Save Samuels Library
Samuels Public Library is under attack! A small group of 53 people called "Clean Up Samuels" are seeking to silence LGBTQ+ voices by abusing Samuels Public Library's reconsideration system - drowning our librarians in now over 800 forms, the vast majority about books they've never even read.
Then, they went after the library's funding at the Warren County Board of Supervisors meeting on June 6th, 2023. Despite being forewarned that this special interest group was potentially violating Virginia law, the Supervisors allowed themselves to be used as political pawns - and held back 75% of the library's budget until the library finishes the plan they created to address the situation. The library has set that plan in place since July 11, 2023 - but the board has yet to release the library's funding.
We, the community, see this for what it is, and we won't allow our library to be used as a political wedge to win over religious voters at the expense of our LGBTQ+ community.
We, the over 1000 members of Save Samuels, demand the funding be released now.
#savesamuels
https://www.facebook.com/savesamuels
https://www.facebook.com/groups/savesamuels
www.savesamuels.org
Top Ten Things to Know about Samuels Public Library and the Save Samuels Fight
The library is a non-profit 501(C)(3) corporation because it is most cost-effective, allows for tax-deductible donations, and uses a volunteer board of trusted citizens with expertise and experience in business, technology, education, management, accounting, military, and civic organizations.
The library has a diverse collection in line with its mission to bring people, information, and ideas together to enrich lives and build community. Selected materials present an array of topics and opinions and should be judged as a whole rather than on isolated passages.
Only 53 out of 20,461 patrons (0.25%) have flooded the library with frivolous Request for Reconsideration forms to unlawfully challenge books with LGBTQ content, severely disrupt the normal operations of the library, and harass the librarians and staff.
The total cost to process all 134 books being challenged equals $96,480 in staff time and related costs and $80,400 in in-kind volunteer time. (Each Young Adult book costs about $720 in staff time and $600 in in-kind donation of volunteer time.)
Warren County is still under financial pressure from the EDA scandal and cannot afford to risk lawsuits that might result from violating civil rights. Warren Co has already committed $10,000 to legal fees. The library has allocated $25,000 to fight the challenges. This is just the beginning of the financial implications of these book challenges.
All the books in question are being challenged because they contain LBGTQ content. Attempts to segregate books for no other reason than they portray LGBTQ people in a positive light is discriminatory and a violation of civil rights.
The Virginia Values Act of 2020 and the Virginia Human Rights Act clearly state that it is unlawful to discriminate based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity in places of public accommodations, including libraries.
As a public library, the staff and Board of Trustees cannot impose a religious standard of pornography or obscenity and must use the legal definition set out by the U.S. Supreme Court in Miller v. California. A book must meet all three standards to be judged obscene: be without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value; appeal to the prurient interest according to community standards; and describe sexual conduct or excretory functions in an offensive way.
Banning, removing, or censoring materials, speakers, or displays violates First Amendment rights. The right to speak and publish under the First Amendment protects individuals and society from information suppression and censorship. Intellectual freedom is a basic right in a democratic society.
Parents/guardians are responsible for what their children, and only their children, take out of the library. The library has powerful tools to help parents: three card options to restrict what children take out; detailed book descriptions in the library catalog; and professional librarians to act as resources to guide parents to appropriate materials.
