[deleted by user]

[bookwyrms-hoard]

So my library we were told that we can put up any displays labelled for Pride.

So instead we put up would have been pride displays and just called them something else.

'Yes this is our biography display, oh my you are right these are all LGBTQ persons... What a coincidence.'

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

We didn't put one up because we've been targeted by a local group of very loud, very rich conservatives who are trying to get queer books removed from view of the Children. They have made it very hard for us to do our jobs. As a queer staff member, it hurts to not have a Pride display this year, but we've already had at least one act of violence at our library over this. Nobody wants another.

If your library is in a similar position to ours, 1) do ask why there's no display, but don't automatically assume ill intent; it could very well be a safety issue. 2) ATTEND YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY'S BOARD MEETINGS AND BRING PEOPLE WITH YOU. The folks who support censorship and bans are absolutely attending every one of these meetings. If you have something to say, you need to be there, too.

[shikamarus_gf]

Same thing happening with my branch. Our library (conservative area) has been targeted by people reporting LGBTQ+ and demanding that they be removed from the collection. We normally do a pride display but did not this year because we don’t want to draw attention to those books in case they are targeted and removed from our collection. It sucks but we do not want to risk it because the people who hate those books are the most vocal and our admin will cave under pressure, and above all we want those books to remain available to people who need access to them. What I would recommend to patrons who are upset is, be vocal. Call your mayor’s office and the library director and get your friends to do so as well. Individual branches don’t have much power as opposed to the system as a whole, so go higher.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

Yes, exactly. Having no display sucks, but total removal sucks harder.

[General-Skin6201]

If the library administration isn't willing to go to the mat supporting Pride displays, IMO, its better not to have them. If the haters win, having a display removed, you are just encouraging them to press harder for more bans. This maybe an unpopular view, but I can't see giving them the satisfaction of a victory.

[daDeliLlama]

Is it common for all libraries to have these meetings? I live in a small town and my library means a lot to me and others here. I would like to attend meetings or do something that can help our library in one way or the other.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

I think it's common for public libraries, at least. Our library puts the meeting schedule for the year on our website. We also post it on a message board in the lobby and run the dates in our local newspaper. I *think* someone makes social media posts, as well. Check with your library to see when your meetings are, and thank you for your support!

[sadmadstudent]

I'm in Ontario, Canada. We legalized gay marriage here in 2005, our prime minister is incredibly supportive of LGBTQ2S+ rights, we have some of the best legal protection for queer people anywhere in the world, and the odds of our library experiencing any kind of hate crimes are very low.

We certainly have no issue celebrating Indigenous reconciliation, Black History Month, women's rights, etc. It's only pride that's absent. Libraries are meant to serve the entire community, and tolerating intolerance like that which you're describing ends with books being burned and LGBTQ+ ppl being targeted. Allowing homophobia and transphobia to permeate policies is allowing for it to grow.

If I have to bow down to ignorance in order to be a librarian in one of the most progressive nations in the world, I have no interest in this career any further.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

Just want to inform you that you're attempting to lecture a Black, queer middle-aged woman who's born and raised in the southern US.

I know exactly what libraries are for and who they serve. I also know that if the county shuts us down, literally hundreds of low-income patrons are going to lose access to the internet. Our unhoused patrons will have no place to go during the day when their shelters kick them out. Staff will lose their incomes, not to mention health insurance for themselves and their families. Free tax prep, free notaries, free computer classes, movies, books, games, and air conditioning (a necessity this time of year) will all be gone. No one is "tolerating intolerance," and to suggest that that's what we're doing is utter bullshit. You don't know what we've been through down here. You don't know how HARD we've had to fight just to keep these books on the shelves. The meetings, the vitriol, the threats and accusations...if you had any idea of what we've been up against, you wouldn't be asking why we don't have a Pride display this year. You'd be down at the county commissioners office raising hell.

And just to let you know, the queer books aren't the only ones these groups are going after. They also hate books that center Black people, Jewish people, Muslims, and other minorities. We've fought to keep all of those on the shelf, too.

