OLD LYME — At their meeting held Tuesday evening, the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library Board of Trustees determined that the two books, which have recently been the subject of heated debate in both Lyme and Old Lyme, should be retained in the Library’s Teen/Tween collection.
The Library had received a request signed by lead organizer Stephen Spooner and 134 additional residents of Lyme and Old Lyme that the library should “reconsider” its decision on Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan and its availability to children ages 11-19.
The Library had previously received a similar request to reconsider the inclusion of You Know, Sex: Bodies, Gender, Puberty, and Other Things by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth in Teen/Tween collection.
A petition was also submitted to the Library signed by over 400 urging the Library to “reject the requests of the censorship supporters in their entirety.”
Following the meeting, Library Director Katie Huffman issued a statement on behalf of the board of trustees, which stated, “After careful consideration, the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library Board of Trustees has determined that the books [mentioned above] meet the selection criteria as stated in The Library’s Collection Development Policy for inclusion in the Library’s Teen/Tween collection.”
The board’s statement continues, “In regards to these books, The Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library recognizes that many materials are controversial and that any given item may offend some patrons.”
It then notes, “The Board has affirmed its policy that selection of materials will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the basis of the principles stated in the policy. Library materials will not be marked or identified to show approval or disapproval of their contents, and no material will be sequestered, except to protect it from injury or theft.”
The board’s statement continues, “Young people must be middle school age to visit the Library unaccompanied. Parents should assume unaccompanied youth have full access to the Library and all its collections – including the adult collections. Limiting access to content is the responsibility of the parent.”
It then advises parents and caregivers, “If you feel you need to accompany your child to the library or any particular collection, we welcome and encourage your presence.”
The statement concludes emphatically with the words, “The Board of Trustees fully supports each member of its staff and condemns wholeheartedly the inappropriate and unwarranted censure of professionals we believe are doing their jobs with the utmost professionalism.”
I applaud the decision made by the Board of Trustees to retain the contested books in their original place and with their rejection of any censorship in the library.