Week Fourteen Prompt

            Personally, I would like to acquire a position at the Allen County Public Library system at the location of the Georgetown library branch. Specifically, I could work at a position that involved shelving materials. In relation to African American materials, I believe that it is not necessary to separate African American materials from the collection unless there exists sensitive feelings from the public towards certain racial groups. However, I can understand that the portion of street lit books from African American materials would be controversial in a library’s collection; I believe that the risky or violent nature of the books should be addressed in the library’s main collection. The library system could label all of its books from different genres with books from the specific genre of street lit with a rating towards the amount of violence and sexual content in the novels (Honig, 2011, pp. xvi-xvii). Other African American materials without high levels of sex or violence should be accepted into the main portion of the collection without any issues.

            Another reason why I desire to include African American materials into the collection is due to the uniqueness of the street lit genre. The street lit genre has not gained much recognition due to its controversial nature (Munshi, 2015, n.p.), so it is likely that the genre is not widely known in average bookstores or libraries. Incorporating titles from street lit would allow many local residents to be surprised and refreshed by the novelty of the content of the titles.

            In addition, a third reason for including African American materials into a library’s collection is to better represent the demographic of young black individuals. The inclusion of African American materials would provide for the reading needs of these young black individuals and would represent the individuals in familiar living areas in the novels (Munshi, 2015, n.p.). Also, street lit has recently become popular (Honig, 2011, p. ix), so including titles from the street lit genre would reflect and satisfy the needs of the public.

            In relation to GBLTQ fiction, I strongly feel that GBLTQ fiction should be separated from the main collection. One reason why I wish to separate GBLTQ fiction from the main collection is centered on the idea of public libraries remaining unbiased. I believe that pushing for the inclusion of GBLTQ literature is encouraging social justice. Public libraries should reflect the will of the public; they should not advocate for causes of social justice. While some areas explored in public libraries can cross lines of morality in relation to the public, public libraries should remain as unbiased as possible.

            Another reason for separating GBLTQ books from the collection is the great probability of no adverse effects. For example, separation of GBLTQ materials will not matter, since there is still access to the materials. The accessibility of GBLTQ materials are a much greater issue than the separation of the materials from the collection. The promotion of the idea of segregation is also not problematic, since GBLTQ materials are not human beings. Also, the rights of the materials are not restricted by being separated from the rest of the books. So, due to the sensitive content of the subject of GBLTQ novels, the novels should be separated from the collection in order to appease public feelings about the novels.

            A third reason for keeping GBLTQ novels in a separate location is the expectation that individuals can still find beneficial authors that are different from the reader. I don’t think that separating materials with subjects about GBLTQ from the main collection of a public library would prevent the beneficial discovery of an author who might be different from the reader. There is still a considerable amount of access to materials if the GBLTQ novels are separated from the collection. I don’t see any tremendous benefit towards discovering an author who might be different from the reader in a library’s large collection in relation to finding an author who might be different from the reader in a separated and small collection. A reader will still make a beneficial discovery of an author, since the reader has a fair degree of access to materials to make the decision.

             In addition, it is evident that GBLTQ materials span across a number of genres, since “a broad range of fiction has emerged that effectively captures” the concerns of gays and lesbians (Thomas, 2007, p. 40). Also, the GBLTQ materials exhibit historical importance with classic titles, so the library system should not deliberately censor the materials or remove them entirely from the library’s collection (Thomas, 2007, p. 40). So, it is acceptable to place the GBLTQ items in an isolated area of the library. 

            Personally, I find the subject of GBLTQ to be repulsive, especially since homosexuality goes against my beliefs and the idea of regular reproductive biology. Also, I think that many American communities are uncomfortable and do not agree with the ideas presented in GBLTQ materials. So, in a perfect world, books with GBLTQ content would be removed from the shelves of libraries. However, life is controversial in many ways, and books help us to understand the differences between right and incorrect types of thinking. Therefore, I will still respect the right of library patrons to read the content of GBLTQ materials. So, GBLTQ books should be included in the library’s collection, but the books should be separated from the main portion of the collection due to the books’ controversial nature in most local communities.

            Also, conservative or heterosexual couples will likely not enjoy seeing homosexual books in the children’s section of a library’s primary collection. The culture of the internet is changing opinions about homosexuality, but the majority of Americans will still be distressed to openly see such materials in a library system. These materials can last a long time, so their importance is felt in a community. Therefore, libraries should consider placing GBLTQ materials in a labeled and separate section of the library.

             The only problem that arises from separating GBLTQ materials from the collection is the issue of placing labels on materials. Labels will have connotations. It is also believed that labeling certain items will restrict access to the items, since “libraries tend to avoid special labels because they believe people should have access to as much material as possible” (Lenzini, 2018, n.p.). However, I believe that labeling materials does not substantially restrict access to the materials if the materials are still within the library space. The materials’ separation from the collection does not mean that the materials are inaccessible to the public. Therefore, I don’t think that these labels matter in relation to their use in public libraries.

References:

Honig, Megan. (2011). Introduction. In Urban Grit: A guide to street lit. Santa Barbara: Libraries

Unlimited. Retrieved from https://iu.instructure.com/courses/1702577/files/folder/Week%2014?preview=75530098

Lenzini, J. (2018, Mar. 20). Orange City, IA public library to test trial-run of separately labeling

books with LGBTQ themes. Retrieved from http://www.ktiv.com/story/37771686/2018/03/Tuesday/orange-city-ia-public-library-to-separately-label-books-with-lgbtq-themes

Munshi, Neil. (2015, Nov. 13). Urban fiction: words on the street. Financial Times. Retrieved

            from https://www.ft.com/content/08785ece-86ee-11e5-9f8c-a8d619fa707c

Thomas, D. (2007). A place on the shelf. Library Journal, (8). 40. Retrieved from

http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=c4399ec5-8fb0-4540-84fd-48b90beafed2@sessionmgr4007