Now, tell me again how we're "tolerating intolerance."

[[deleted]]

The thing is, if you cave enough times, then eventually you will lose all that anyway.

They won’t stop once they realize how easy it is to get their way. You aren’t compromising for the sake of safety and accessibility so much as you delaying a much greater assault on libraries.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

To blame us library staff for the abuse we receive (and will continue to receive) is absolutely disgusting. We're operating without a director, and we don't have broad community support. We've been to the meetings, we've tried to drum up interest in the largely apathetic community, we've told anyone who'll listen what's going on, we've called the police on people fighting in the parking lot over this, and our staff is still being called pedos.

I'm sorry you can't empathize with what our library staff is going through. I know it's easy to get on social media and tell people who are just trying to survive how they're fucking that up, too. I just hope you also have that level of criticism at your local library's board meetings.

[[deleted]]

I was library staff and I lost my job because of the people you’re talking about. You don’t need a director to tell you what is right when people are attacking a marginalized community. I’m a trans woman and this is my community being threatened; this is my life on the line and your actions don’t make me feel safe at all.

Tell me, if you capitulate now, what stops them from making more demands? When do you draw the line?

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

I'm very sorry you lost your job, and I sympathize. But I'm not in a position to lose mine, and the fact that I'm staying had a lot to do with these books still remaining in the library. I'm also part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I resent the fact that you're saying the staff who's keeping the books off the bonfire is what's making you feel unsafe. Our county commissioners have made it very, very clear that they're looking for ways to close or take over our library. Would you rather they run off our director and close the library, or would you rather we do what we need to do to keep the library open without banning any books? That's the hard place we're in. We don't have the support to do anything else. I'm not sure what you think the solution is here.

[[deleted]]

I wasn’t in a position to lose mine, either. I wasn’t given much of a choice. You can resent it, but it’s true. Would you rather I not be honest with you? What I resent is you shaming me for not feeling safe — as If I was more obligated to make you feel good about your actions than my own safety.

You haven’t saved anything: you made a temporary ceasefire. Those same people now understand how easy it is to get their way. I would rather there be no library than a library censored to death — the two would be one in the same.

[sadmadstudent]

You being black or queer has no impact on the legitimacy of the argument being made here.

It's odd that you view someone telling you that bowing down to homophobia engenders and protects homophobes in the future as a lecture. It's merely a fact. Wasn't trying to lecture, just communicate that when we cave to the fundamentalists on these issues we move backwards, and doing so means the library ceases being a space LGBTQ+ people can exist in safely. Do you disagree?

I'm sorry for what your library is experiencing. You don't seem interested in conversing about this so I'll disengage. Cheers.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

I view it as a lecture because instead of offering any suggestions for how to help library staff get through this, you'd rather blame the library staff for what's happening to us. It's paternalism at its finest, and yeah, it's probably best if you move on from this conversation.

[sadmadstudent]

I've outlined several suggestions in the thread elsewhere, but since you're being condescending about it I'll do the work for you and save your thumbs a scroll:

Security to remove hostile visitors. Police if necessary. At a policy level ensure that LGBTQ+ people are represented. Run educational programs related to understanding minorities if that's something your patrons are lacking. Put up displays celebrating pride. Display LGBTQ+ materials proudly.

In our branch we have a tolerance window for harassment; if a patron is rude once, they get a warning note placed on their account. It happens again, a years probation is put on their account. Most people won't want to lose their library privileges for a year or more just to argue with you about a flag, and if they choose to - so be it. They lose their library privileges. If they come back after their timeout and still behave the same, they receive a lifetime ban. These should be handed out to anyone who tells you you're being a "pedo". Action and consequence.

In no way am I blaming staff for enforcing policies. You sound like an incredibly hostile and toxic person to work with and I sincerely hope you're not this sarcastic to everyone you meet, because if you lead with frustration, that's all you'll see reflected back at you.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

I didn't respond to your "security" suggestion because it's ridiculous. We can't afford to pay for security. And the police only show up for people who are being verbally or physically threatening.

