET, AND NUMBER TWO, DO YOU HAVE -- DO YOU VIEW THIS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF THE TYPES OF BOOKS YOU MAY GET, BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNIY YOU ARE IN?

>> I THINK THE DISCUSSION WE HAD EARLIER ABOUT COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT FITS US AS WELL.

WE HAVE FIVE ON STAFF THAT ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS, WHEN WE CHOOSE MATERIALS, WE LOOK AT THE DIVERSITY AVAILABLE TOO TO US, WHEN WE BRING MATERIALS IN.

WE DO HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS.

PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND ASK FOR RECONSIDERATION ON MATERIALS.

AND I THINK WHAT KARI SAID, IT'S A GOOD TIME TO LEARN, TALK TO THE PERSON, FIND OUT WHAT BOTHERED THEM ABOUT THE MATERIAL.

MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE SO TO SPEAK, AS FAR AS IS IT LANGUAGE, IS IT PICTURES?

IS IT THE OVERALL THEME OF THE STORY.

WE LOOK AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS A LEARNING TIME.

A LOT OF OUR MATERIAL SELECTION IS ALSO BASED AGEWISE.

A DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENS WITH OUR CHILDREN'S LIBRARY AND OUR YOUTH SERVICES LIBRARY, MAY BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE WE WOULD HAVE WITH AN ADULT.

>> I WANT TO TURN TO ALYCE, BECAUSE THERE'S A COMMUNITY READS PROGRAM, IT CHANGED A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, TWO YEARS AGO, I GUESS IT WAS, THE BOOK WAS -- THE HATE YOU GIVE.

AND THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WERE UPSET WITH IT, WHY?

>> THE BOOK IS ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY, THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO, A YOUNG MAN IS KILLED BY A POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS AND IS A VERY TIMELY TOPIC.

A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS, THOUGH, ACTUALLY LEAN TOWARD THE LANGUAGE IN THE BOOK, IT IS A YOUNG ADULT BOOK FOR TEENS, AND PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK THE LANGUAGE WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE AGE GROUP THAT THE BOOK WAS AIMED AT.

>> THE BOOK WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE ISSUE WAS IN THE BOOK?

>> I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY SO, YES.

AND IT'S -- THE CHARACTERS IN THE BOOK ARE -- IT'S MAINLY TEENAGERS, AT LEAST THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A TEENAGER, AND IT'S JUST LIFE.

THAT'S -- IT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WAY TEENS SPEAK.

>> KARI, HOW DO YOU DIVIDE THE LIBRARY UP IN TERMS OF AGE APPROPRIATENESS.

THERE MAY BE SOME BOOKS THAT ARE OKAY FOR ADULTS, BUT YOU WOULDN'T WANT FOURTH GRADERS READING IT.

IS THERE A DIVISION?

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE TO WHAT READERS?

>> THAT'S SUCH AN INTERESTING POINT.

WE DO ACTUALLY AT NORMAL, HAVE A BIT OF A PHYSICAL DIVISION IN OUR COLLECTION IN THE SENSE THAT OUR CHILDREN'S COLLECTION IS COOPERATE ON THE SECOND FLOWER OF THE LIBRARY, AND OUR ADULT AND YOUNG ADULT MATERIALS, AS WELL AS LARGE PRINT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ARE KEPT ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY.

THERE IS THAT PHYSICAL DIVISION.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT AGE APPROPRIATENESS.

TO ME, ONE OF THE OTHER BEDROCK PRINCIPLES OF SELECTION AND LIBRARIANSHIP WE CANNOT ACT IN A PARENTS' ROLE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ME TAKING A BOOK OR AN ITEM OUT OF THE HANDS OF A CHILD OR YOUNG ADULT AND SAYING, YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT, THAT'S NOT RIGHT FOR YOU.

TO DO THAT, I WOULD BE TAKING AWAY THE PRIVILEGE OF THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIAN TO DECIDE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT PERSON.

WHAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR FAMILY OR FAMILY VALUES, THAT IS NOT MY PLACE TO DO.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE SO STRONGLY IN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO COME WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR LIFE AND HELP THEM SELECT MATERIALS OR TALK ABOUT MATERIALS TOGETHER.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL PRIVILEGES OF PARENTING.

IT'S JUST NOT FOR ME TO DO.

>> WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION MANY TIMES, THAT IF A CHILD COMES UP WITH A BOOK THAT IS AN ADULT BOOK -- LOOK AT THE TOPIC, LOOK AT WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER IS, AND MAKE ANOTHER SUGGESTION.

YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS ONE MAY BE MORE INTERESTING TO YOU.

BUT LIKE KARI SAID, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SAY, YOU CAN'T CHECK THAT OUT.

IT'S NOT OUR JOB.

>> WE SUPPORT THE RIGHT OF A PARENT AND INDIVIDUAL TO CHOOSE WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, BUT NOT TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IN THESE QUESTIONS OF BOOK REMOVAL FROM THE LIBRARY.

BOOK BANNING, TAKING PARTICULAR BOOKS OUT.

SOMETIMES IT'S MAKING THAT DECISION.

THE INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.

>> HAVE YOU EVER BANNED A BOOK?

>> NO, WE'VE NEVER BANNED A BOOK IN THE LIBRARY?

>> NO.

>> WE HAVE NOT.

>> BACK TO THE ISSUE OF AGE APPROPRIATENESS, BECAUSE THE EUREKA LIBRARY IS MUCH SMALLER, THERE'S AN OLD HOUSE AND AN EXTENSION.

IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE.

>> OUR CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY DOWNSTAIRS, SIMILAR TO WHAT KARI SPOKE ABOUT.

>> THEY'RE FREE TO COME INTO THE MAIN LIBRARY ON THE MAIN FLOOR AND CHOOSE A BOOK.

>> THAT'S A PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITY AND A JOY TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHILDREN TO BOOKS IS THE BEST THING.

TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THEM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ENCOURAGE.

IF THEY FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE THERE WITH THEIR 10-YEAR-OLD AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR NONFICTION AREA, FEEL LIKE MY CHILD IS GOING TO READ MUCH FASTER, MUCH FURTHER, MUCH DEEPER THAN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE IN OUR CHILDREN'S DEPARTMENT, OH, MY GOODNESS, YOU OPEN UP A WHOLE WORLD TO THEM IF THEY'RE A GOOD READER, AND THEY CAN COME UPSTAIRS AND EXPERIENCE SOMETHING ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL.

FOR US, COME UPSTAIRS.

>> THERE ARE MOVIES THAT HAVE TOPICS, LANGUAGE, ET CETERA THAT CAN BE VIEWED AS OBJECTIONABLE BY SOME FAMILIES, MUSIC.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF A PARTICULAR FILM, ALYCE?

>> AGAIN, I GO BACK TO, IF A CHILD BRINGS UP A BOOK OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE, I -- AS A PARENT, THAT WOULD BE MY RE RESPONSIBLE TO SAY, LET'S FIND SOMETHING THAT MAY BE OF A LITTLE MORE INTEREST TO YOU.

OR HOPEFULLY LOOK TO SEE THEY'RE WITH A PARENT AND DIRECT THE DECISION TO THE PARENT.

LIKE WE SAID, IT DOESN'T FALL TO US AS LIBRARIANS, WE'RE NOT IN LOCO PARENTIS.

>> THERE WAS A BILL, I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED IT YET -- >> THAT'S CORRECT.

>> 2789, A HOUSE BILL.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES WILL NOT GET STATE GRANTS, I BELIEVE THOSE COME THROUGH ALEX JANULIUS' OFFICE.

YOU CAN'T GET A GRANT IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION STANDARDS?

THAT'S REAL SIMPLE.

>> YES, IT ASKS LIBRARIANS TO AFFIRM THAT, HAVE OUR BOARDS AFFIRM THAT, THAT WE ARE ADHERING TO THE STANDARDS.

AS TO HOW WE ARE COLLECTING AND DISSEMINATING MATERIALS.

AND DOING SO WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THOSE STATE GRANTS.

