Update on censorship attempt at the ImagineIF Libraries
Hello, supporters of our beloved library and the Flathead Valley!
Thank you so much for all of the emails you wrote to the county commissioners and ImagineIF Library trustees!
Many of you have reached out because you have received emails from Flathead County Commissioner Randy Brodehl or ImagineIF Library trustee David Ingram, and you’re not sure what to do next. We are asking you to take 15 minutes and write them again.
After reading several of the emails from Ingram and Brodehl you shared with us, we were left with two impressions:
They expect to have the last word.
They are trying to pull us into side discussions to avoid the obvious fact that removing books from the library is censorship and violates patrons’ First Amendment Rights.
We would love to have people send another round of emails so they understand that removing books from the library collection is censorship. If you want to send a clear, positive message, here are a few quick talking points.
Thank them for their email.
State your support for the current library policies that protect the First Amendment rights of all patrons to access materials.
Tell them you are grateful for previous library boards who put policies in place to protect people’s right to choose books for themselves and protect the library from lawsuits over violations of the First Amendment.
Please note that there are two upcoming meetings for trustees. If you can attend and make a public comment in favor of the First Amendment and current library policies, here are the next meetings.
Monday, January 24 at 9 am - Board of Trustees Policy Committee Meeting, ImagineIF Kalispell Meeting Room. It is possible that this committee will be discussing changes to library policies that would allow trustees to censor books by removing them from the collection
Thursday, January 27 at 9am - ImagineIF Library Board of Trustees regular board meeting. If any policy changes are made on January 24, they could be approved at this meeting.
If you only have time to write a quick email, no problem! Here’s the contact information you need. If you have more time or want to write a more in-depth response, please scroll past the contact info.
Contact information
County commissioners/administrators
Phone number for all County Commissioners - 406-758-5503
Randy Brodehl - rbrodehl@flathead.mt.gov
Brad Abell - babell@flathead.mt.gov
Pam Holmquist - pholmquist@flathead.mt.gov
If you have time, please send similar emails to the county administrator and county attorney to tell them that removing books from the library is censorship, and that a lawsuit against the county over the First Amendment is a waste of county funds.
County administrator Pete Melnick - pmelnick@flathead.mt.gov
County attorney Travis R. Ahner - County.Attorney@flathead.mt.gov
Library
Email that will reach all library trustees - librarytrustees@imagineiflibraries.org
Anti-tax library trustees are Heidi Roedel (chair), Doug Adams, and David Ingram.
Experienced trustees are Connie Leistiko and Marsha Sultz
More information
At their January 13 meeting, the trustees voted to keep the book Lawn Boy, but also voted to indefinitely postpone their vote on whether to remove Gender Queer. It appears that the trustees are planning to change the library policies so they have the power to remove books that are challenged by members of the community.
This is censorship, and we are asking you to push back against this attempt to remove people’s rights to choose the books they read.
Here are some talking points you can use for a longer email to the library trustees and the county commissioners. These specifically address some of the points that Randy Brodehl and David Ingram made.
This is a First Amendment issue. The current library policies around book challenges are so strong (making it hard to remove books) because many people throughout the history of public libraries have tried to censor or remove books due to personal objections. The library's job is to provide access to information, not control which books people can read.
If Mr. Ingram or any other Flathead County resident doesn't like this book or the subject matter, they are not required to read it. However, they do not have the right to parent other people's children -- or other people -- and tell them what's suitable for them to read. Restricting books violates the First Amendment.
Ingram’s and Brodel’s interpretations of Montana Code and the Constitutions do not align with years of legal cases on the topic of censorship.
The ImagineIf Libraries acquired the book Gender Queer because of a patron request. That patron pays taxes just like anyone else, and so do the dozens of other taxpayers who have read the book since the book challenge was initiated. The library is for all residents and taxpayers, not a select few.
This book was in the library collection for about three years without incident. The only reason we have a book challenge is because national pro-censorship organizations told their supporters to see if their local libraries had the book and then push for its removal. The problem here is completely manufactured by people with a specific political agenda, and that agenda is censorship of material they find personally objectionable.
Gender Queer is a memoir. When the authors describe their traumatic experiences, they are telling their personal stories, not advocating for or against a specific course of action. At no time did the author discourage people from getting pelvic exams, as Ingram claimed in emails and at the January 13 meeting. Also, many people have experienced trauma when getting pelvic exams, and they have the right to talk about that.
The incident that Mr. Ingram is trying to label as "obscene" is actually a very awkward moment that the author regretted. There was absolutely no attempt to excite readers with this material.
This book has won a number of awards from organizations which review a wide range of books. They take their work very seriously, and the idea that they would grant an award to a book containing obscenity is absurd.
At every stage of the book challenge, people have used open meetings to spread misinformation about LGBTQ+ people. The person who brought the challenge, Mr. Ingram, Trustee Doug Adams, and County Commissioner Randy Brodehl have all made statements that contradict the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people and the recommendations of healthcare professionals.
Community input on this issue is clear. The majority of responses that the trustees have gotten via public comment and on social media show that county residents understand that removing a book from the library shelves is censorship.
If you have any more questions about this book challenge or the problems that some trustees are creating, you can read some of the articles below or email Cherilyn at info@loveliveshereflathead.org.