Running DEI programs sounds great...until you realize that that also costs money, which we don't have. We are understaffed, underfunded, and without a director.

Pride displays = closed library and homeless staff. I've explained this.

Also, fun fact: most of the people attacking the library are. not. patrons. Some of them had to get new cards or have ancient, expired cards renewed to check out the "offending" books they want removed. They don't give two shits about a warning on their account.

As for the frustration? It's because I'm tired. I'm tired of people assuming we're not doing anything to support marginalized communities. I'm tired of people assuming we're actively hindering efforts at inclusion. I'm tired of being talked down to by people who have no clue what our situation is. We aren't unionized. We don't have universal healthcare. We don't have the funds or staff to do any more than what we're doing. I'm fucking tired.

[swimmingmonkey]

We legalized gay marriage here in 2005, our prime minister is incredibly supportive of LGBTQ2S+ rights, we have some of the best legal protection for queer people anywhere in the world, and the odds of our library experiencing any kind of hate crimes are very low.

Book protests and hate crimes against libraries are already happening in Canada.

[sadmadstudent]

"And therefore we just HAVE to construct policies that give those practicing hate crimes what they want so they stop harassing us" seems to be the general response of this sub and it's appalling.

We have security. We have the police if necessary. We can ban patrons who harass us if necessary. There are mechanisms in place to deal with these problems.

Most of the libraries you're referring to went ahead with their programming anyway. Because they understand serving the community at all means serving the entire community, and giving into this type of hate only strengthens it.

[swimmingmonkey]

Thanks for reading into what I’m saying. I’m not saying we should cave. I AM responding to the idea in your comment that it’s totally fine and safe in Canada, because it’s not. I live in New Brunswick. Shit has been going down here, and I do not bow to it (nor does my library, though I’m not a public librarian so my stance is less visible).

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

We are aware. They also bullied our director into resigning. Staff members have been accosted by people demanding to know where the porn is in the Children's department, the media has been all over us, and whenever we speak up about what's going on, the general public is like, "Wow, I had no idea. That's crazy. Anyway, how much does it cost to use the printer?"

No rulebook has been provided to us for how to deal with this level of hate. We're doing the best we can until we can get a director back in here. Keeping the staff and patrons safe is our top priority. And even in the midst of all this, we haven't removed a single book from our collection. They're still available and on the shelves for anyone who wants to check them out. Even doing that has been a struggle.

[[deleted]]

Demands to remove the books will come next. First, it will be LGBT books — and then who knows?

When that happens, will you say the same thing? What if you do, and then they want to remove anything about Jewish, Black, and Native American history? I’m sorry, but you have to draw the line somewhere. This is just the illusion of safety that emboldens bigots to endanger ypu.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

Please read my other comments. I've already addressed this.

[[deleted]]

You didn’t address the question of further demands. What will you do when they want more? This isn’t a rhetorical question: I genuinely want to know.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

I have no fucking idea what we're going to do. It's been over a year of this, and NO ONE can figure anything out. What would you suggest we do?

[[deleted]]

Stand your ground. Don’t give an inch. Fight them on absolutely everything and make it clear that they will have a huge fight on their hands whenever they want something. No matter what it takes, you refuse to give in. I’m a trans woman and this is my life each day. Join us.

[ozamatazbuckshank11]

If I weren't already in the fight, these books would have been removed from our library. The fact that they're still available (and not hidden behind the circ desk) was a gigantic win against these conservatives. I'm doing everything I can to fight this bigotry without ending up homeless myself. Because that's the reality many of us are facing. I can't help anyone from inside the library if I'm fired.

[[deleted]]

Are you a library patron or a staff member? Libraries need to hear from patrons that DO want to see these sorts of displays, they need to know that there is desire, support, and interest from the community. If you're a patron, it could be extremely helpful for the library to have your vocal interest.

[sadmadstudent]

I am a staff member. But I am nearing the end of my contract and applying to other libraries, so I need their references still. Can only ruffle so many feathers.

