Comments on: Library Journal breaking the news http://stevelawson.name/seealso/archives/2006/04/library_journal.html a library weblog by Steve Lawson Mon, 14 May 2012 16:51:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Steve Lawson http://stevelawson.name/seealso/archives/2006/04/library_journal.html/comment-page-1#comment-212 Steve Lawson Wed, 03 May 2006 10:45:25 +0000 http://stevelawson.name/seealso/archives/2006/04/library_journal_breaking_the_news.html#comment-212 Stephen, before I had realized that the bill was already dead, I was planning to point out to my legislators that the bill would forbid libraries to buy copies of the Bible in Greek or Latin or Hebrew (along with everything else). I also like that it would have allowed for buying instructional materials in foreign languages, but not any actual material for those students to read as they conducted their studies. Stephen, before I had realized that the bill was already dead, I was planning to point out to my legislators that the bill would forbid libraries to buy copies of the Bible in Greek or Latin or Hebrew (along with everything else). I also like that it would have allowed for buying instructional materials in foreign languages, but not any actual material for those students to read as they conducted their studies.

]]> By: Stephen http://stevelawson.name/seealso/archives/2006/04/library_journal.html/comment-page-1#comment-211 Stephen Tue, 02 May 2006 23:42:37 +0000 http://stevelawson.name/seealso/archives/2006/04/library_journal_breaking_the_news.html#comment-211 Here is the passage that stood out to me: "(b) NO PUBLICLY SUPPORTED LIBRARY SHALL, EITHER IN CONNECTION WITH THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AS A WHOLE OR WITH REFERENCE TO ANY PARTICULAR BRANCH LOCATION OF THE LIBRARY, PURCHASE ANY PRINTED OR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS, PUBLICATIONS, OR OTHER MATERIALS IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH; EXCEPT THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PARAGRAPH (b) SHALL NOT RESTRICT THE PURCHASE OF EITHER TEXTBOOKS OR RELATED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR REFERENCE MATERIALS PUBLISHED IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH." So in other words, a public library could not purchase literature written in foreign languages, etc.? That would be incredibly ignorant. Fortunately this bill was voted down by a partuy line vote of 6-5. It is hard to believe even the most conservative, xenophobic Republican legislator could support this bill. It should have been laughed out of committee. Here is the passage that stood out to me:

“(b) NO PUBLICLY SUPPORTED LIBRARY SHALL, EITHER IN CONNECTION WITH THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AS A WHOLE OR WITH REFERENCE TO ANY PARTICULAR BRANCH LOCATION OF THE LIBRARY, PURCHASE ANY PRINTED OR ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS, PUBLICATIONS, OR OTHER
MATERIALS IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH; EXCEPT THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS PARAGRAPH (b) SHALL NOT RESTRICT THE PURCHASE OF EITHER TEXTBOOKS OR RELATED INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR REFERENCE MATERIALS PUBLISHED IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.”

So in other words, a public library could not purchase literature written in foreign languages, etc.? That would be incredibly ignorant. Fortunately this bill was voted down by a partuy line vote of 6-5. It is hard to believe even the most conservative, xenophobic Republican legislator could support this bill. It should have been laughed out of committee.

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