Politics

The Volokh Conspiracy is considered a "blawg" as it is written by law professors and lawyers. A wide variety of issues are discussed there. The blog typically comes in between center-right and libertarian in its viewpoints expressed.

David Bernstein, a law professor at George Mason University, recently wrote his thoughts about book-banning there. Dale Carpenter, a law professor at University of Minnesota, also wrote a post on his own thoughts there. These are both in comparison to the commentary presented by the podcast engineer in this week's podcast.

Now, for a little bit of synthesis. Where is the ALA in this? In our hysterical rants over this matter, librarians online have apparently created a very real erosion of authority for the profession at large. As noted by Bernstein and Carpenter, the MLS seems to be not worth a whole lot if that incident in Alaska is typical of librarians nationally. Bernstein already questioned collection development authority in terms of it being censorship itself.

Unless and until librarians calm down, there are very real dangers being presented to the livelihood of libraries. Libraries might not be set upon by book banners if Mrs. Palin secures federal office. Rather than ban books, a very real danger that this continuing hysteria episode creates is that it may alienate budget decision-makers. Anonymous or not, hysterical remarks in the case may well come back to haunt attempts at seeking budget increases let alone tax levy issues on the ballot.

Rather than hysterical rants online filtering outward for all to see, would it have benefited the profession more to engage in a massive PR campaign to educate people effectively about these issues?

Glenn Harlan Reynolds linked to a post at the law professors group blog known as The Volokh Conspiracy. Jim Lindgren, a law professor at Northwestern University in Chicago, wrote a post discussing a purported list of books that Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska sought the banning of during her tenure as Mayor of Wasilla. One place this was posted was at Jessamyn West's blog in a comments section as well as on a USENET group known as alt.gossip.celebrities.

Lindgren raised a serious question about the list by noting timings. At the time of the inquiries by Palin, none of the Harry Potter books listed had yet been printed in the United States let alone the United Kingdom. Jessamyn's original post has been updated to note that there is no supporting documentation for the list at all thus produced. One possible source for the list's origins can be found at one library's page on its Banned Books display. The ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom refers to the Harry Potter books collectively as a series as seen here.

Unless there is a TARDIS involved, something may be amiss with this.

Notice was taken of Jessamyn West's blog by a feature editor at the Christian Science Monitor today.

The topic was censorship and the subject was Sarah Palin's flirtation with censoring certain books at the Wasilla AK Public Library. Jessamyn commented: "Usually I’m just happy to see libraries even mentioned in national level politics, but not like this,” writes West.

Another blog you might find of interest is Librarians Against Palin, started on Wednesday by a public librarian who is "concerned about having Sarah Palin in the White House".

The CSMonitor continues "But it will perhaps be good for all of us to engage in a discussion about the whole notion of censorship. It could make for a very lively time on Sept. 27 when we arrive at Banned Books Week."

Publishers Weekly reports on the additional print-on-demand run for 'Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down'.

Epicenter Publisher Kent Sturgis expects interest in the book to remain strong "at least through the vice presidential debate set for October 7."

The editors of Shelf Awareness bring us a creepy flash forward to January 21, 2009 . . .

In her first official act, Vice President Sarah Palin has asked for the resignation of Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.

After a little distraction as Dick Cheney's staff received new business cards and stationery reflecting their transition to Palin's staff, the Vice President's Office issued the following statement this morning over Palin's signature:

"President McCain and I came to the nation's capital with a mandate for change, and I am pleased to begin that process right in the heart of Washington. When I took that oath or whatever yesterday, I looked over at the Library of Congress building and immediately had several questions.

"First, what is it with all the books? Isn't it enough to have our Declaration of Independence on display at the National Archives? Luckily the Archives have room for the upcoming Alaskan Declaration of Independence. Second, aren't books basically elitist? Most real Americans are too busy to read. So let's clear the books out and make use of this prime bit of real estate."

Read on at the bottom of this page...

Article in the New York Times. When I saw the title of the article I almost didn't read the article because I know Wikipedia locks articles that are heavily used or controversial. The angle that the article took was interesting.

Excerpt: IN the 24 hours before the McCain campaign put the finishing touches on its surprise announcement Friday that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska would be the Republican vice presidential candidate, one Wikipedia user was putting the finishing touches on her biography on the site.

Full article here.

From the L.A. Times blog -- Jacket Copy: Book News and Information

Chances are Sarah Palin is having a pretty good day. Yesterday she was governor of Alaska; today she's John McCain's running mate.

Kaylene Johnson must be nearly as happy. She is the Alaskan author who penned "Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska's Political Establishment Upside Down." Will people wanting to know more about the Alaskan governor turn to this bio to tell them more?

Full blog entry here.

Chicago Tribune reports: Documents related to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's service for a nonprofit education project started by former 1960s radical Bill Ayers were released last Friday from an archive at the University of Illinois at Chicago library. They had previously refused to release records of the project. Will the archive be fodder for the Swift Boat-types?

Texas school district to let teachers carry guns while in Maryland Allegany libraries adopt weapons ban. The Allegany County Library System's board of trustees has voted to ban weapons, handguns or firearms from its branches. Meanwhile A Texas school district will let teachers bring guns to class this fall, the district's superintendent said on Friday, in what experts said appeared to be a first in the United States.