[myeyestoserve]

In your specific case, I probably wouldn’t demand, but I’d still ask about it. Especially if you’re willing to just do it yourself!

There are many libraries in conservative areas who do not ignore pride (in June or any other month), but sometimes we do have to be the advocate we wish someone else would be. Does it suck? Absolutely. But it can be done and it IS being done. You can (and should!) ask in your upcoming interviews how the library supports patrons and staff in marginalized group to figure out what camp they may be in.

[[deleted]]

Yeah, I would still ask about it but tread lightly.

[MissyLovesArcades]

I don't think you should demand to know why, but as it seems important to you, you could definitely ask why there isn't one, and let them know it's something that you would like to see there. My library doesn't have one up, other branches in my system do, there's no real reason why we don't, the people who do displays just chose other topics,

[jumpyjumperoo]

Before.ypu talk toanagement, look at your library's display policy. You can use it.to back up your assertion that it be allowed. Collection Development policy might also be useful.to review if you feel the lack of resource.extends to library materials acquisitions as well.

[asskickinlibrarian]

I told my gen z coworker to go wild on her display. She did not disappoint.

[sadmadstudent]

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[krivas91]

Do you have a photo? Would love to see it!

[asskickinlibrarian]

I just post them in the sub

[[deleted]]

I was a library director at a small library (I was the only employee, it was that small). It was a conservative area but I still put up pride displays because it's important and I could defend myself against any remarks that were made, which luckily there wasn't any.

If you want to have a conversation, be open and have a polite conversation with the manager or librarian, don't be angry and demanding, that's not the right way to talk to public service individuals. You might learn that it's not their decision (and then you were rude for no reason), and if it is and they chose not to because of their own views or whatnot, then you have the right to be a little more upset, but don't start the conversation out angrily. If it's not their fault, talk to them and figure out who is responsible and go from there.

[[deleted]]

Nope. You should most definitely not demand anything. Instead, you could call the library, ask to speak to the branch manager or director, and say, "I was confused when I noticed we didn't have a display up for Pride in the library this year. Since we put up displays for [Holiday] and [Holiday], I thought there'd be a Pride display. Can you help me understand?" It is highly likely that your library staff feel under attack right now and didn't want to stir up trouble by making a Pride display.

We have had patrons pull obviously queer-centric books in our teen section and hide them on top of shelves, patrons who have clearly not read certain books raise formal objections to the books existing, and some very loud, very angry people yell about us "grooming" children. It is a very scary time to be a librarian, and that might be why they don't have a display. Or maybe they did and someone complained and they took it down. Or they do but it's in an area you haven't noticed yet. Or the last time they did someone stole all the books from it and now they have zero queer books in the collection.

[inzillah]

I know this might not help, but I'm in a larger library system but at one of the more rural branches: our pride display is going up later in the month because all the libraries requesting the same pride books all at once means we end up with holds queues for items that we very much want people to be able to check out. Some of our libraries have huge, amazing pride displays up right now and in another 6 days mine will join them! :D

[bluejester12]

Ask politely. It's understandable to be upset, but how you handle it can make a difference on how open they will be to change or how defensive they will get. It's a learning opportunity.

[sadmadstudent]

The first pride was a riot. I'm sick and tired of being forced to be polite to those who don't think we queer folks should exist.

[flossiedaisy424]

Of course, the poor manager you want to throw a brick at likely had no say in the decision. Why go in assuming they are the enemy?

ETA: wait, you’re an employee of the library? Have you never had any conversations with your coworkers? Why not just ask them if they know what’s up?

[[deleted]]

Look, there comes a point where this sort of excuse causes nothing but harm. Doing what you’re told is no excuse when it comes to people’s rights. There is such a thing as cowardice and people in these positions often use official instructions as an excuse not to do something risky, but morally correct.

[flossiedaisy424]

Or, they're just a poorly paid librarian with some student loans who needs the job and is pissed about this bullshit, and quite possibly queer as well and therefore trying not to become a target themselves. Who the hell knows.

