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Florida Director Swallows Her Ban of Eat MeMarion County (Fla.) Public Library System Director Julie Sieg announced February 23 that she was rescinding her August decision to remove the racy novel Eat Me from the library collection. In a three-page statement obtained by the Ocala Star-Banner, Sieg wrote, “I allowed my personal dislike for ’Eat Me’ to overshadow my objectivity and adherence to the [library] policy.” Eat Me is Linda Jaivin’s story of four women’s sexual exploits with food items, among other objects.In explaining her reversal, Sieg said she was influenced by former library trustee Mary Lutes, who challenged Sieg’s original decision to pull the novel, triggering the board to recommend in December that the book be reinstated. Noting that Lutes made a compelling case that the book met most of the library’s 17 selection criteria, Sieg noted that the “evenly distributed” viewpoints expressed by county residents about her first decision “emphasizes that there are differing views, interests, backgrounds, and motives within Marion County,” which is why library collections must reflect “variety, diversity, and inclusion rather than exclusion and doctrinal thinking.” She also wrote, “This philosophy is not just specific to the Marion County Public Library but echoes what public libraries represent in Anytown, Anywhere, USA.” “I’m glad to see the process worked,” Lutes said in the February 25 Star-Banner. She added, “Protecting the integrity of the library collection takes constant vigilance and I’m sure that will continue.” Posted February 27, 2004. |
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