>> SIX STATES THIS YEAR HAVE PASSED LAWS NOW -- I'LL GRANT YOU TWO OF THOSE STATES, THE GOVERNOR VETOED THE LEGISLATION, BUT SIX STATES PASSED LAWS THIS YEAR THAT SAID THAT LIBRARIANS, THE FOUR OF YOU, COULD BE SUBJECT TO FINES AND/OR IMPRISONMENT FOR PROVIDING -- AND THE DEFINITION WAS HARMFUL MATERIAL TO THE READERSHIP.

HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT THERE ARE SIX STATES THAT ACTUALLY PASSED LEGISLATION LIKE THIS, RANDALL?

>> I MEAN, DIRECTED AT -- ILLINOIS WASN'T ONE OF THEM, I'LL SAY THAT.

BUT IF YOU'RE WORKING IN ONE OF THOSE SIX STATES, HOW CONCERNING IS THAT TO YOU?

>> CERTAINLY, WE'RE CONCERNED FOR OUR COLLEAGUES.

LIBRARIES ARE TRADITIONALLY, WE'RE VERY COOPERATIVE, WE WILL CALL EACH OTHER, WORK TOGETHER.

WE SHARE INFORMATION TOGETHER THROUGH THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.

AND MORE INFORMALLY, LIBRARY TO LIBRARY, THAT'S HAPPENING CONSTANTLY, CERTAINLY, WE ARE ALL DEPENDING ON EACH OTHER, AND IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT THIS CORE FUNCTION AND COMMUNITY OF A LIBRARY, THAT PROVIDES FREE MATERIALS TO PEOPLE OF ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT RESOIRURCERESOURCE THOSE LIBRARIES COULD BE IN DANGER FOR DOING THAT.

>> KARI, YOUR REACTION?

>> IT GRIEVES ME TO THE HEART.

I KNOW THE NET EFFECT OF THAT LEGISLATION IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THOSE STATES WHO ARE NOT GOING TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT, AND AS A LIBRARIAN, THAT BREAKS MY HEART.

I WILL SAY IT'S SOMETHING I FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT THAT I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER REASON TO GO TO JAIL, CAN YOU?

SO IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY THAT AS AN ILLINOIS LIBRARIAN WHO IS LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THOSE FORMAL PROTECTIONS FOR ILLINOIS LIBRARIANS S DS CODIFIED.

AND I'M GRATEFUL TO ALEX JANULIUS FOR MOVING THAT FORWARD.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE TO FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS WORLD THAT I HATE THE IDEA THAT NOW THEY MIGHT FEEL EVEN MORE ALONE OR HAVE LESS ACCESS.

>> I'D LIKE TO FINISH THE CONVERSATION WITH THE SUMMER READING CLUB.

DO YOU ALL HAVE SUMMER READING CLUBS?

>> YES.

>> PEORIA?

>> YES, SUMMER READING PROGRAM STARTS OFFICIALLY MONDAY JUNE 5th.

WE'RE HAVING A KICKOFF PARTY THIS SATURDAY AT 11:00.

>> ANN?

>> YES, OUR PARTY STARTS AT 4:0 THIS AFTERNOON.

>> WHEN WE SAY THIS AFTERNOON, IT MAY ALREADY BE PASSED.

>> YES, THERE IS A SUMMER READING PROGRAM, IT RUNS OVER SIX WEEKS THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WE RUN A SECONDARY PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE READING.

>> SUMMER READING PROGRAM?

>> ABSOLUTELY, KICKS OFF TODAY.

IT'S FOR ADULTS, TEENS AND KIDS.

>> SO TODAY AS WE TAPE THIS?

>> YES, JUNE 1st.

>> LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO ANN REEVES, KARI GARMAN, ALYCE JACKSON AND RANDALL YELVERTON.

WE HOPE YOU FIND A SUMMER FULL OF READING IN FRONT OF YOU.

WE'LL BE BACK IN A COUPLE WEEKS WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "AT ISSUE ISSUE."

NEXT TIME WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A RIFT IN THE METHODIST CHURCH.