VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Barnes County Public Library board held a public hearing regarding the book “Let’s Talk About It” on Thursday, January 5th.
Since September, a group of citizens have been asking the library director and the board of directors to move the book from the youth circulation area to the adult section of the library due to its graphic images and (according to the group) the controversial message it portrays about human sexuality.
Phil Kleymann said this book sends the wrong message to our youth in a public library.
Duane Coates said the book should not be banned from the library.
Carter Hass said he didn’t agree with the images or the message the book portrays but he said, citing 1st Amendment rights, the book should not be banned or removed from the library.
About 20 people testified during the hearing held in the Student Center Skoal Room at Valley City State University.
Valley City Barnes County Library Board member Duane Magnuson asked the audience to raise their hands if they supported moving the book to the adult section of the library. Several hands were raised. Then, board member Vicky Lovell asked for a show of hands from anyone who wanted the book banned from the library, and according to this reporter, there didn’t appear to be any hands raised to support that idea.
After the hearing, Valley City Barnes County Library Board president Hilde van Gijssel said the library board will take two weeks to review all of the testimony submitted at the hearing. She said a special board meeting will be announced to the public concerning their decision about the book “Let’s Talk About It.”
