Tony Kinnett (The Daily Caller 5/23/23) was angry “[l]ocal media began writing about the [Ham East Library] board’s ordering ‘shelves emptied’ in a project ‘expected to cost $300,000'” due to the GOP gaining “seats on the public library’s board of trustees.” An Indy Star reporter’s 1/6

description of the “review” by the library as “book banning” was wrong. Kinnett says “None of those claims is true.” In an April mtg the libr director said $300K “was a ‘misquote’” & included costs other than review of mat’ls in the teen section. Kinnett: the board “rebuffed” the 2/6

director’s estimate of at least $120K for part-time help. There wasn’t much “rebuff.” Later, at the 5/25/23 meeting, board member Ray Maddalone “continuously” spoke over the library director & threatened her job. “If our mgr is not up to do that, then we’ll find someone else.” 3/6

Last session Indiana’s Gen’l Assembly considered crim penalties for acts of public librarians. Bars & restaurants have a tough hiring servers. Add “librarians” to “tough to find.” Board member Tiffanie Ditlevson said a review of children’s books didn’t cost an 4/6

add’l penny. Zip is the only price these Board members will accept. The environment is hostile to members of the public, too. Last week the Bd Pres had cops haul out a person from a board mtg. I was on staff of university libraries for 6 yrs. Books take time to catalogue & move 5/6

But this is the only library system undergoing this process: review & segregate books by content. Kinnett’s right. It isn’t banning books. It’s worse. Scare kids from walking into & ppl from working in libraries. Two GOP board members are running for political office? 6/6