Talk:Library Bill of Rights

Cool, a new Library Bill of Rights page. Thanks, Rlitwin, for your work on this. --SafeLibraries 19:19, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Postamble Discrepancy

Right on the ALA's web page appears the LBR and an link to a PDF version of the LBR. Look carefully at the postambles in both and a difference is evident, the HTML and the PDF. Since the ALA is the source of the LBR, the discrepancy should be resolved by the ALA so this wiki page reflects the correct postamble. IMHO. --SafeLibraries 19:26, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I am aware of what you are talking about. Note that the sources of the information in the history section are also ALA publications - the 1939 Bulletin and ALA's own history of itself published in 1978. I do not know why the postamble on the website doesn't acknowledge the 1939 version of the LBR, but I have it right in front of me. Rlitwin 20:24, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Critical responses/Controversy

Let's all be honest here. The LBR is the source of considerable controversy. This controversy is absent from this page. Let's consider adding it in in a way we all agree that's wiki worthy.

The main controversy (is there another) is over the word age. Right off the top of my head I can think of a few things that might be relevant.

1) The US Supreme Court in US v. ALA said it is legitimate, even compelling, to keep children from inappropriate material, yet the ALA has explained why it will not change the LBR accordingly.

2) The ALA and its influence is huge over American libraries. So with the ALA not removing the age language, there still remains no reason why children should not have access to inappropriate materials, and with the ALA's nationwide influence, that's a lot of children.

3) In Overland Park, Kansas, a public library board voted 4-3 to remove the word "age" from their own LBR. That started a huge ALA, well, killer bee-like reaction resulting in the word being restored to the local policy and the governmental officials promising to carefully review the resumes of potential library board members to ensure only those aligned with the ALA get appointed to the positions.

So let's all take the time to consider how best to present it. --SafeLibraries 19:40, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

See current edit. Rlitwin 20:11, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Hmmm. Such a simple edit. Very general in nature. Shouldn't there be more to it? Let's hear what others have to say. --SafeLibraries 20:16, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Even what I added to mention the "controversy" lacks a citation (the citation there refers to the fact of "age" being reaffirmed as an element, not the reason for it). Anything more would definitely need a good citation to a reputable source. I think to most people the "controversy" you are interested in promoting is rather obscure. There are critics, and you seem to be chief among them. That their views (your views) are significant seems to them and you to be self-evident based on the facts. However, that's not how it works in wikiepedia, as you learned in your lengthy discussion on the American Library Association article's talk page; that kind of edit would essentially be original research, which is not allowed. If there is an article in a publication that is not a publication of a one-issue advocacy group, then you have a citation that you can use to substantiate an edit of the kind you would like. But in fact no controversy about age being an aspect of the LBR has ever bubbled up to the surface in American cultural debate as far as I'm aware. I don't think the "issue" deserves more than the brief mention I gave it, if even that. And that's not because of my estimation of the merits of the criticisms, which is really not even relevant, but because of the lack of publications in the general media about your criticisms. Rlitwin 20:39, 9 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]