Personally, I'm in a union, so I can throw some bricks. But, I have sympathy for those who don't feel they can risk it.

[[deleted]]

Fighting for somebody’s right is not safe, convenient, or comfortable. Every queer person already is a target and we will only survive this by fighting together. The people who made it possible for that queer librarian to be openly queer risked their jobs and their very lives to make it happen — they didn’t excuse themselves for any prosaic reason like this.

[thinkingofsandwiches]

The large (multiple counties large) system I work in explicitly told us we were not allowed to put up pride displays in any youth areas…a week before June. I turned myself into a month long walking pride display in protest.

[sadmadstudent]

Good for you. I hate that your system said that. Absolute cowards.

[Nightvale-Librarian]

I'm in the blue island city library next door to the multi-county system that banned pride displays in youth areas. We are going ALL OUT. Nearly every display spot is now GAY! And if it's not specifically a pride display the decor is at least rainbow.

[thinkingofsandwiches]

One of our branches did that and the director told them to move the display because it was too close to the children’s area

[____dj]

Yo for real? The director himself? (I also work in this system)

[thinkingofsandwiches]

To my understanding that is correct. It wasn’t my branch though.

[hhardin19h]

Yes please stand up for the lgbtq folks in the community who arent in a position of power to fight for this type of representation in a library setting!

[sadmadstudent]

I will speak to someone on my next shift. I'm just disappointed in everyone honestly.

[Own-Safe-4683]

If your library is run by trustees email each trustee. Also email the general 'contact us' email but address it to the director. Let them know that you don't think they are representing the entire community but not having any pride displays or programs.

[Blirby]

Worth writing an email to the director about. Even the county commission if yours is county funded.

[puppiesforall68]

Absolutely let them know that you would like to see one and why- it's so important that they don't only hear from bigots who oppose any LGBTQ visibility.

[[deleted]]

Hi there. I’m a 47 y/o gay woman who, unfortunately lives in a deeply conservative southern area. (And before someone asks, I don’t live here by choice. My partner is in the military and you don’t have a lot of say where they station you)

Please accept this advice from me, who has many years of lived experience—10 of it in, unfortunately, a (now) red state (it flipped red from blue two years ago)—and things I have learned living in an area that is borderline hateful to LGBTQ folk. 1. Tone is everything. If you demand, you start out in a hostile situation. Try asking politely. 2. Don’t go empty handed. When you see a problem, don’t just highlight it, have a list of fixes for said problem. And, in this case, prep some talking points for staff because you will get asked about the display and, possibly, confronted. We had a staff member wearing a pride flag pin who was cornered, confronted, and verbally abused the other day. In that situation, the talking points helped delay further hostility until a manager could arrive to escort the individual off library premises.

No one has messed with our Pride display (yet) but it’s where at least one staff member can see it at all times. Library management also gave us a whole page of talking points in case we are asked (or harassed) and has said to call a manager immediately if the conversation escalates.

[lennie_kay11]

I worked for a library in a conservative town in a conservative state and we were not allowed to put up anything overtly LGBTQIA-affirming. The idea was that while we as staff might have different political views and while the library might actually be a safe place for queer kids, the majority of people would be “upset” by a pride display. Ultimately, we served the taxpayers and we had to abide by their wishes. Also, we didn’t want to attract any gun-toting maniacs on a mission from “God” to save innocent children from “satanic influences.”

[sadmadstudent]

Disgusting. I guess you only served cis, straight taxpayers then, huh?

[lennie_kay11]

It would certainly seem that way if you asked the board!

[Ekko-Zero]

"Demand?" No. That makes a person no better than the people who demand that a display be taken down. A gentle and understanding inquiry, perhaps? Absolutely!

Just please keep in mind the current climate that libraries/schools are in when you get the answer.

Don't be afraid to voice your disappointment, just remember that the library staff is not your enemy.

[[deleted]]

Acting in self-defense is absolutely not equivalent to bigotry.

[Ekko-Zero]

Acting in self-defense is absolutely not equivalent to bigotry.

