Sarah Palin, Librarians, and the Wasilla Library Book Banning Controversy

The latest news, commentary blogs, videos, and related links involving Sarah Palin and the Wasilla Library book censorship controversy.

Norman Oder and LJ Staff -- Library Journal, 9/23/2008

Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 20: Wasilla library back in the news again by Marjorie Kehe
The national newspaper follows up on the library's decision, first published in LJ, not to shelve two donated gay-themed children's books, but credits the story to the local newspaper.

Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, Oct. 16: Gay life books don’t make cut at local library by Michael Rovito
The local newspaper in Wasilla follows up on the library's decision, first published in LJ, not to shelve two donated gay-themed children's books. The donor, Michael Petrelis, says he's still happy to promote libraries.

Petrelis Files, Oct. 15: Wasilla Library Rejects 2 Gay Childrens Books by Michael Petrelis
The San Francisco man who donated two gay-themed children's books to the Wasilla Public Library says he's disappointed by the news, but not completely so. The first two commenters differ on the library's action.

LJ Talks to, Oct. 14: Wasilla Public Library Director KJ (Kathy) Martin-Albright by Norman Oder
The current director of the library at the center of the Sarah Palin book-banning episode talks about the facility’s current state, why Heather Has Two Mommies is gone, and being in the spotlight. >>

LJ Insider Blog, Oct. 6: At Palin Rally, Democrats Lob the Library Issue (Incorrectly) by Norman Oder
For now, it seems, the Republicans and Democrats will be arguing past each other on the issue of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin's relationship with the Wasilla Public Library when she was city mayor a dozen years ago.>>

LJ News online, October 6:LJ Talks to Alaska Children’s Librarian Charlotte Glover on the Wasilla Book Banning Controversy and Other Collection Decisions by Norman Oder
Charlotte Glover is the children's librarian at the Ketchikan Public Library, and the state Chapter Councilor for the American Library Association. She’s been publicly critical of Palin, but, as the interview shows, she thinks collection decisions should be local.>>

National Review Online, Oct. 2: Sweeping Questions on Banning Books and Hunting Witches by Ronald F. Maxwell
In fairness: Following the tempest in Wasilla’s teapot, no book was ever banned by Mayor Palin.>>

LJ Insider Blog, Sept 30: Local Paper’s Exclusive: Palin (Sort of) Answers Library Questions by Norman Oder
The local Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman got an exclusive interview today with Alaska Governor and Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin, and got a chance to ask questions about Palin's posture, as Wasilla mayor 12 years ago, regarding the Wasilla Public Library.>>

The Gainesville Sun, Sept. 29: Check You Facts Before You Vote by Ellen Sattler
While her alleged attempts to pull books from the library shelves are still in question, the list of books that were supposedly banned includes some that were not yet in print at the time she took office, proving that these charges are at least exaggerated, if not entirely made up.>>

Shelf Check 279, Sept. 27 by Poesygalore

Rocky Mountain News, Sept: 27: DAHLIN: Verify, then trust by Amber Dahlin
Did Sarah Palin submit a list of books she wanted banned from the Wasilla library? No. Palin asked the librarian what the response would be if Palin wanted some books removed.>>

Huffington Post, Sept. 24: On Banning Books and Hunting Witches by Ronald Maxwell
Encouragingly, Sarah Palin's attempts to remove books from the Wasilla library were resisted not only by the intrepid Ms. Emmons but also by an awakened local citizenry who pressured the new mayor to quickly reverse her decision to fire the intransigent librarian.>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 24: Will Donated “Heather Has Two Mommies” Make It to the Wasilla Public Library Shelves?
A gay activist has donated Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy’s Roommate to the Wasilla Public Library, AK, in response to reports of former Mayor Sarah Palin’s inquiries about banning books and also because the library lacks those books.>>

Tucson Citizen, Sept. 24: Ex-Alaskan gives Palin-GOP snow job the cold shoulder by Ryan Quinn
Former neighbor writes: Not only is Sarah Palin’s executive experience inadequate, her worldview is not possibly diverse or nuanced enough to appreciate either the domestic challenges or international complexities that a VP must grasp at the most basic level.>>

Wichita Eagle Editorial Department Blog, Sept. 23: Palin has Company on Book Banning by Phillip Brownlee
It seems apropos that Banned Books Week begins next weekend,” wrote columnist Leonard Pitts, reflecting on the reports of how Sarah Palin asked the Wasilla, Alaska, librarian three times about removing controversial books from the shelves.>>

Times-Standard, Sept. 23: A few things you should know about Sarah Palin by Eric Gregory
Before you all go on to think that Sarah Palin is just a nice normal lady, someone with religious views and political opinions that anyone might share, I'd like to pass on some attributed facts.>>

