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Original poster

New rules for Reform-run libraries after Pride row

58 replies

IwantToRetire · Yesterday 22:36

A Reform-led council has outlined proposals to govern displays in its libraries four months after the administration came under fire for banning LGBTQ+ Pride displays.

The new draft guidance, to be considered by a Staffordshire County Council scrutiny committee on Thursday, reveals which events will be marked with library displays, including local history, St George's Day, Remembrance Day and Armed Forces Day, as well as promotion for fostering and recycling in the county.

However, there is no place on the draft schedule for the year ahead for Pride, Black History Month or non-Christian cultural events.

The council said it wanted libraries to be politically neutral spaces open to everyone.

Councillors are due to vote on the draft guidance in November.

Article continues at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmz98k2q18pko

(Dont think this is the same Council as the one there was an ealier thread about.)

A woman with long brown hair is wearing a cardigan and holding a book. She is looking at a book shelf in a library.

Reform-led Staffordshire Council issues new rules for libraries

A decision to ban Pride displays in June across Staffordshire's libraries sparked controversy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmz98k2q18pko

OP posts:
TempestTost · Today 03:31

As someone who manages a public library, I don't really think it's great that there are rules about this. However, they are a reaction in many ways to libraries allowing themselves to be political in ways that alienate some of their constituents.

I also think it's become a common things for libraries to be treated by government bodies, and even various goodly organisations, as a propaganda vehicle.

It can at times feel as if the whole year is a never changing round of official monthly celebrations. Pride month, Black History Month, Asian Month, Diabetes awareness, and on and on.

My own view is that while it is a convenient public sport for things like useful pamphlets, and there isn't anything particularly wrong with doing a book display on the topic of the moment, the real purpose of a display is to show people the books we have available, particularly ones they might not know to look for. Trotting out the same old topics year after year isn't helpful.

The displays I do yearly are small in number and represent items that people will in fact be looking for at that time in particular. Christmas and holiday books are the biggest example. Most of the good cause books don't move off the shelf.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · Today 01:07

LastTrainsEast · Yesterday 22:52

Sounds ok to me.

I'd like to live in a world where rules about this were not needed, but the way our own culture is treated as unwelcome we have to push back.

When someone who is black or gay did something to be proud of we should honor them, but not because they are black or gay.

The point of say Black History Month, same as International Women's Day, is not about individual achievers, but about recognising that within society certain groups of people, eg women are discriminated against.

However, even allowing for whatever rainbow group Pride is meant to be standing up for, (unless of course Pride is just about male appendages) it is totally inappropriate to have displays more normal in porn.

So once again, TRA over reach (arrogance) has opened the door to those who dont want women, or the disabled or other marginalised groups to be acknowledged. Because to do so is to effectively point the finger at the excluder. They just spoil everything for everybody by the relentless need to inappropriately over state.

OP posts:
Hoardasurass · Today 01:03

TransParentlyAnnoyed · Yesterday 23:07

Unsurprising. Reform have no policies beyond exclusion, repression and reducing acceptance of difference.

Public libraries aren't meant to be politically neutral. They exist because of working-class protest, equality campaigns and the women's movement. Education is something Reform fears..

No libraries exist because philanthropists like Andrew Carnagie paid to create them so ordinary people could have access to books and knowledge when they were to poor to afford them.
Public libraries are supposed to be a place of learning for all not a place for political ideologies or indoctrination.

FlirtsWithRhinos · Today 00:01

Why does it have to be either/or? What's wrong with a St George display and a Pride display and a Black History display? Isn't that politically neutral? And why wouldn't an Armed Forces display not include LGB and Black people anyway, given plenty of servicemen and women are?

I love seeing different communities in our society being made visible. I love windows into other cultures including the ones I live next door to. Isn't windows into other minds and other places exactly what libraries are supposed to be?

twocrumpets · Yesterday 23:52

Can’t get het up about this. I don’t need sexuality thrust in my fave at the library.

Thelnebriati · Yesterday 23:38

What, no more rainbow dildo monkey? No more drag queen story hour? Oh no.

www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/19438386.redbridge-libraries-fire-inappropriate-costume/

TransParentlyAnnoyed · Yesterday 23:07

Unsurprising. Reform have no policies beyond exclusion, repression and reducing acceptance of difference.

Public libraries aren't meant to be politically neutral. They exist because of working-class protest, equality campaigns and the women's movement. Education is something Reform fears..

LastTrainsEast · Yesterday 22:52

Sounds ok to me.

I'd like to live in a world where rules about this were not needed, but the way our own culture is treated as unwelcome we have to push back.

When someone who is black or gay did something to be proud of we should honor them, but not because they are black or gay.