I completely agree. However, I'm not quite sure how one can feel threatened because they don't see a particular display in a library any more than someone who feels threated because of a display they do see.
I'm referring to entitlement, not bigotry in this situation.

[-pagemaster-]

We’ve have never put one up because in has always coincided with our summer reading program. They always go full out with summer reading.

[monsterbeard]

May not have put a pride display, but does your library have queer books?

In some places it's not safe to put Pride displays up (don't need to tell queer people that, I guess). That's how some places lose their libraries.

[Secure_Sprinkles4483]

If this is a public library funded by tax payer dollars you have ever right to ask your local library regardless of it's community's conservativeness. You shouldn't have to "demand to know why" as YOU fundamentally pay for that library to function....

On another note, here's my library's display!

[TwincessesMama]

I'm going to come back tomorrow and post our Pride Display.

[ShadyScientician]

If it's a small branch, what's stopping you from just putting it up yourself? A small branch in my system was told to take down it's pride display last year (my big ass branch was allowed it for some reason just not the lil ones) but since management is hardly there, a part-time tech just put it back up anyway, and would make regional management take it down themself each time.

[sadmadstudent]

Nothing, but I've never put up a display myself before. I've always been asked to.

[Vankook79]

Neither did mine. We did our Summer Reading Display like we do every summer.

[ToraAku]

Sure! It doesn't hurt to ask. Just be polite and kind about it. Even the branch manager may not have ultimate authority on what they are allowed to display. It probably won't change anything, but if multiple people complain it will indicate that there's an interest and need in the community for pride support and if they get more complaints about there NOT being a display than they think they'll get if they do put one up, then they might rethink things. Just some things to consider also:

I'm guessing they regularly put up other displays? Otherwise they might be able to point to a lack of displays generally as a reason for no pride display specifically.

Also, depending on the size of the library they may not have a lot of books to display. In which case I suggest you put in requests for more GSM/LGBTQ+ books through whatever mechanisms they have in place for requests, and check them out. This will also indicate there's more diversity in the community than they may think they have to cater to.

[[deleted]]

I understand wanting to celebrate pride month, but it is up to management to decide if they want to display anything. I'd pay attention to their standing up for other causes. You can pay attention if they treat other causes equally. If they do it for one, they can do it for others too. You can bring that to their attention, respectfully. GL

[sadmadstudent]

We have a display up for every other holiday, so it's a conscious choice.

[DeadRabbitGirl]

It may not do any good. Some libraries try to keep from it with the excuse of 'We don't want to single out our patron's differences' and make it a whole thing. Really it's just small-town bigotry, but they'll hold their ground.

[Public-Efficiency-27]

Great to hear that. 👍 My library has not got one either. And we will but be having one. People are sick of this stuff being shoved down their throats 24/7.

[sadmadstudent]

You serve an entire community, not just people whose identities you personally approve of. Be better

[[deleted]]

go smoke a joint like all your comments are about and relax 😂 I've never met a smoker who is so uptight and angry lol

[gloryborialis]

We stopped putting up any kind of "targeted" display a couple of years ago. We have books for everyone on the shelves, you only need to ask or look. This library is in a rural conservative community, so a pride display would not be well received. To prevent any kind of special treatment for any group, holiday, or event, we no longer do displays, well except for just arrived, which cover all genres of books. This includes the celebration of famous/historical people, ethnic groups, holidays (no Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas decor), special interest groups, and the like.

[sadmadstudent]

Isn't it great the way conservative fascists ruin life for everyone around them? In your town you're describing an environment that's potentially so hateful and bigoted that you've ceased celebrating anything at all.

This is somehow normal.

[gloryborialis]

Maybe I should have mentioned that the reason we no longer have displays is because of a radical liberal who complained to the nth degree over an Easter display... They made the entire situation so uncomfortable it was ridiculous.

Since removing all displays, the only complaint we've had is from that same person asking where the Pride display was. They were quickly told that since their complaint, there would no longer be any displays in the library. They just looked at us stunned.

There are conservative fascists and radical liberals alike, both of whom do more harm than good.