The Retriever Weekly, Sept. 22: Sarah Palin sets women’s rights back by Saira Khan
I have never been a fan of John McCain and have come to expect radical ideas from him, but even I was surprised when he announced Sarah Palin as his running mate. The 44-year-old vice-presidential nominee is the first woman to be featured on the Republican ticket.>>

Courant.com Sept. 22: Peering Through Blizzard of Misinformation by Bessy Reyna.
By now, I hope you know that the many e-mails you have received from friends claiming that Sarah Palin, the Republican candidate for vice president, banned books from the Wasilla library when she was mayor are not true.>>

MercuryNews.com Sept. 20: Opinion: Sarah Palin which books do you want to ban, and why? by Leonard Pitts Jr.
Of course, we all have questions for Sarah Palin:
Does she actually think living across the Bering Strait from Russia constitutes foreign policy expertise? Does she really take the parable of Adam and Eve as literal truth? How, exactly, does one field dress a moose? And why would one want to?
My first question, though, would not be one of those. I’d simply ask which books she wants to ban—and why.>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 19: Want To Ask the Presidential Candidates a Question?
Hoping to accent the the value of libraries, American Library Association President Jim Rettig is urging librarians and library advocates to submit questions for the October 7 Presidential debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain.>>

LJ Editorial Sept. 18: Palin Strikes Fear in Libraries
The more we hear about Palin, the less we trust her.>>

Video: Alaska Women Against Palin rally

The Nation Sept. 18: What's Daddy's Roommate Doing in Wasilla?
Nancy Kranich, past ALA prexy, tackles the Palin banned books issue for National Library Week.

New York Times Sept. 17: "Barbies for War"
“McCain and Palin=McPain.”

LJ Insider blog Sept. 16: Palin: Hockey Rink vs. Library?
From a Washington Post profile Sunday of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's term as mayor of Wasilla, AK:
"Some in town had for years pressed the city for a new space for the cramped library. Palin, who calls herself a 'typical hockey mom,' instead focused on building a sports complex with an NHL-size rink. In 2002, by a 20-vote margin, voters approved a $14.7 million bond to be financed by a half-cent sales tax hike.">>

Shelf Check library comic strip #269 Sept. 16

LJ Insider blog Sept. 15: Report: As Mayor, Palin Disturbed by Daddy’s Roommate
The New York Times, in a long and very unflattering profile yesterday of Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's work as governor of Alaska and, previously, mayor of Wasilla, concluded that there's more to the "book-banning" story than the campaign of Presidential candidate John McCain will let on.
(The campaign, in a statement, said Palin's questions of Wasilla Public Library director Mary Ellen Emmons were "rhetorical" and did not address specific books.)>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 15: Anchorage Library the Site for "Alaska Women Reject Palin" Rally
While the "Alaska Women Reject Palin Rally" Saturday (video here) did not focus on the controversy over Gov. Sarah Palin's interactions, as mayor of Wasilla, with the Wasilla Public Library, it was, perhaps not coincidentally, held outside the Z.J. Loussac Library in Anchorage. The Anchorage Daily News reported that it was "bigger than any Anchorage has seen in recent memory," citing organizers' claims of 1400 protestors and nearly 100 counter-protesters.>>

Publishers Weekly Sara Nelson's editorial, Our Burning Issue Sept. 15.
Supposed list of books banned by Palin is bogus.

Washington Post Sept. 14: “As Mayor of Wasilla, Palin Cut Own Duties, Left Trail of Bad Blood"

LJ Insider blog Sept. 12: Waiting for Palin's Interview, as New Details Emerge
Well, the first segment of ABC newsman Charles Gibson's interview with Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee, has been broadcast, but Gibson didn't (yet) ask her about the controversy over her inquiries about banning books and firing the director of the Wasilla Public Library.>>

www.freerangelibrarian.com September 11: "Earth to Sarah Palin: Jesus Was a Community Organizer."

LJ News online Sept. 10: Wasilla Librarian Doesn’t Recall Palin’s “Banned” Titles, but Reporter Does, Vaguely
While Wasilla’s former library director told ABCNews.com that she does not recall a conversation about specific titles, a local reporter who interviewed her told PolitiFact, that he recalled two titles, though he initially got the names wrong.>>

ABC News Report:

Video: ABC News Investigation: Palin and the Librarian

librarian.net Sept. 10: On Fact Checking and Sarah Palin and Book Banning

LJ Insider blog Sept. 9: McCain Campaign Slams Bogus List of Books "Banned" by Palin, but Questions Remain
The John McCain/Palin presidential campaign has denounced a bogus list of books VP candidate Sarah Palin allegedly banned while mayor of Wasilla, AK. (I wrote previously about the list and also Wasilla's response.) >>

Shelf Check blog #266 Sept. 9

PolitiFact, Sept. 9: Rules question about removing books "Half True."

