Previously on This Just In…

The update:

This topic reminds me that for the longest time a certain periodical has caused major headaches for people running local libraries across America.

Librarians have covered the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit up, kept it off the shelves, restricted who could take it out.

Many years ago I talked with the sweet library director here in Franklin (now retired) who conceded the steamy issue was problematic. The biggest concern: if the library left the magazine out for anyone to see (or grab) it would quickly make its way out the door. And so due to theft SI along with Rolling Stone and Time must be and are treated differently by libraries.

Roz Warren is the author of “Our Bodies, Our Shelves: A Collection of Library Humor”. In 2014 she wrote on the Women’s Voices For Change website:

This year’s cover shows three stunning young woman, topless, their backs to the camera, smiling happily at the viewer over their shoulders, their gorgeous rumps more revealed that concealed by itty wisps of fabric.  

Is this really what we want to display on our library’s magazine rack?

Of course, my suburban Philadelphia library’s collection contains all three books in the Shades of Grey trilogy, and numerous other examples of sexy contemporary “literature.” (And the sex scenes in the romances we circulate are hot hot hot.)  

We librarians tend to be fans of the First Amendment.   I’m a card-carrying member of the ACLU myself. I even subscribe to Playboy—for the articles and interviews, of course.    

What I’m saying is that I’m all for pornography.   

But there’s a time and a place for porn. I wasn’t sure this was the time or the place. I’m in charge of processing and then shelving incoming magazines.

Before I shelved it, my co-workers passed it around.  The consensus? We weren’t exactly shocked. But we weren’t exactly thrilled either. 

We librarians don’t tend to let it all hang out.  

Very interesting. Warren considers the SI issue porn. Wonder what she’d think about the highly questionable crap in libraries today.

I find this ‘treatment’ of the SI issue, all the hand wringing to be ironic. It’s odd that library officials need to nervously debate how to handle each year’s glossy skinfest. At the same time they fail to hesitate about displaying filthy trash right out in the pen.

“Hey kiddos, c’mon! Wanna read some really dirty stuff?”

Clearly there’s something wrong.