Libraries: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the evolving role of public libraries, which now lend more than just books, offering items like fishing poles and telescopes. However, libraries face challenges from a culture war, with a significant rise in book censorship attempts, particularly targeting titles with LGBTQ+ themes or explicit content. The script highlights instances of libraries being defunded or librarians facing threats due to the content they provide. It emphasizes the importance of defending libraries to ensure they continue to serve their communities and uphold the principle of providing access to a diverse range of information and resources.
Takeaways
- 📚 Public libraries offer a wide range of items beyond books, including fishing poles, telescopes, and even mounted animals for study.
- 🚫 There is a growing trend of book censorship in public libraries, with a 92% rise in the number of titles targeted compared to the previous year.
- 🗣️ Controversies often arise from misquotes or misrepresentations of book content by those seeking to have them banned, without reading the books in full.
- 🏛️ Local government funding and oversight are integral to library operations, making them susceptible to pressures from organized groups.
- ✍️ The process of 'weeding' allows libraries to remove outdated or damaged books, but current challenges target books based on their content rather than condition.
- 🚨 Book challenges are increasingly organized by groups with specific agendas, often targeting books with LGBTQ+ themes or characters.
- 📈 There is a legal framework that protects freedom of speech, including in libraries, but obscenity can be an exception, especially concerning minors.
- 👮♂️ In some cases, librarians face threats, false accusations, and even legal repercussions for the content they provide access to.
- 🏛️ Libraries serve as essential community hubs providing internet access, translation help, notary services, and refuge for the unhoused or those in need of heating or cooling.
- 🌐 The internet has made access to a vast array of content, including explicit material, much easier and widespread, diminishing the impact of physical library censorship.
- ✊ There is a call to action for communities to support libraries against censorship attempts, emphasizing the importance of diverse voices and stories being available to the public.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the story discussed in the transcript?
-The main focus of the story is the evolving role of public libraries, the challenges they face, and the ongoing culture war that has led to increased book censorship attempts.
What is the 'Mandela effect' mentioned in the transcript?
-The 'Mandela effect' is a phenomenon where a large group of people remember something incorrectly, such as the misremembering of the spelling of 'Berenstain Bears' as 'Berenstein Bears'.
What is the process known as 'weeding' in the context of libraries?
-Weeding is the process by which libraries periodically remove books from their collection due to reasons such as the books being outdated, severely damaged, or no longer in demand.
What is the book challenge protocol in libraries?
-The book challenge protocol is a formal request system that allows anyone who believes a book violates the library's selection policies to submit a request for reconsideration, after which staff review the complaints and decide whether to keep, re-shelf, or remove the book entirely.
What is the legal limit regarding the suppression of speech in libraries?
-The legal limit is that speech cannot be suppressed solely to protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body deems unsuitable for them, except in cases of obscenity defined for minors.
What has been the trend in book censorship attempts in public libraries?
-The trend has shown a significant rise in book censorship attempts, with the number of titles targeted for censorship at public libraries rising by 92% from the previous year, according to the American Library Association.
What is the role of local government in the operation of public libraries?
-Local government provides the majority of funding for public libraries and typically oversees them through a local library board, which can be elected or appointed by members of the local government.
Why are libraries becoming a target in the culture war?
-Libraries are becoming a target in the culture war because they are seen as platforms for diverse ideas and content, including LGBTQ+ themes and materials that some conservative and religious groups find objectionable.
What is the significance of the book 'Gender Queer' in the context of the script?
-The book 'Gender Queer' is significant as it is the most frequently challenged book in America for three years running, often being reduced to its most explicit passages out of context and used as a focal point for censorship efforts.
What is the argument against placing age-inappropriate books in children's sections of libraries?
-The argument is that while some books may not be suitable for young children, they may be appropriate for older teens, and libraries should make these books available, properly categorized and with appropriate signage, to serve the diverse needs of their community.
How can individuals support their local libraries amidst the challenges they face?
-Individuals can support their local libraries by standing up to censorship attempts, attending library board meetings, advocating for diverse and inclusive content, and voting against measures that would defund or restrict libraries.
