tossing the library bill of rights

You have probably already seen this article about a library in Illinois who had a challenge to the [admittedly weird] movie Happiness. The library ultimately decided to keep the movie in its collection but to ditch the ALA guildelines from their policy manual for being “too liberal.” I assume they were talking about the Library Bill of Rights though the ALA does have many guidelines about intellectual freedom for libraries. [libactivist]

Posted in ala

basement discovery at Bethel Library

Hey it’s one of those great weird library basement discoveries, but it’s in the basement of my own local library! Not quite the Declaration of Independence, but a fascinating look into my town’s past.

The volumes are replete with priceless gems regarding Bethel in years past. There are not only comments and thoughts regarding Sylvester Parker’s sermons, but numerous mundane yet interesting vignettes containing such matters as Mary’s cooking, Sylvester’s need for a new coat, an incident when he was run over by a horse, his travels, a record of the daily weather, Mary’s purchase of poorly-fitting false teeth, and many daily events in the town.