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Dear Tennessee House Cities & Counties Subcommittee members:
Rep. Jerome Moon, Chair; Rep. Kent Calfee; Rep. John Crawford; Rep. Rusty Grills; Rep. London Lamar; Rep. Ron Travis; Rep. Dave Wright -
First, it is my hope that y’all will provide time at Wednesday's hearing for the libraries maligned by last week’s witnesses to respond for the record.
While it is imperative for us to understand and appreciate each other’s feelings and points of view, it’s not right to use falsehoods and misrepresentations describing the activities and behaviors of others to “prove” our point. Rich Penkoski’s comments were particularly egregious, especially as he was representing himself as a concerned “christian”, while defaming library staff members for “not doing their job” and being “opposed to Christianity.”
Neither activity he described in Maryville and Cookeville was library generated, planned, or presented: his Maryville example was not a program but an exhibit that was requested, planned, and installed by a local community church; Cookeville’s programs were also requested, planned, and presented by local community tax-payer residents who care about children learning to be kind. (My question to Mr. Penkoski’s charge of a male exposing his genitals - why didn’t he call the police? ...who were even there at the program!)
The witnesses’ charge that we need this bill because all libraries around the state are not doing anything to protect children is beyond inaccurate and insulting, but mean-spirited and libelous.
So, I am writing again to implore and encourage you to please stop the proposed HB2721 Parental Oversight of Public Libraries bill http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Bill/HB2721.pdf.
In the library world, there is a saying that, “If someone isn’t complaining about your collection, you’re not doing your job.” (Y’all probably have a similar awareness.) Although that may sound flippant, it points to the fact that there have always been disagreements in our culture. Since the public library’s role, from our country’s founding, is to be of service to all segments of and diversities in the community it serves, it just stands to reason that someone is going to object to materials and ideas with which they disagree. Our strength is that all are open and available.
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Although HB 2721 presents as a benign parent-friendly concern, in point of fact, the bill
~ decimates the supervisory authority of local library boards of trustees and staff;
~ inserts another level of unnecessary government bureaucracy;
~ mandates a state-ordered increase in local expenditures for an election
($22,900 /FY20-21 and every two years thereafter: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Fiscal/HB2721.pdf);
~ promotes the censoring of library resources and community programming;
~ accuses and defames local library staff for “not doing their jobs”;
~ allows 5 people to imprison and fine library staff and volunteers with no due process or appeal
if they don’t do what the committee orders;
~ is anti-parent - allowing those 5 adults (not even required to be parents) to dictate to other parents what their children should/can read in the library;
~ is anti-Christian (all Bibles will have to be removed from libraries because its sexual content does not meet the “age-inappropriate sexual material” standard set by the bill).
Although this bill may come from caring about children, its implementation will do nothing constructive beyond what our community library folks already are successfully doing through their existing policies and practices, hard work and service-oriented dedication. All of the concerns expressed in the bill are currently being handled appropriately by folks in their local communities with no need for any further complicating legislation.
And no state law is needed for parents to exercise their common sense for their children: if the library is offering a program they don’t like, don’t attend, and if there are books they don’t like, don’t check them out.
This bill is an example of trying to fix something that isn’t broke - a solution in search of a problem.
As I’m sure you would hear from your local community library board members and staff, library folks in our Tennessee communities can be trusted to continue the America-originated tradition of public libraries having all kinds of materials and programs to meet the varied needs and interests of all their tax-paying community residents, regardless of age, gender, race, education level, economic status, or ethnic origin.
So, I am writing to ask your committee to please stop this bill as unnecessary and redundant.
Thank you for taking time to consider my request. It is longish, but heartfelt to describe what is needed for the continued growth and development of library services in Tennessee today.
Respectfully - Don Reynolds
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Donald B. Reynolds, Jr.
P.O. Box 278
Talbott, Tennessee 37877
865.475.2030
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2019-2021 Past President; 2014-17, 2018-19 President, Friends of Tennessee Libraries (FOTL)
Web Site<http://www.friendstnlibraries.org/> Facebook Page<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Tennessee-Libraries/78895803726?fref=ts> Friends Ethical Statement<http://www.friendstnlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/FOTL-Ethical-Dozen-for-Friends-of-the-Library-18Sept2015.pdf> Parent Tips for Reading Aloud<http://www.friendstnlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/Parent-Tips-for-Reading-Aloud-Sept-2014-Imagination-Week-Handout-REV-FINAL1.pdf> Tool Kit for Building Friends Group<http://www.friendstnlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/Final-Sept2015FOTL-TOOL-KIT-for-Building-a-Library-Friends-Group-REV-Sept2015.pdf>
Retired Director, Nolichucky Regional Library, Tennessee
Founding Director/Former President, Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Rural & Small Library Directors’ Tool Kit<http://rurallibrarydirectors.pbworks.com/>
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