<div dir="ltr">Very well said, Kirsten,<div><br></div><div>One of the things that struck me on my first visit to the Holocaust Museum in D.C. was the sensitive way in which outrageous content was portrayed. I remember especially the Mengele medical experiments exhibit. The multiple screens were set low, so that you stood above them and could view them almost privately. The other thing that struck me at that first visit was the number of people who had deep personal connections to the exhibits. They knew were uncle Saul had lived, or died. They looked for pictures, cried at the eyeglass and shoes exhibit--again set low, so that crying was a private and not a public event. </div><div><br></div><div>I too honor intellectual freedom, but on reading the library statement, am troubled by the issues you and others have raised, Kirsten, and by memories of that first visit in D.C. (In fact, I have returned several times, but never have done the entire tour again).</div><div><br></div><div>I’ll add that I am not Jewish, or Romani, or a Russian communist. And that although I am not an American Indian, I work with them frequently and work with Indian history and culture in my library constantly. And that time and again, historically and today, Indians are slighted, their history and culture omitted or denigrated--and often by folks like me, white liberals who think we know what they think and feel--or should think and feel. </div><div><br></div><div>Enough. Thank you Kirsten and Mike and others. Keep up the good conversation. It is always good to think about the over and undertones in the work.</div><div><br></div><div>rich wandschneider</div><div>Josephy Library of Western History and Culture </div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Sep 4, 2016 at 1:44 PM, Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org" target="_blank">kbrodbeck-kenney@lincolncity.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div style="font:10pt/normal Segoe UI;margin:16px 16px 4px;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal"><div><div>Mark, I really appreciate your raising the thornier aspects of this.</div><div> </div><div>I have found myself conflicted over this. I do see this as an intellectual freedom issue.</div><div> </div><div>However, I also know that boycotts are a time-honored mode of exercising freedom of speech. In this case, while this is an intellectual freedom issue, it is also, ultimately, about a conflict between two entities -- a private business and a non-profit corporation -- who do not agree on the best modes of handling racially sensitive material. In some ways, I wonder how this would play out if a book and antique store were displaying golliwog dolls in the window, or a particularly fine collection of WWII German memorabilia. I am saddened that OSF and Shakespeare Books & Antiques couldn't come to an agreement that left both parties feeling that their concerns could be satisfied.</div><div> </div><div>What it has caused me to contemplate in a library context is to what extent we have a responsibility to ensure that our educational displays serve the community and do not re-traumatize individuals who are feeling the direct effects of attacks based on their race, gender, sexuality, etc. I recently had opportunity to discuss this particular issue with a friend of mine who works in museums and often has occasion to work on displays incorporating racist imagery. She feels that choice on the part of the individual is deeply important, and stated that the choice she would make as a museum professional would be to have the material available to view, but allow the viewer to make the decision to view it, rather than having it be in a public thoroughfare. I find myself agreeing, although I think the specifics would need to be adjusted for every context and community. There are a great number of items that I would fight tooth and nail to retain in my library collection, but that I would not force on any patron without their consent.</div><div> </div><div>Just some further thoughts.</div><span style="padding-right:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;display:block"><span style="display:block"><br><span style="font-size:10pt;display:inline-block;word-wrap:normal"><div>
<div><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><font size="2"><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif">Kirsten</font> Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS</font></font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Tahoma, sans-serif">Library Director</font></div>
<div><font size="2" face="Tahoma, sans-serif">Driftwood Public Library</font></div>
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<div><a href="http://www.driftwoodlib.org/" target="_blank"><font size="2" face="Tahoma, sans-serif">www.driftwoodlib.org</font></a></div></div></span></span></span><span style="margin-bottom:5px;display:block"> </span><div><span>>>> Mark KILLE <<a href="mailto:markk@multcolib.org" target="_blank">markk@multcolib.org</a>> 9/2/2016 11:10 AM >>><br></span><div>
<div dir="ltr"><span class="">Hi all,<div><br></div><div>Okay, now that the "truth to power" line has been broken out, I feel I have to say something.</div><div><br></div><div>I wish people would stop talking about this situation as though there is one clear villain and one clear hero. For a relatively balanced presentation, see for example: <a href="http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160805/NEWS/160809755" target="_blank">http://www.mailtribune.com/<wbr>article/20160805/NEWS/<wbr>160809755</a></div><div><br></div><div>I think we can all agree that freedom of speech, as an ethical principle as opposed to a legal right, comes with an obligation to use that speech responsibly. I think we can also all agree that you have to expect that other people may speak right back at you, if they don't like what you have to say.</div><div><br></div><div>It's an extremely sad situation--especially since the two private entities involved seem to have roughly similar views about what racism is and why it's bad--but OSF didn't make their complaint up out of nothing. It came from the real pain and concerns of real people. </div><div><br></div><div>It's fine if folks sympathize more with Shakespeare Books & Antiques than those concerns as expressed by OSF. It's fine if folks think OSF was overbearing and counterproductive. Just, please, don't dismiss the pain and concern that led to their actions--or their equal right to their own free speech.</div><div><br></div><div>I say this *especially* in the context of calls for libraries to use this situation as an opportunity to educate patrons about censorship. Consider that some of those patrons might actually approve of OSF's actions, and might already be mistrustful of public institutions that may be perceived to care more about abstract principles than creating a welcoming space for everyone in the community.</div><div><br></div><div>To pick just one related example: Libraries can and should have books that express the full range of views on same-sex relationships. But in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that legalized marriage equality across the country, I would have never set up a display that included those books in order to "teach the controversy." Because it *sucks* to walk in and see books denying the validity of one's existence being actively promoted as being of interest.</div><div><br></div><div>I am not trying to convince anybody here of anything, or to start an argument. I'm just saying--please look at this situation, and others like it, as holistically as possible.</div><div><br></div><div>Thanks for your consideration,</div><div>Mark</div></span><div class="gmail_extra"><span class=""><br clear="all"><div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><b>Mark Kille</b><div><b>Library Assistant</b></div><div>Multnomah County Library</div><div>Hillsdale Library</div><div><a href="tel:503.988.5388" value="+15039885388" target="_blank">503.988.5388</a></div><div><a href="http://multcolib.org" target="_blank">multcolib.org</a></div><div><br></div><div><img src="cid:ZJAESJPBHESK.MultCoLib_2LineLogo_RGBemail_sig2.png"><br></div></div></div></div>
<br></span><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="">On Fri, Sep 2, 2016 at 10:27 AM, Tony <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:tony_greiner@hotmail.com" target="_blank">tony_greiner@hotmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br></span><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid" class="gmail_quote"><span class="">
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<div>Ross' reminder about the upcoming Banned Books week gives us the opportunity to point out to our library readers the censorship and bullying tactics used by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It is a great opportunity to speak truth to power.</div>
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<div>Tony Greiner</div>
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<div>Primo and Alma: Making WorldCat Local Look Good</div>
**<a href="mailto:tony_greiner@hotmail.com" target="_blank">tony_greiner@hotmail.com</a>** </div>
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