The original Palin library story

Add comment September 18th, 2008

This is the real-time Dec. 18 1996 story about the library situation reprinted Sunday in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman, Wasilla’s daily paper.

FROM THE ARCHIVE: Palin: Library censorship inquiries ‘Rhetorical’

By PAUL STUART
Published on Sunday, September 14, 2008 4:17 PM AKDT Editor’s note: This story first ran in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman Dec. 18, 1996. It has been typeset and posted here to accommodate numerous requests for the story from media worldwide and curious individuals. Please note that not at any time were any books ever banned from the Wasilla city library.

WASILLA — In the wake of strong reactions from the city’s library director to inquiries about censorship, Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin on Monday was taking pains to explain her questions about censoring library material were “rhetorical.”

Library Director Mary Ellen Emmons last week said Palin broached the subject with her on two occasions in October - once Palin was elected mayor Oct. 1 but before she took office on Oct. 14, and again in more detail on Monday, Oct. 28. Besides heading the Wasilla City Library, Emmons is also president of the Alaska Library Association.

The issue became public last Wednesday, when Palin brought it up during an interview about the now-defunct Liquor Task Force. Palin used the library topic as an example of discussions with her department heads about understanding and following administration agendas. Palin said she asked Emmons how she would respond to censorship.

Emmons drew a clear distinction Saturday between the nature of Palin’s inquiries and an established book-challenge policy in place in Wasilla, and in most public libraries.

“I’m not trying to suppress anyone’s views,” Emmons said. “But I told her (Palin) clearly, I will fight anyone who tries to dictate what books can go on the library shelves.”

Palin said Monday she had no particular books or other material in mind when she posed the questions to Emmons.

Emmons said in the first conversation, before being sworn in as mayor, Palin briefly touched on the subject of censorship.

But on Monday, Oct. 28, Emmons said Palin asked her outright if she could live with censorship of library books. This was during a week when Palin was requesting resignations from all the city’s department heads as a way of expressing loyalty.

“This is different than a normal book-selection procedure or a book-challenge policy,” Emmons stressed Saturday. “She was asking me how I would deal with her saying a book can’t be in the library.”

Monday Palin said in a written statement she was only trying to get aquatinted with her staff at the time. “Many issues were discussed, both rhetorical and realistic in nature,” Palin added.

Emmons recalled that the Oct. 28 conversation she pulled no punches with her response to the mayor.

“She asked me if I would object to censorship, and I replied ‘Yup’,” Emmons recounted Saturday. “And I told her it would not be just me. This was a constitutional question, and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) would get involved, too.”

Emmons said Palin asked her on Oct. 28 if she would object to censorship, even if people were circling the library in protest about a book. “I told her it would definitely be a problem the ACLU would take on then,” Emmons said.

Asked who she thought might picket the library, Palin said Monday, “Had no one in mind … again, the issue was discussed in the context of a professional question being asked in regards to library policy.”

“All questions posed to Wasilla’s library director were asked in the context of professionalism regarding the library policy that is in place in our city. Obviously the issue of censorship is a library question… you ask a library director that type of question,” Palin said

Palin also said Monday censorship issues would not involve any departments other than the library.

Emmons said she has been offered help if it is ever needed on censorship issues from the state library association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and the National Freedom to Read Foundation.

Palin called Emmons into her office Monday to discuss the censorship questions again.

Palin also attended Friday’s staff meeting at the library, but without mentioning censorship , Emmons said.

“I’m hoping it was just a trial balloon,” Emmons said, “because the free exchange of information is my main job, and I’ll fight anyone who tries to interfere with that.”

The timing of the issue comes at a time when Emmons is trying to get the book-challenge policies of the Wasilla Library and of the Palmer City Library in line with the Mat-Su Borough policy, revised in December of last year.

Emmons described the new borough policy as “a very good one.”

It is a step-by-step blueprint of procedures for anyone wanting to challenge the selection and availability of library material, Emmons explained. “it is a good process, and almost all public libraries have one.”

The borough’s policy was revised mainly to replace the borough manager as the final decision maker with a formal Reconsideration Committee. Mat-Su Borough Manager Don Moore said Saturday that changes were made, with the blessings, after a dispute that was resolved about two years ago involving a challenged book at the Big Lake Library.

Emmons said the current Wasilla policy, which she described as written in more general terms than the borough’s, also worked procedurally in a book-challenge case last year. Emmons said then-council-woman Palin was distressed about the issue when it came up, indicating she was aware of the city’s book-challenge policy.

Emmons said in the conversations with now-Mayor Palin in October, she reminded her again that the city has a policy in place. “But it seamed clear to me that wasn’t really what she was talking about anyhow,” Emmons added. “I just hope it doesn’t come up again.”