Outlines
📚 The Evolution and Controversies of Public Libraries
This paragraph discusses the expanding role of public libraries, which now lend out more than just books. It touches on the various items available for loan, such as fishing poles and telescopes, and the services libraries provide, like internet access and notary services. However, it also delves into the challenges libraries face, including cultural controversies and accusations of promoting harmful content. The American Library Association reports a significant rise in book censorship attempts, particularly targeting public libraries. The paragraph also highlights the importance of libraries as a refuge for the homeless and those in need of resources, and their popularity among young adults, women, and low-income households.
🚫 Book Censorship and Legal Boundaries
The second paragraph focuses on the issue of book censorship in libraries. It explains the process of 'weeding,' where books are removed for legitimate reasons. It also details the book challenge protocol, which allows for formal reconsideration of books thought to violate selection policies. The paragraph outlines legal limits to censorship, referencing Supreme Court decisions that protect freedom of speech, even for minors, unless the material is obscene for minors. It provides examples of how some cities have attempted to censor content, including the relocation of books with any sexual content away from minors, and the challenges faced by libraries in navigating these legal and societal boundaries.
🏳️🌈 The Targeting of LGBTQ+ Themes and the Role of Organized Groups
This paragraph examines the organized efforts to challenge and censor books in libraries, particularly those with LGBTQ+ themes. It describes how groups often use misleading tactics and base their challenges on summaries rather than full readings of the books. The paragraph highlights the disproportionate focus on LGBTQ+ content and the impact of these challenges on library operations. It also discusses the influence of these groups in shaping library policies and the potential consequences for libraries that refuse to comply with censorship demands.
📖 The Misunderstandings and Consequences of Book Censorship
The fourth paragraph addresses the misconceptions about book content and the rationale behind their inclusion in libraries. It emphasizes the importance of providing age-appropriate materials and the role of signage in guiding readers. The paragraph also touches on the absurdity of some censorship claims, such as the idea that a child finding an adult book in the library is the book's fault rather than the child being in the wrong section. It concludes with a librarian's perspective on the responsibilities of parents and the futility of trying to shield children from all adult content when the internet provides unrestricted access.
💸 The Financial Threats to Libraries and the Fight for Survival
This paragraph discusses the financial threats to libraries due to defunding efforts by community members who disapprove of certain library content. It provides examples of libraries that have faced budget cuts or closure due to such campaigns. The paragraph also highlights the successful efforts to restore funding in some cases and the importance of defending libraries against these threats. It underscores the need for community support to ensure libraries can continue to serve their communities effectively.
🤝 The Call to Support Libraries and Resist Censorship
The final paragraph calls for support for libraries in the face of censorship attempts and defunding threats. It emphasizes the need to stand up against these attacks to protect the diverse services and resources libraries provide. The paragraph also addresses the introduction of bills in state legislatures aimed at banning or restricting library materials and the potential criminalization of librarians for the content they allow. It concludes with a reminder of the importance of libraries as community hubs and the imperative to defend them against ideological attacks.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Public Libraries
💡Book Censorship
💡Mandela Effect
💡Librarians
💡Weeding
💡Book Challenges
💡LGBTQ+ Representation
💡Obscenity
💡Community Support
💡Cultural War
💡Book Ban
Highlights
Public libraries are evolving to lend more than just books, offering items like fishing poles, telescopes, and even mounted sandhill cranes for study.
Libraries provide various services including internet access, translation help, notary services, and printing, serving as a refuge for the unhoused and those in need of utilities.
Conservatives are targeting public libraries, with the American Library Association documenting over 4,200 unique book titles challenged in schools and libraries last year.
Librarians face bomb threats and personal abuse, being labeled as groomers or pedophiles for their roles in providing certain materials.
The process of 'weeding' in libraries involves the removal of outdated, damaged, or unpopular books for legitimate reasons, differing from the politically motivated removal of content.
Most libraries have a book challenge protocol allowing formal requests for reconsideration of books that may violate selection policies.
The Supreme Court has recognized that speech cannot be suppressed to protect the young from ideas deemed unsuitable by a legislative body, except in cases of obscenity for minors.
Instances of book censorship have involved relocating books with sexual content away from minors, even if the content is educational or age-appropriate.
Highly organized groups, often conservative and religious, compile lists of books to oppose, frequently targeting books with LGBTQ+ themes or characters.
