LISNews: Librarian News

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - A Poplar Bluff woman refused to attend a work related party, and claims the fallout forced her to quit her library job. Now she's filed a lawsuit in federal court.

Deborah Smith tells Heartland News she didn't want to work at a library sponsored Harry Potter book party, because she feels the contents of the wizard series go against her personal religious beliefs.

Smith claims she was suspended for ten days without pay, and says her work duties changed when she returned to the library. Smith quit her job and started the legal battle for her rights. Story here.

ACLU files suit in Poplar Bluff 'Harry Potter' librarian case: The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri announced today via news release that it has filed a suit on behalf of a part-time librarian in Poplar Bluff, Mo., who was disciplined after she objected to participating in the promotion of a "Harry Potter" book.

The employee had religious objections to the promotion, "which she believed encouraged children to worship the occult," according to the news release.

Poof! Harry Potter has performed a new vanishing act.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the New York Times bestseller lists will be without a title featuring J.K. Rowling's hugely popular young wizard. And the character is finally disappearing from the Canadian rankings as well.

CNN Takes A Good Look at Rowling Vs. The Librarian. Most lawyers agree this is a close call. That is because this is an extremely close call on the law, almost a toss-up, in my view. Even U.S. District Court Judge Robert Patterson, who is deciding the case, said so, urging the parties to settle. "This case is in a murky state of the law," said Patterson. "I've listened to the parties and heard them. I'm not sure you couldn't settle even now, if you listen to what's being said."