Montana State Library Pulls Screening of ACLU Film
The Montana State Library in Helena announced February 21 that it was canceling its upcoming screening of a film critical of the USA Patriot Act because of complaints that the program would only feature the opinions of the film’s producer, the American Civil Liberties Union. A day after the cancellation, the ACLU of Montana reserved the meeting room of the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena to show Beyond the Patriot Act in the same February 24 time slot as the originally scheduled state library program.
Applauding the Lewis and Clark Library for “recognizing the need for an open dialogue,” ACLU of Montana Executive Director Scott Crichton said February 22 that the Patriot Act “has fueled a climate of fear that unfortunately appears to have clouded the vision of those at the state library.” However, Montana State Librarian Darlene Staffeldt had explained in a prepared statement the previous day, “We originally decided to premiere this series because the Patriot Act has particular resonance for Montana’s libraries and library users” but scrapped the program when staff members realized it did not provide “a balanced reflection that considers all aspects of an issue.”
The concern expressed by “citizens and a few state employees” that the ACLU viewpoint would be represented with no counterpoint “really opened our eyes,” Jim Hill of the Montana State Library told American Libraries. Emphasizing that there was no directive from any higher-ups, Hill predicted staff will “self-scrutinize more in the future [to ensure] we’re giving all the topics we present the broadest possible airing.”
The library only received two phone calls of “concern,” Lewis and Clark Library Director Judy Hart told AL. She added that the decision was not “in response to the state library on our part” but rather “follows the practice of our meeting-room policy,” which proscribes staff from rejecting a group’s reservation “based on their affiliations or anything like that.”
Beyond the Patriot Act is one segment of the 10-part ACLU Freedom Files documentary series that has been sent to libraries across the country.
Posted February 24, 2006.
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