Book challenges are increasingly aimed at censoring multiple titles simultaneously, with over half involving a hundred or more books.
Controversial books are sometimes misrepresented or taken out of context by those seeking to have them banned from libraries.
The graphic novel 'Gender Queer' has been the most frequently challenged book in America for three years, often criticized based on selective and explicit passages.
The debate over library content is not just about book banning but also involves attempts to influence library boards and funding to restrict access to certain materials.
Librarians and community members advocate for the importance of libraries in providing diverse resources and resisting censorship efforts.
Over 100 bills have been introduced in state legislatures to ban or restrict material in libraries, indicating a growing need for library defense and support.
The show emphasizes the need for community support to ensure libraries continue to serve their communities effectively amidst ongoing challenges and threats.
Transcripts
our main story tonight concerns books
you know beloved works like The Great
Gatsby Charlotte's Webb and the
barenstein Bears and you might think
barenstein is misspelled there you might
remember it as s i n but that's wrong
it's a weird Mandela effect thing that a
lot of people misremember but it's
always been the baron stain beavers it
was always spelled with an a
specifically we're going to be talking
about public libraries which of course
lend books but increasingly have become
so much more than that sure you can
check out books and DVDs here at
placental library but now you can also
check out one of
these you can also check out a fishing
pole and keep it for 3 weeks you can
check out a really neat telescope and
have a star party with your family
alongside books and movies are things
like air fryers and bun cake pans if you
want to plant a garden we have SE so you
can check out I don't know of anywhere
else that they can borrow a mounted
sandill Trin and just study it up
close yeah I'll bet there isn't anywhere
else that you can borrow a mountain
sandhill crane because according to
taxidermy.net message boards they're
very difficult to mount when a user
named Eric asked for sandhill crane
mounting information before I tackle
these tall guys one person said so you
know in advance you will use Every curse
word when you are wiring the legs or
someone called Greg suggested contacting
a magazine that had cover the topic
recently saying quote I am not a bird
guy but I remember reading that article
and thinking it was fairly easy which
shut up Greg sit this one out Eric's
clearly stressing you telling him to
call a magazine he's reaching out to his
community for support and you're not
that Community right now you're not a
bird guy well this is a bird guy's only
combo okay Greg
you the point is at some libraries you
can now borrow pretty much anything from
a fishing pole to a leaf blower to seeds
to a copy of a barenstein Badgers book
again your remember is wrong Baron stain
badges was always spelled b a r there
was never an e in there not just that
though libraries offer internet access
translation help notary services
Printing and a bunch of other
necessities they're also a refuge for
unhoused people or those without air
conditioning or heating all of which
explains why libraries are incredibly
popular garnering an estimated 4 million
visits every day mostly by young adults
women and lowincome households but as
you probably know from the fact that I'm
talking about libraries right now
they're in trouble because they've
become another front in the ongoing
culture War we've talked before about
how conservatives have targeted School
libraries but those debates have now
emphatically migrated over to public
libraries as well with residents
spouting talking points like these I do
not want our children grandchildren
seeing these books I feel they're
damaging psychologically it isn't left
versus right but it's right versus wrong
these books are wrong and they're
destroying our community books in our
taxpayers funed libraries make the jobs
of human and child traffickers easier
okay that last one sounds a little hard
to believe unless one of the books at
that Library happens to be child
trafficking for dummies but those aren't
isolated instances the American Library
Association documented efforts to sense
over 4,200 unique book titles last year
in schools and libraries the highest
level they've ever recorded with the
number of titles targeted for censorship
at public libraries in particular Rising
by 92% from the pre previous year and
that's not all bomb threats have been
called into libraries across the country
and Librarians themselves have been the
recipients of some pretty nasty abuse I
had heard people saying that I was a
pedophile I was grooming kids people in
my profession called pedophiles and like
these horrible horrible things I can say
unequivocally we are not pedophiles or
groomers um and I can say that on behalf
of our staff that that is not why we go
into public service or librarianship
yeah of course not that is why you go
into the clergy everybody knows that we
all know so given all of this tonight
let's talk about public libraries why
they're under attack where these
challenges are coming from and what the
consequences might be and let's start
with how public libraries operate
