Library book complaint whistleblowing

[TheBookWyrm]

Hello. Fairly regular lurker and NC.

Todayi went to my local library and DH pulled out an inappropriate gender ideology book from the kids section, which toddlers up can access.

The good news is, DH is clearly on it as was horrified by the sexualised content, assigned at birth stereotypes etc. It was clearly designed to lead children to the conclusion they are trans.
I work in education and know this book clearly violates the DfE guidance around sex and gender and would be fairly confident tackling it in a school setting, but I've no idea of the process of Rai it with the library or if I'll just get ignored or doxxed.
I feel hollow because i feel i ignored a safeguarding issue, the book is ßtill there, but have no idea how to navigate it without risking my career. I feel a coward but with my family being so young I cannot jeapodise our future.
Any way I can do this anamomously and it will get looked at seriously?

Eurgh. Could your husband make the complaint?

Honestly? Shove it down the back of a shelf where it will get lost or shoplift it. The library won't notice it's gone unless someone specifically asks for it and they can't locate it on the shelf.

What’s the book?

Who are you a child's guide to gender identity.

It was really bad. It even had a wheel at the end so a child could 'work out their gender'.
I didn't look at it as long as DH(he was aghast because he's not as well versed in how prevelant and regressive this stuff is) but he said there was some very iffy sexual content as well as the usual stereotypes and wrong body stuff.

We both work in careers where we have to be neutral so he can't risk it either. Very community based etc.

What's the book?

Broadly speaking, I do not agree with censoring library material, regardless of your own views. (Which I imagine I share)

You don't have to borrow the title.

The reason is, where would this stop? Every library member could be wandering up with their selection of titles they find inappropriate.

There would want to be a very compelling case before I'd suggest contacting the library authorities. (If you did, it would be up the centralised library service in your area, not the brands). That's why I'm asking the book is?

Cross posted sorry! See you have given the title now

Whoops. I spilled my coffee on this lovely book. It’s completely ruined.

Yes, it's terrible: kidsguidetogender.com/

This shows the wheel you mention. Awful stuff.

However I wouldn't complain. It will not achieve anything & while I don't agree with anything in the book, it is open to others to read and agree or disagree. It shouldn't be removed.

It's not a desire to censor, it's an understanding that children require basic safeguarding.
This particular book was inappropriate for anyone below teens, yet it was in the toddlers section, accessible to three year olds.
I accept the library will have lots of gender queer content on their adult shelves, but I do think if the content would be deemed inappropriate for use in a professional setting for children (definitely broke the DfE guidelines) then it shouldn't be in the children's section of the library. Hence my issue, because I have had to remove books from class libraries before because they were unsuitable for the age group or outdated. Standard practise and extended responsibility in a school, I can't understand why the library gets to sidestep that responsibility.
Incidentally,.I've never come across anything else remotely unsuitable for children there so it does appear to be a blind spot.

I’d do this too. Or lose it (no fines on dc tickets in my library area and they take ages to never to invoice for lost books).

Just bin it

I'd borrow it and hang on to it for as long as possible. While you have it, nobody's going to stumble across it.

This particular book was inappropriate for anyone below teens,

Having looked at the content & description, I disagree. It's designed for children.

Do I agree with the content & premise? Not at all.

However, I think it is ok to have books that don't accord with my ideology in a library.

I agree. Regardless of what our personal opinions are, we enter dangerous territory when we start banning books. I just skimmed the first part of the book on Amazon, and regardless of what people individually think, there is an introduction aimed at parents / adults that clearly says that they recommend that they read the book first and if they decide to proceed with it with their child, they do so together with them. That seems a reasonable approach to take. If you don't like the content, then don't let your child read it (assuming they are old enough to read it anyway). Isn't that what you do with any book?

That wheel is confusing.

Body: I have a body that made adults guess girl.

Identity: I am a girl (see 'body section)

Expression: I like loads of different things. It's called personality.

I'm a wuss so whilst I'd love to get rid of it, I feel only proper channels are open to me.

My main problem is I'm vigilant on safeguarding, as is my husband, and we've both been left with this feeling were ignoring a safeguarding risk.
It's so much simpler in schools as you have a report anything without passion or judgement philosophy, so you don't hesitate to do something.
But I feel like if I made an official complaint I'd be putting my family at risk.
And I know at the very least the book needs to be reviewed for age appropriateness for safeguarding purposes.
It would be exactly the same if I spotted a book of war crimes or fifty shades in the toddler section, except I'd have no fear of raising it in those cases.

I do think if the content would be deemed inappropriate for use in a professional setting for children (definitely broke the DfE guidelines) then it shouldn't be in the children's section of the library.

That's not how libraries operate. And it's correct that they don't.

I think the book is complete shite. But it shouldn't be removed.

If you really disagree with it, sure - hide it, borrow & not return, whatever.

this feeling were ignoring a safeguarding risk.

You're not.

This actually makes me roll my eyes a bit. It's a book. If a child takes it out, a parent will be aware. They can choose how to respond.

A child will not have harm come to them reading a book. This book.

If one of my kids picked it up, for sure, I'd take it away & I'd be happy to tell them why.

I think it's a terrible book but I also think you are being excessively dramatic.

Just complain to the Head of the county Library service setting out your reasons. Reference legislation, protected charateristics, DfE guidance, recent court cases etc. Ask why they are not complying with that. Imply (carefully) about personal liability and consequences.

But please less of the "We both work in careers where we have to be neutral so he can't risk it either". Very few of us in the UK work for organisations where you cant make a sensible well-founded report. Yes you might end speaking to people who perhaps dont have the same level of starting knowledge as you, you might speak to someone who totally disagrees etc. There is too much of this and it is really about swerving a slightly tricky conversation. Dont leave it for others - because it wont happen and the situation continues.

However, I think it is ok to have books that don't accord with my ideology in a library.

It's not about it being banned. It's about it being inappropriate for the children's section. Two adults trained in the education sector and safeguarding could see countless ways it would not be allowed on a school shelf.

Fine for it to be put in another section. Bottom line is we do censor for children and rightfully so.

It would be exactly the same if I spotted a book of war crimes or fifty shades in the toddler section, except I'd have no fear of raising it in those cases.

They are not parallel examples. Neither is written for children. This book is. You may disagree with the content but it is a book for children.

could see countless ways it would not be allowed on a school shelf.

It's not a school shelf.

It's a library & as long as the book is intended for children, which it is, it can be there.

It's written with pretty pictures to attract children, yes
That doesn't make it suitable for children.
I personally think anyone who uses hysteria or dramatic etc about safeguarding doesn't understand it. You are supposed to have easy ways to report concerns that may be nothing, that way you don't have to worry about if it's worth reporting or not. I find the lack of a system in a public library worrying. It also seems pretty unfair those in education have to vet books.on top of their actual jobs and the library doesn't.

@TheBookWyrm

I'm in agreement with your views on the content.

Not what should happen with it.

It's not just written with 'pretty pictures to attract children'. It has been through a publishing process and is designed for children to read.

No child reading that book is going to suddenly have a crisis about 'gender identity'. Their parent or guardian will also be aware they have it.

There is no way to start censoring books on ideological grounds that won't lead to wider issues.

Schools have a different role than libraries. You can read (essentially) what you want in a library.