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Library Shelves Sex Books

March 9, 2004 - 3:51am — Rochelle

Gary Price writes "In an apparent reversal of an earlier decision, five sexual instruction manuals previously housed on the shelves of Broomall, PA township library will now be placed at the reference desk.
Addressing the commissioners recently, Marple Public Library Board President Marcy Abrams noted the determination was made after the board listened to concerns expressed by township residents and worked within the guidelines of the library policy.

More here."

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March 9, 2004 - 4:01am — Fang-Face

Conumdrum

Interesting. I wonder who will be more embarassed; the patron who gives into the chilling effect and silently slinks away without asking for the books or the staffer who has to answer the patron who loudly demands: CAN I SEE YOUR BOOK ABOUT FELLATIO?

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March 9, 2004 - 9:01am — ChuckB

Re:Conumdrum

Yeah, I have the same question about the people who have to go up to the counter in convenience stores and ask, in front of the families buying chips & soda & candy bars, "Can I see your magazines with pictures of naked women?"

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March 9, 2004 - 2:49pm — Fang-Face

Re:Conumdrum

Hey, that sounds like fun. I'll have to try that.

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March 9, 2004 - 5:49pm — Amke

Re:Conumdrum

This really bugs me - I hate this! I personally think that having a book sequestered is worse than not having it! Why should anyone have to specially ask for a book and risk embarrassment!? We have some "dummy" books on our shelves due to some controversies several years ago (before I was here) and the patrons have to go to the Circ desk to ask for the books. I personally don't know how often or if patrons actually ASK for these books, but I think it is shameful for a library to do this.

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March 9, 2004 - 6:17pm — Anonymous Patron (not verified)

Re:Conundrum: shelved at circ counter

I can tell you from my experience in two academic libraries that almost anything that is behind the Circulation desk gets very little use unless it is something like the daily local newspaper or Reserve items that are assigned by profs. We keep about 10 titles of periodicals that are prone to being stolen (Consumer Reports, Car and Driver, Sports Illustrated, etc.)at the Circ counter --they almost never, ever get used. Monitored and/or effortful access for *whatever* reason may not always be the kiss of death for materials, but it will reduce use, sometimes to nothing.

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March 9, 2004 - 10:49pm — tomeboy

Licking the Problem

You should be pleased with this decision. Any librarian worth their salt will tell you books about sex, particularly "with all them naked pictures", are quickly *edited* with Johnnie's Swiss pocket porn cutter.

Without having these as "reserve", we risk failing to pass "fellatio" techniques to our posterity.

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