because generally they receive the vast
majority of their funding from local
government sources and they're typically
overseen by a local library board which
can either be elected or appointed by by
members of the local government and
Librarians actually get rid of books all
the time through a process known as
weeding weeding is done for all sorts of
good reasons like a book being out of
date severely damaged or simply so weird
no one wants to check it out anymore
books like body watching is Fun latata
the naughty horse learns to say no to
drugs and the Christian Child discipline
classic God the rod and your child's bot
fun fact a new copy of that is currently
selling on Amazon for $2
$14 so if you don't want to pay that you
better hope your local library has it or
you know what you can actually just
borrow my coffee here instead it's
fine but what we're talking about
tonight isn't weeding it's books being
removed or relocated from one section to
another purely for their content and
most libraries already have a book
challenge protocol allowing anyone who
feels that a book violates its selection
policies to submit a formal request for
reconsideration after which staff will
review the complaints and decide whether
to leave it reshel it or remove it
entirely and you should know there are
some legal limits here you can't just
demand a book be banned even if it is to
protect the children and that's because
through the years the Supreme Court has
recognized that speech cannot be
suppressed solely to protect the Young
from ideas or images that a legislative
body thinks unsuitable for them but
there's an exception when it comes to
obscenity which for minors is defined as
material that appeals to their puran
interest is offens Ive to prevailing
standards about what is suitable for
minors and lack serious literary
artistic political or scientific value
the problem is some have tried to apply
that standard incredibly broadly take
what happened in hunting to Beach
California where the city council
mandated that library books containing
any content of sexual nature be moved
away from anyone under 18 at the
direction of the Huntington Beach city
council Librarians at the Central
Library are starting to sort through
thousands of books in the children's
section their task according to
officials is to relocate books that
contain quote sexual content Library
staff began in the health section and
pulled books pertaining to the human
body and puberty we also saw books about
boats that were being moved a peek at
the pages show a child in a bathtub
playing with toy boats and a sketch of
early explorers yeah it's ridiculous and
it wasn't just shirtless rowers and kids
in tubs that got flagged that resolution
ultimately relocated books like own your
period puberty is gross but also really
awesome and Everyone Poops to the adult
section of the library and it is
ridiculous to do that especially when
you're keeping shell Silverstein books
in the kids area books which contain
actual author photos like this one if a
kid borrows Ronny babbit reads it to the
end and sees that photo don't be
surprised if their first question is
Mommy what's big dick
energy and that is not an isolated case
in one town in Texas officials removed
three books from the I need a new butt
series which is a children's book about
a boy who needs a new butt because his
has a crack and I haven't read it yet so
don't spoil the End by telling me if he
gets one or not they also pulled four
books about farts starring a goose a
snowman a heart and a leprechaun and
first you got to be pretty stupid to
believe that they are harmful to
children and second it does seem that
you can make a killing writing books
about farting because there are so many
of them including these are all real
ones about farting flamingos farting
unicorns farting turkeys farting
princesses farting dragons and of course
Gary the farting gingerbread man and
while those instances were one-offs
increasingly the list of books
challenged at libraries can be
suspiciously similar and that is because
challenges are often coming through
highly organized groups often
conservative and extremely religious who
are compiling and sharing lists of books
to oppose up until 2021 the vast major
majority of challenges only sought to
remove or restrict a single book but now
93% of them involve attempts to censor
multiple titles with more than half
involving a hundred or more books and
that starts to make sense when you see
how these groups operate take cleanup
Samuels which is sadly not a group
organized around the collective goal of
washing as many guys named Samuel as
possible instead refers to Samuel's
public library in Front Royal Virginia
the groups held events at which people
filled out over 500 100 forms
challenging nearly 150 books with one
event promising beer and babysitting
which might be the most divorced dad
activity I can think of okay kids uh get
in the car I need to go protect your
innocence by drinking beer and looking
at
babysitters those book challenges
heavily targeted books with lgbtq plus
characters or themes with people
frequently admitting when asked if
they'd read the books in full that they
hadn't with answers ranging from no to
who that is normal could get through it
to I looked at the summary it told me
all I needed to know and that is
possible because these groups often find
