The Restriction of Books, Reading, and Knowledge

My readers, you have probably noticed that this post is almost two weeks early. It simply couldn’t wait. I am writing about a matter of great importance to Washington State, the United States of America, and the world. It requires immediate action.

The true purpose of our libraries is in danger. Not only does this involve the misuse of copious amounts of tax dollars, it also constitutes the violation of an essential human right.

The Timberland Regional Library Admin and Board, in a move counter to the desires of the people, is laying off over 50 librarians and changing some of their branches to staff-less models. It was told to the people that this change was necessitated by a lack of money. However, in the previous year libraries underwent extreme unnecessary renovations.

With emphasis placed on making sure libraries get an extreme makeover, and higher officials receiving regular large raises, costs have been cut in the form of jobs, halving patron print allowances, and reduced entry to the libraries themselves.

Yes, you read correctly.

Staff-less libraries, require card entry. The general public will no longer be able to “just” walk into a staff-less model. This has been implemented in many libraries around the world. In the case of card entry this is a blatant restriction of access to books.

Cards have been required for quite some time to borrow books, and we can understand how regulation is necessary in such cases. There needs to be accountability for the return of borrowed books. Library cards fill that need, but in the past, anyone had access. If someone wanted to come into the library and simply read, they could, whether they had a card or not. Now you cannot even gain access to the library without a card.

Some might say that it is a simple matter to obtain a library card, but it sets a precedent that only those that meet certain criteria (having a library card) can even set foot in the library. Once a precedent is set, it opens the door for expanding that precedent. We are now on a very slippery slope, if you’ll excuse the cliché.

What does this mean for the homeless? Concerns have been raised that libraries gave a place for the homeless to be in order to get out of the elements, even if only for a time. I was unable to receive verification on this matter at the time of this writing. I was unable to verify whether the staff-less models do make it difficult for the homeless to enter. Once this matter was brought up in interviews I conducted, I was referred to asklib@trl.org, in other words, online options. I will be following up with this lead in an effort to find more details.

In the meantime, I would argue a more general point. Access to books has always been a divider. Whether we have come to it now or we must guard against it in the future, the poor have always been kept from books, reading, and knowledge as a means of control and oppression. Why? Because knowledge is power. The restriction of books from certain peoples has always been a method of keeping them in their perceived places.

What about librarians? Do we really need them when we have kiosks? All we need is to have computer access to the library catalog and a computerized method for borrowing books. Doesn’t that make human librarians obsolete?

I would like to ask my readers how many times have you called a company or a store only to get an automated message or an AI. If you have a question out of the scope of the script, you are caught in the loop, sent around and around in circles without receiving an answer. How often do you tell the computer that you would like to speak to a person?

With an automated library, it is no longer a place to ask questions. It becomes yet one more place where you are forced to stay in your designated path, and ask only those questions you are allowed to ask. You should expect nothing more. Remain in your box.

There is also the question of software or power failures, during which patrons would not be able to borrow books at all. How is that even an option?

Should we ignore the fact that over 50 human beings are losing their jobs for the sake of automation, and will now have to worry about if they can find another, or if they will be homeless themselves before long?

Even if we do ignore this terrible possibility, we should still consider the original role of the librarian. These are the Gandalfs of the book world, the Allanons, the sages, the mentors, the guides. Where would any quest or adventure be without these characters? They are an intricate part of the story, without whom everything grinds to a halt. Without them, heroes will not have the information, skills, or wisdom necessary to embark on or complete their quests.

Without the sorceress, Fin Raziel, Willow would not learn the final skills he needs to save the princess Elora Danan. Without Giles, Buffy would go unprepared to fight the forces of evil and her slayer powers would not save her or Sunnydale. (Extra points for the fact that Giles is also a librarian!)

How many of my readers remember a time when libraries were packed as full as they could be with media? Now, shelves are short and farther apart for a more “open” floor plan. This greatly reduced the number of books able to be housed. As you can see from one of my links, patron requests for books are being denied. I have encountered this problem myself, having recommended many educational books on different topics such as: writing, business development, and more, items that would be useful for the general populace. All were rejected.

When I asked about this concern, I received the generic answer that the selectors have a list of criteria books must met before being approved. Of course, but aren’t the odds good that when patrons make multiple requests that one of those requests will be approved? For this post, I was unable to access a list of the criteria because requests are not being allowed during the budget crisis and, such being the case, the criteria are not posted.

I now pose the question: if our libraries weren’t purchasing books so that the patrons could have access to books (a library’s fundamental purpose) where did the tax dollars go? I will let my readers form their conclusions from the information provided in the links below.

public-outrage-mounts-over-timberland-regional-library-layoffs

Timberland Library Disaster and Petition

Board votes for 50+ layoffs — immediate action: this is unacceptable

There are other concerns that arise with the computerization of our library systems. Both run the risk of guiding our population away from reading.

When the library is computerized, patrons might begin to wonder what purpose there is for a physical building at all. If the physical building is operated by computers then why not just access the library via your own computer? This promotes the use of digital materials: e-books, audiobooks, and video, which can be streamed from the convenience of the home.

There are portions of the population that are particularly susceptible to headaches and brain fog due to screen use. They note that they don’t seem to absorb information from the written word as well when it is on a screen, and their enjoyment is greatly reduced.

Before you say these are the few rather than the many, understand that headache, brain fog, and eye irritation, are actually common symptoms of extended screen use. Some might just notice it more or sooner than others.

With all the daily tasks that require screens in our technological era, print books are a necessary relief from yet one more activity on the screen. More than that, consider the fact that most people will already be experiencing some symptoms after completing necessary tasks, making reading an e-book an added strain. Is it really enjoyable to read a book on a screen if you have a headache? If you are trying to learn, brain fog and eye irritation will make learning difficult.

What we have here is a situation that will prevent our population from reading. They will resort to audiobooks, podcasts, and movies (because movies, even if they are on a screen are easier to absorb than the written word.) I, personally, have no problem with audiobooks, or podcasts, or even movies (in moderation, of course), but what we are talking about here is a loss of the written word. Cue the Eloi from H. G. Wells The Time Machine.

Patrons expressed many concerns at meetings and offered suggestions to help, but it did no good. The people’s tax money pays for the libraries, yet the board made sure that the people were either not heard or blatantly disregarded. In case there was ever any doubt, this falls squarely under the heading of taxation without representation.

Readers and writers, I urge you to not let this go unchallenged. If the situation continues, we will quickly find ourselves in a society where reading is considered unnecessary, and from there, restricted, allowed only to select few. It was a long, hard fight through centuries to make books available to all. We cannot allow the return of those dark ages from which we have emerged. We are already losing some of the guardians of knowledge, our librarians. They have helped us over the decades. It is time to help them in return.

Please, sign the petition to save our Timberland Regional Library system, so that everyone can continue to enjoy the wonder.

Petition to Save the Timberland Regional Library System

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Please share this post with everyone you can. Let all your friends and family know, and encourage them to sign the petition. Then have them spread the word and encourage others.