I am, in many ways, a shining example of the corrupting influence of the library.
I grew up in Pullman, and I was introduced to the library very young. My mom would let me run free while she perused the shelves for novels involving murder- solving felines. I devoured everything I could find in the children’s section, for both boys and girls.
Next, it was using the library’s black and green computer screen to search for more diverse tastes. Snakes, medieval weapons, medical encyclopedias and, yes, dinosaurs. These regular visits spurred my interest in books, and those Pizza Hut summer reading programs didn’t hurt either.
In the third grade, I was reading my dad’s copy of The Hobbit, as well as adult novel spinoffs of popular movies like Alien and the Terminator. Don’t worry though, despite the library’s demonic intentions I did not morph into a T-1000 liquid terminator and rampage across the rolling wheat fields.
In school, I was well beyond the reading level of most of my peers. In English class at W.F. West, I expanded my understanding of what I read through literary analysis.
Brian Mittge might clutch his pearls in shock, but my (excellent) English teacher often recommended books with adult themes, which we would discuss during break. Luckily, no one told our teachers that reading adult books as a teenager was deviant behavior.
I attribute my success in graduate school and my career in public health to my parents and the library. I am blessed they encouraged me to read anything and everything I desired. Instead of fostering this in our children and our community, Brian Mittge is shaking in his boots that a child might open up an encyclopedia out of curiosity and look at a naked body.
Instead, he treats the library like it should be locked up and culturally whitewashed.
We are all smart enough to know that if someone reads a book about crime, it does not change one into a criminal. We also know books help people develop empathy and understanding. I know a small portion of the struggle of our LGBT population, the struggle of our Latino and Black population, because I have read. I also know the joys of things I will never experience, because I have read.
It is not the library’s job to restrict books. That is a parent’s responsibility and their choice alone. Discussing this during a national educational crisis is a spurious distraction.
To me, it seems like there are a lot of positive, productive conversations we could be having about our library system. Bringing back social programs at the library that drive attendance. Working with schools and partners to introduce more people to the library and its resources. Actually talking to people of differing opinions and coming up with something we can all get behind.
Instead, our TRL representative is wasting time creating more restrictions that tell members in the community we do not accept them.
I never looked good in beige anyway.
Phillip Wiltzius
Chehalis