National Review Online Sept. 9: A Phantom “Facist Streak” by Ben Boychuck
Fact is, Sarah Palin has never advocated censorship. She never railed against “filthy” literature as mayor or as governor. And although Palin is an evangelical Christian, the only real crusade in her career has been against political corruption and self-dealing.>>

FactCheck.org; Sept. 8, updated Sept. 9
Concludes evidence is murky regarding Palin's treatment of the library.

Time, Sept. 8: McCain Memo on Palin and Library Books
"Then-Mayor Palin never asked anyone to ban a book and not one book was ever banned, period." The McCain campain defends against what it calls a smear, and says all discussion of book-banning was "rhetorical." Memo includes citations from past coverage.

LJ News online Sept. 8: ALA Pushes Political Discussion to ALA-APA, but Some Grumble
In response to concerns raised about the legality of “political speech” engaged in by the American Library Association (ALA), precipitated by much discussion of Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin and her interaction with the Wasilla, AK, library, ALA officials have found a solution—though not all ALA Councilors welcome it.>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 8: Alaska Newspaper Reprints "Library Censorship" Article
Adding somewhat to our understanding, but clearly not satisfying partisans on both sides in the debate over Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Frontiersman newspaper of Wasilla, AK, has reprinted the 12/18/96 article about Palin's actions as mayor of Wasilla, headlined Palin: Library censorship inquiries 'Rhetorical'.>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 5: Librarians Against Palin Blog Emerges, Plus a Response from Wasilla
A new blog set up by anonymous sponsors, Librarians Against Palin, is set up by a Sarah Palin opponent who asserts that the vice-presidential candidate, when Mayor of Wasilla, AK, attempted to fire the library director when she "would not ban books without going through the formal book challenging process." I haven't seen any solid evidence of that, so it's unclear whether Palin was having a "theoretical" discussion, as she was reported to have said, or was putting undue pressure on library director Mary Ellen Emmons.>>

LJ News online Sept. 4: Can ALA Councilors Discuss Palin? Consternation and Caution
Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, as mayor of Wasilla, AK, asked the town librarian to resign and three times discussed removing books from the library—issues that have gotten much media play and reached the electronic mailing lists of the American Library Association (ALA). However, ALA leaders have cautioned that explicit support of candidates might jeopardize ALA’s tax-exempt status, an interpretation which some Councilors suggested is too narrow, and ALA distributed a generic statement about censorship under the misleading subject line “ALA releases statement on Alaska book banning controversy.”>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 4: Report: Palin, as Mayor, Raised Library Censorship Issue Three Times
An article in today’s Anchorage Daily News adds somewhat to the 12-year-old controversy (about which I wrote Tuesday) regarding Wasilla, AK mayor Sarah Palin, now the Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, and her treatment of veteran library director Mary Ellen Emmons.>>

School Library Journal News Sept. 4: Library Blog Blasts Palin
Mary Ellen Baker, the librarian at the center of the Sarah Palin book-banning controversy, may not be talking to the press, but librarians around the country are voicing their concerns about having an alleged censor on the Republican ticket—through a blog called Librarians Against Sarah Palin!>>

LJ Insider blog Sept. 2: What Do We Know About Sarah Palin and the Wasilla Library? Not Much
John McCain's surprise choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate on the Republican ticket has led journalists and bloggers to the clip and web files, and a library connection—suggesting but hardly proving dubious behavior by Palin as mayor of Wasilla—has emerged.Some commentators, like Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan, have made a big deal of Palin’s 1997 move to fire Wasilla Public Library director Mary Ellen Emmons, who supported Palin's rival during the mayoral campaign. >>

librarian.net Sept. 2: Sarah Palin, VP Nominee.

McCain Campaign Statement

City of Wasilla Statement

FactCheck.org on Palin: Not a Book Burner

PolitiFact: Story of banned books is murky

ALA-APA forum mailing list for Palin discussion

Snopes.com Banned Books

www.MyDebates.org
Send in your questions on libraries for the Town Hall presidential debate October 7 to this MySpace page! Questions will be forwarded to moderator Tom Brokaw. The more questions submitted about libraries, the more likely a question will be asked.

DAHLIN: Verify, then trust by Amber Dahlin
Did Sarah Palin submit a list of books she wanted banned from the Wasilla library? No. Palin asked the librarian what the response would be if Palin wanted some books removed.>>