Banning and moving aren’t the same

As patrons of the Tyler Public Library, we have been attending the board meetings. The agenda was to review several books that are in the Young Adult section for the age group 14-plus. We believe these books are sexually explicit inappropriate books. FCC censors those who read these particular books on television networks due to the sexual explicit language and content.

Those who spoke at the board meetings had only requested to move the books from the Young Adult section upstairs to the Adult section. The goal is to protect the children and give the decision making back to the parents and not the library.

Tyler Public Library on Oct. 2-6 observed ‘Banned Books Week’ which featured classic books such as “Charlotte’s Web”, “Where The Wild Things Are”, and “Fahrenheit 451”. Fahrenheit 451 was a book based on the Nazi Germany banning and burning books.

No one has asked for the sexually explicit books to be banned, but just moved to the adult section. To view the list of sexually explicit books that have been asked to move to the adult section of the Tyler Public Library, please visit this link: dirtythirtycampaign.substack.com.

Pamela and Dave Cookson

Tyler

It was never about banning books

The author of ”Protect our right to read by opposing book bans” obviously did not read the article recently published in the Tyler Paper dated Oct. 13. It was clearly stated that the group of “concerned citizens” does not want to ban books, we simply want books with inappropriate sexual content to be moved to the adult section of the library.

If you recall, one of the books that was challenged and subsequently moved to the adult section was titled “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” This book is so filthy and sexually perverted that a United States Senator while reading from the book had to be bleeped out because the content was so vile and salacious, not to mention the FCC does not allow such language on airways. Our librarian, city manager, mayor and the entire library board take no issue with exposing minors to books like this and others.

“People Kill People” was the most recent book to make the “reconsideration” list and every board member voted to keep it in the young adult (minors) section of the Tyler Public Library. I strongly suggest you and your readers read this book and decide if you think it is appropriate for minors.

Please stop calling this a “book ban!” It is not and has never been about banning books. It is about the librarian needing to place books with sexually explicit material such as violent rape in the adult section of the library. We have never supported a book banning, but we do support moving inappropriate books to the adult section.

Jan Love

Tyler