Meanwhile, Emmons said she is working with borough libraries boss Bruce Urban and Palmer Library Director Janice Sanford, in the hope of getting the cities to adopt a book-challenge policy identical to the borough’s.

More on gov and state parks

4 comments September 18th, 2008

I may have jumped to a conclusion in the previous post about the governor and state parks. As Paul rightly pointed out, the article said the governor has not visited the parks slated to be closed. It doesn’t mean he hasn’t visited ANY state parks.

I sent an e-mail to Lucio Guerrero asking him whether the gov had been to any. Here’s his response:

That may be a tough one since there are hundreds. He’s a runner, so he’s visited many of them - especially around springfield, chicago and duquoin.

He’s also had official events at some.

Let me see what I can do. It might take awhile.

Blago has never visited a state park

2 comments September 18th, 2008

I had been told the governor had never visited a state park, but it was never confirmed. The Associated Press got it on the record from one of Rod Blagojevich’s spokesmen. Here’s the story, which AP labeled as an exclusive.

By Deanna Bellandi
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Gov. Rod Blagojevich won’t know what he missed when two dozen state parks and historic sites shut down because of budget cuts.

That’s because he’s never visited them, according to Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero.
“A lot of people haven’t been, I mean the decision to close them are based on attendance figures not on whether the governor likes them or not,” Guerrero said.

The Democratic governor has made no personal visits or held official events at the 11 state parks and 13 historic sites slated to close over the next two months to help close a $2 billion budget hole, Guerrero said.
Being a no-show isn’t likely to do much for the image of a governor already chided for being too Chicago-centric, starting with his refusal to live in the executive mansion in Springfield.

Some of the historic sites slated for closure have ties to Abraham Lincoln, including his father’s reconstructed log cabin near Charleston and the Vandalia statehouse where Lincoln was a state lawmaker before Springfield was the capital.

More popular Lincoln sites, including the 16th president’s tomb and the Old State Capitol where he delivered his “House Divided” speech, both in Springfield, won’t close. Illinois is gearing up to celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday next year. The tomb had about 339,000 visitors last year and about 109,250 people visited the Old State Capitol.

“I’d love to see the governor visit all the historic sites,” said Jim Peters, president of Landmarks Illinois, a preservation advocacy group.

The closures send the wrong message, Peters said.

“It sends the message that tourism is not as important,” he said.

Other sites to be closed include the Lincoln Log Cabin near Charleston, which had about 82,700 visitors last year, the Vandalia Statehouse, which nearly 31,700 people visited, and the birthplace of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Carl Sandburg in Galesburg, which had nearly 8,600 visitors last year, according to state figures.

The state’s largest union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the governor’s absence from the places he wants to shutter shows he’s out of touch with what goes on there.

“I think the governor needs a better understanding and appreciation of the essential services that state employees provide and of the tremendous effort and sacrifices they make to provide those services,” union spokesman Anders Lindall said.

The administration had to make “tough decisions” on budget cuts, Guerrero said. State agency budgets were slashed, hundreds of workers are being laid off and others are being forced to take unpaid leave.
The Illinois House has voted to reverse some of Blagojevich’s budget cuts, but the Senate isn’t expected back in session until November to take up the matter.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has launched an online petition drive to stop the closure of the 11 state parks.
“I think it’s important to visit state parks,” Quinn said. “Anybody in statewide office should spend time there.”

Rachel Pfaff of Morris has started her own online petition to oppose closing the parks and has collected nearly 29,000 signatures. Since Blagojevich hasn’t visited the parks he doesn’t understand what they mean to people, she said.

“It makes me very angry,” Pfaff said. “This is a place where my children go to fish and play.”
Just because Blagojevich hasn’t visited the targeted historic sites or parks, including the Channahon Parkway State Park and Illini State Park in Marseilles, doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate them, Guerrero said.

“He’s a student of history so … he obviously realizes the significance of all the sites,” Guerrero said. He added: “But it was just a matter of being fiscally responsible and having to do what was right for the whole state.”

Blagojevich not visiting adds weight to the argument that the administration’s decisions on what sites to close are not subjective, Guerrero said.

Personnel issues, including union concerns, have delayed the closings of the parks and historic sites. The historic sites, initially set to close Oct. 1, will now close Oct. 15, although some will be open on a limited basis for special events. The state parks, originally scheduled to close Nov. 1, will instead close Nov. 30.
That gives Blagojevich more time to get in a few visits.
———
Associated Press Writer Christopher Wills in Springfield contributed to this report.