problematic books by scanning websites
and Facebook pages that list them like
Maring the library rated books and
perhaps the most prevalent book looks
and for a site set up as a moral
Crusader it is a bit weird that in their
logo the B and the L are I mean
like definitely right I know
sometimes I project hoiness when it
isn't there except for that shell
Silverstein photo cuz I'm dying on that
hill but I'm having a genuinely hard
time seeing anything in that logo that
isn't a strong bee taking an Willing L
and absolutely breaking its back book
looks rates books on a zero to five
scale from least to most objectionable
sometimes including a handy chart noting
the amount of times that certain words
are used for instance this is the chart
for the book Wicked and I'll just say if
there was a party game where you had to
guess a book or movie based solely on
one of those charts you could sell no
exaggeration 10 million of those games
okay so let let me see it's it's a novel
from 2001 24 o so it's it's not
life of pie not the other Bolin girl
hang on nine dicks wait is it choke by
Chuck panick yes 24 yes I love
this
game even our book A Day in the Life of
Marlon Bund which has been challenged a
bunch in libraries he criticized for
featuring alternate sexualities and
controversial political and social
commentary citing the illustration on
this page depicts two male rabbits
holding paws as a human would hold
another person's hand the rabbits are
discussing how much they love each other
and want to marry one another you know
filth but but that is clearly nonsense
if there is anything controversial in
our book it's that the animals dress up
for Weddings But at other times they're
mostly naked except for this Badger
whose arms turn into sleeves and even
then the problem isn't the implied
nakedness it's just the lack of
consistency there now to be fair some
titles on these lists do contain
explicit content in some cases they
books about puberty and others they may
be meant for teenagers and contain
references to sex which is exactly why
they're not shelved with children's
books to begin with libraries generally
have an adult section A young adult
section and a kid section it is not like
teen books with explicit content a sheld
right next to the barenstein bees book
yeah it's always been spelled e e n your
your memory is just very
bad but the content often gets framed in
extremely misleading ways for instance
the book let's talk about it has been
repeatedly challenged it's buil as the
teen Guide to Sex relationships and
being a human and here is how one m in
Iowa argued for it to be restricted at
her local library when I initially read
this book I was filled with anger quote
sending or getting an unwanted Saucy
something from a partner or individual
can be the highlight of your day period
it is thrilling sexy and fun the online
world is also a chalk block full of
pornography professionals and amateurs
alike sharing their sexy Adventures
online there is nothing wrong with
enjoying some corn it is a fun sugary
treat I have to pause because no matter
how many times I say these
words it scares me okay first porn is a
sugar Retreat sounds like the tagline
For an upcoming x-rated spin on Gummy
Bears an adult film that either exists
already or will shortly after this
episode ends but look those words are in
the book and if you go on book looks
you'll see they're quoted on their
review page but if you actually read the
book itself you'll see that they are
surrounded by a lot of careful advice
for instance that one line about sexting
has a ton of context around it with
advice like get prior consent don't
share or spread the photos you receive
and wait till you're a legal adult to do
it as for that sugary treat line it is
part of a long thoughtful discussion
that includes among many other things
that porn can create unrealistic
expectations the people you see on
camera are real human beings who deserve
your respect and if the amount of porn
you watch feels like it's impacting your
life then it's probably time to pull
back and give it some thought which is
good advice and in a country where 17
states provide abstinence only sex
education it might be the most honest
discussion about porn some teens get
especially if they have the kind of mom
who has a panic attack at the
very idea of it and why she will say
that she just wanted the library to
require parental permission to access
the book which is still a big barrier to
a teenager who might need to read it
there have been other attempts to try
and get it out of libraries alt together
and you do get the sense that people who
want to censor these books can have no
real idea of what's inside them or
indeed if they're even at the libraries
they're protesting at all as happened in
Idaho 5 years years ago this was
anointed the best small library in
America today the trustees are facing a
recall the director just resigned do you
feel that you've given in that you've
been defeated here that part of me does
yes but they start showing up at your
house guns on their hips and Bible
tracks in their hands activists
demanding that the library ban more than
400 books like gender queer and even if
we do nothing to you eventually if you
don't repent
of wanting to harm our children with
pornography that's up to God things need
to change otherwise you bring curses
upon yourselves
period from the most high are any of