A Lewiston ME woman who was upset by the content of an acclaimed sex education book published 14 years ago (“It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex & Sexual Health”) has checked out copies from two libraries and refuses to give them back.
“Since I have been sufficiently horrified of the illustrations and the sexually graphic, amoral abnormal contents, I will not be returning the books,” JoAn Karkos wrote the Lewiston and Auburn public libraries last month. She paid the cover price to the libraries.
Boston.com reports: “This has never happened before,” said Rick Speer, director of the Lewiston Public Library. “It is clearly theft.”
Speer returned the check, along with a form Karkos could use to request that the book be removed from library shelves. But he said he may seek help from police if she doesn’t return what she borrowed. “That’s really what we want,” Speer said. “We want the book back.”
Nonsense
This happens all the time, most people just don’t write a letter to the library and few bother to pay for the book. Be happy she sent a check and buy another copy. (or something else if you want)
Perfectly Abnormal
The book’s primary use seems to be sexual predators using it to “groom” their prey.
Re:Perfectly Abnormal
And all those neuro-anatomist fetishists who cluster around the copy of “Grey’s Anatomy” in the reference collection. Those perverts over there. Acting like sex and reproductive organs exist. With their bodies and their puberty and whatnot.
Makes me sick.
Save the hassle. Call the cops on her and press theft and conspiracy charges. Or send the unpaid bill to collections and let her deal with the credit people.
Re:Nonsense
I think they were right to return the checks – with people like this, it’s always best to follow policy to the letter. It sounds like great publicity, though, especially since the local newspaper published her rant/letter; I’ll bet every teen in the county will be lining up to check this book out once they reorder it!