The deliberate actions combined with gross incompetence of the Boundary County Library Director, and the Library Board, is again, rearing its head. To tell the truth, it could be deliberate, incompetence, or both.
On July 11th, 2024, two teenaged friends visited the Boundary County Library and went to the Christian section upstairs. One friend found a book she wanted to borrow, but the librarian said she couldn’t check it out because it was in the “adult” section and she was only 16. The librarian cited a new law preventing anyone under 18 from checking out certain books. The new law is Idaho Statute 18-15178. Idaho Code > Title 18 Crimes and Punishments (Chs. 1 -89) > Chapter 15 Children and Vulnerable Adults (§§ 18-1501 – 18-1523). The actual statute can be found here: https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch15/sect18-1517/
Here is a link to the material handout that the library provided: Material Provided by Library
After requesting to see the law, the friends highlighted that it only restricted minors from borrowing obscene materials.
To demonstrate their point, the two friends took a book containing obscene content from the children’s section, and a non-obscene cookbook from the adult section to the front desk. A different librarian also refused to let them check out the cookbook, saying it was part of the adult section. When the friends they explained what the law actually says, two other librarians, including the director, tried to intimidate them and misrepresented the law.
Here is the testimony of one of the two friends:
On Thursday, July 11th, 2024, my friend and I walked into the Boundary County Library. We went to the Christian section upstairs and were looking at books.
My friend found a book she wanted to borrow, went to the front desk, and tried to check it out. The woman at the desk asked for her information and her library card.
Next, the woman asked my friend about her age. My friend replied, “I’m 16; is that a problem?” The librarian said, “Yes, it actually is.”
She explained that my friend could not check out the book because it was in the adult section. We were in the Christian section, which is upstairs in the library, and apparently, the entire upstairs is considered an “adult” section.
The reason given was that anyone under the age of 18 cannot check out certain books due to a new law. I asked to see the law, and the librarian handed us a copy. My friend and I went downstairs, where we were allowed to be, and read through the law, highlighting the parts we wanted to discuss.
The law stated that anyone under the age of 18 is not allowed to check out any kind of obscene material, like sexual content. We highlighted the relevant parts.
Previously, I had checked out a book from the children’s area downstairs that contained obscene materials. I had to skip over about a quarter of the book because it was so explicit. I found a page with a sexual scene in it, and we took that book and the copy of the law upstairs.
We also grabbed a vegetarian cookbook from the adult section, which had nothing obscene in it. We went to the front desk again, where a different librarian was present. She was very nice, and we politely asked to check out the book we had tried to borrow 10 minutes earlier.
We went through the same process where she asked for our information and if we were over 18. Of course, we were not; we were 16. She said we couldn’t check out the Christian book because it was part of the adult section.
I then placed the vegetarian cookbook on the counter and asked if we could check it out. She said, unfortunately, no. At this point, two other librarians came out, one being the library director and the other a younger librarian.
My friend and I were getting upset and tried to explain that the law only stated minors could not check out obscene or sexual material. The nice librarian listened, but the other two librarians surrounded us, trying to intimidate us.
We remained polite and pointed out in the law that it did not say minors couldn’t check out any adult material, just obscene material. The director tried to argue but couldn’t find the term “adult material” in the law.
After realizing we were right, she claimed they had tried to fight the law to allow minors access to non-obscene adult books. I asked her if that was true because, a few years ago, this library had tried to bring pornographic books into the children’s section downstairs. Some had succeeded because I had read one, unfortunately.
Their attempts to lie upset me. They were trying to deceive us and treat us like we were stupid. I called them out on it, saying they had tried to bring in pornographic material. The librarians were shocked that I knew so much about the library.
We asked if we could keep the copy of the law they gave us, and they said yes. We left the library. That’s our story: we can check out obscene materials downstairs, but we’re not allowed to check out anything upstairs, not even a cookbook.
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The library is doing this on purpose. They want to throw a wrench into a very sensible law so they can say, "See we told you so".
This is a moral problem and this just shows how low their moral compass is. I have given up
trying to explain to the people. Until the people understand what is happening in this country
then there is no hope in changing these people. We see this every day with the decisions that
are made by those who are in control of running whatever.
You are absolutely correct Liz. Along with the immorality, I believe that we're in the middle of a spiritual war between good and evil. This county is no different from what's going on our country, only difference is it's on a smaller scale. I'm seeing it a lot in this "good ol boy" group here in Bonners Ferry. Like you, I've tried to talk to the local 9B News publisher, but it's hard to get through to someone with no soul. I guess they have to learn the hard way. It's always good to hear from you. I'm glad I'm not alone.
Tell Gene Hi for me.
Kirk
I'm doing an investigation which mostlikly is linked to the ol boy club.
Could you email me please.
Kelli....I'm sure you can reach me if you are serious. Kirk
One question that immediately comes to mind - or at least my mind - is this: Are there any other public library systems throughout Idaho that have adopted a policy that disallows youths under the age of 18 from checking out ANY books, particularly non-fiction, from their adult sections without a parent or legal guardian present to give an OK? I would be astounded if there are.
Vegetarian cookbooks (641s)? Nope. Books on baseball, football and other sports (796-799)? Sorry. Learning a foreign language (400s)? Prohibited. Learning mathematics (510-519s)? Definitely not. History of World War II (940.54)? Forbidden. Never mind if the juvenile books on these subject areas are far below the reading levels of most 16 year-olds.
Is the Boundary County Library relying on astoundingly poor legal advice? Did it consult with any other Idaho public library system before adopting this new policy? What about the Idaho Commission for Libraries? Here's some info from it: https://libraries.idaho.gov/house-bill-710-best-practices-for-idaho-libraries/
I fervently hope I'm wrong and being overly cynical, but it almost seems as if the library director and Board of Trustees are saying, "House Bill 710 got signed into law? Fine! If we're forced to relocate books that Militant Extremist Christian Fundamentalists think are harmful to minors, from the children's section to the adult section, we'll make the ENTIRE adult section off-limits to them! That'll show Scott Herndon and the Neanderthals who support him a thing or two!"
Hopefully Herndon is, or will be, aware of this situation, and can speak about it as a leading proponent of this new law. The current situation is absolutely ludicrous from an authentic intellectual freedom standpoint.
I've got a question ........with all this BS happening at the library, why not just take all the porn BS out of the library.... period?????? Ask yourself, why is it there in the first place ?????? It's an easy fix... If this community is supposed to have any sense of morality, Just get rid of this crap.!!! Whats with this arguing nonsense. The blame game is such a waste of time and money. There are more important issues to deal with. It's common sense people........
We had an election for the Library board with 2 Constitutional Christian Conservatives . They were soundly defeated in the mail-in Ballot category. This would not be happening if they had won. Who was it that said The voters get the government that they deserve .
Well put Dave. Who were the people that voted against the two people that were defeated? How about exposing them and eliminating their voice. How can moronic people be allowed to have a voice that is not in the best interest of the community? They're evil and should be shunned and be outed from having any voice that is contrary to popular Christian beliefs.