From: Stephanie Bange <SBange>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 20:30:34 -0400

When I first came to the Dayton Metro Library system about 9 years ago, I learned that a patron had stepped forward to serve as the moral conscience for the Dayton area and was working to rid the library of books that were "not fit to be read". Traveling from branch to branch, he would grab (primarily) children's books that dealt with GLBT topics, take them into the men's restroom, toss them into the toilet, and proceed to defecate on them. He always left a note that expressed his anger at the library for "purchasing such trash". Whenever he struck, emails would be sent out to alert library staff that he was out and about. We determined that we would automatically reorder whatever material he damaged. Unfortunately, he struck at my branch, damaging the brand-new book "Zack's Story" by Keith Elliot Greenburg. When he was finally apprehended, it was discovered that he worked in a Christian bookstore. I found this fact disturbing.

 

But what do they say - he who laughs last? The Comedy Channel picked up this story and sent a "reporter" to my branch to do a feature about the Mad Sh**ter. (our nickname for him) Perhaps you remember it????

 

About the same time, I noticed that many of the "classic" GLBT works were missing from the shelves in my branch. When I queried about their missing status, I was told that it was nearly impossible to keep them on the shelves - it was suspected that someone with ultra conservative beliefs stealing them so they would not be available. I reordered titles that were missing.

 

Fortunately, I have not had this problem (missing books) recently.

 

 

Stephanie Bange

Children's Librarian

Dayton Metro Library (OH)
Received on Wed 29 Jun 2005 07:30:34 PM CDT