Update on the Bechdel/Thompson challenge.

Earlier posts here and here.

From Journalista:

Here’s what happened last night: In his opening remarks, the president of the library’s Board of Directors announced a proposal to form a committee to devise a “material selection policy” to determine the guidelines used to select books for the shelves. The proposal was agreed to unanimously. Until the committee’s recommendations are drawn, the two graphic novels will be kept off the shelves, and will be re-evaluated once there are guidelines with which to re-evaluate. And that, for the time being, is where the matter stands.

[Later:  More info from the Marshall Democrat-News.]

Comments

[Tom]

So he announced a proposal to form a committee to devise a policy to determine the guidelines. What a brave man! Obviously he stands up for what he believes in... at least if a committee says he should.

[Tom]

I just checked our public library system and both books are in about half of the libraries in the system. So if they are going to base their decision on what other libraries do, then the books will end up back on the shelves. Of course, people from Missouri may not care what people from New York do.

[Chrissy]

Confused...the President of the Board of Directors proposed forming a committee for a material selection policy...
wouldn't the LIBRARIANS already have such a policy/set of guidelines in use?

or am I being to hopeful in a case like this?

[Leila]

Yeah, Chrissy -- I thought it seemed odd that they didn't have a Collection Development Policy in place already as well. But if they didn't already have one -- which it seems they didn't -- they should definitely draft one. From what I've seen, they're very helpful in cases like this -- that way the library can explain how and why they order the books that they do, yadda yadda. But you already know all that.