Don't Like a Book in a Library? Steal It

Ahhh, another one of the many tactics used by the opponents of free speech and freedom to read: if they don't like or approve of something in a library book, they simply check it out and never return it. The cost to the thief is question is merely the cost of the book. And if the library doesn't replace the book (as if often the case), the cost to the community is a little less access to ideas, and a little less freedom to decide for themselves which books they want to read.

This story out of Miami gives a little insight into the mindset of the folks who play this game:

A group of parents in Miami-Dade have come up with a unique way to get books they considered controversial off the shelves at their children’s schools libraries. They check them out, but never return them.

Dalila Rodriguez admits she checked out “Discovering Cultures, Cuba” from the library at her son’s school Norma Butler Bossard Elementary at 15950 SW 144th St. earlier this month, and doesn’t plan to return it. Rodriguez said this book, like another controversial book she’s checked out “Vamos a Cuba,” contains false information about Cuba.

Rodriguez said, “If you take it out and don't return it, no kid can read it. It's not censoring; it's protecting our children from lies."

Uh, right. Well, I guess it's not "censorship" per se, in that it's not the government doing the censoring. It's just people like Rodriguez being complete and total jerks (and I, uh, censored myself a little there on what I was really thinking!).

Sadly, according to the article, a survey of school district library records show of the 48 copies of “Vamos a Cuba” they have on hand, 17 are lost or overdue.