Barbara Stripling

......................................................................................................
In America, far too many librarians seem to share a common, if not willful, ignorance of the principles of democracy.  Far too many of them lack an appreciation for FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, and VIGOROUS DEBATE.  Why? 
..........................................................................

From: todslone@hotmail.com
To: bstripli@syr.edu
CC: kmahoney@clamsnet.org; sturgislibrary@comcast.net; fblowrie@gmail.com; ppronovost@capecodonline.com; emaroney@barnstablepatriot.com
Subject: More Librarian Hypocrisy
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 11:08:16 -0400

To ALA President Barbara Stripling,

When challenged and questioned, librarians either do not respond or behave as little-caeser gatekeeper fascists.  But I like to cover my bases.  I'm now working on a cartoon regarding you and the Declaration Stuff you’re now promoting.  I thought perhaps you’d like to explain ALA apathy regarding librarians who behave more as gatekeeping censors, than responsible citizens of a democracy.  Why does the ALA not care that many librarians flaunt the ALA Library Bill of Rights in their own policies, while hypocritically ignoring it, especially the one that stipulates:  “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view”.   Why does your Office for Intellectual Freedom not give a damn about that? Sure, you have no jurisdiction over libraries, but you could certainly write a letter in an effort to educate irresponsible librarians who behave more like fascists, than responsible citizens of a democracy. 

                “Libraries Empower the Individual” states your Declaration.  What of course that really means is the individual librarian to behave as a little-casear fascist.  Lucy Loomis, for example, director of Sturgis Library (Barnstable, MA), permanently banned me without due process or warning because I questioned her banning of my flyers and nonprofit literary journal from the library.  Do you care?  No, you do not, and that’s why your Declaration is nothing but more ALA hot air.  Kathleen Mahoney, director of Mashpee Public Library, was actually going to allow The American Dissident to enter into the Clams Library System of Cape Cod by being the only librarian willing to subscribe.  She then changed her mind after examining a copy, and who knows what else provoked her to change it.  She simply won’t say.  It has been next to impossible to get librarians to open up to the hard criticism appearing in each issue of The American Dissident.  Over the course of 15 years, I’ve been able to obtain only 12 libraries as subscribers.  Poetry Magazine and Agni, on the other hand, have over 3000 each.  That means nearly 3000 library directors do not wish to abide by your Library Bill of Rights and provide alternative points of view.

                In any case, I will let you know when the cartoon is posted on my blog site.  It will also be published in the next issue of The American Dissident.  Unfortunately, the many patrons of the Clams Library System of Cape Cod will not be able to access the issue because it is essentially banned from that system.  Yes, celebrate Banned Books Week… and librarian hypocrisy while you’re at it.