ImagineIF Board of Trustees change to collection development policy draws criticism

The ImagineIF Libraries Board of Trustees amended its collections policy regarding potentially obscene materials Thursday despite pleas from the public and employees to leave it as is.

Board Chair David Ingram said the revisions were made to bring the county library system in line with a recent change to state code brought about by House Bill 234, the “obscenity bill” that was signed into law last year by Gov. Greg Gianforte. While the legislation initially sparked an uproar, much of what drew criticism was removed from the bill by the time it passed, according to the Montana Free Press.

State code defines obscenity as a representation or description of perverted sexual acts or an offensive representation of normal sexual acts, masturbation, excretory functions or human genitalia. It also outlines the offenses associated with distributing or displaying obscene material. The code does not require changes at the local level, but says “cities, towns, counties or school districts may adopt ordinances, resolutions or policies that are more restrictive as to obscenity.” 

The ImagineIF collection development policy previously included a statement regarding sexually explicit materials, which stated that there should be an “avoidance of any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct that is or appears to be a minor.” But trustees added an “avoidance of materials which contain explicit or detailed descriptions or narrative accounts of sexual excitement or sexual conduct which is obscene or otherwise harmful to minors.” 

The line is followed by an explanation of what is considered “harmful to minors,” a definition borrowed from the federal Internet Child Protection Act, or ICPA, passed in 2000. 

Another new item listed under the policy’s selection criteria said the library should avoid “materials which a reasonable person would find obscene or otherwise harmful to minors that is taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, educational, political or scientific value that is housed in areas designated to include minors under the age of 18.” 

Additionally, trustees added language that gives librarians the option to move sexually explicit books from minor designated areas. The two areas designated for minors in the library are the children’s section and the young adult section, which is a genre spanning the ages of 12 to 25, according to Ingram. 

Before the trustees’ discussion and vote, members of the public — including library employees — raised concerns about the proposed changes.

ImagineIF staff member Sierra Benjamin told the board during the public comment period that “the past few years have been rough at the library.” Between helping patrons suffering a mental health crisis and dealing with an aging building, she asked the board to focus on other issues plaguing the system, adding that the proposed changes to the collection development policy were a “waste of time.” 

“I just want to ask for more help in the areas we desperately need and less of this scrutiny and just kind of disingenuous addition to rules that is unnecessary, redundant and disrespectful,” Benjamin said.  

Others, like Anna Lang Ofstad, expressed concern that the amendments were an attempt to control what materials are on library shelves, pointing to the fact that what is considered obscene can be subjective.

“You have a duty to build a community and for this building to serve as the community hub that it is. Not to draw people away from their work and their tasks to come down here and remind you that we have a right by law to do what we want to do in this library and read the materials to our children that we deem appropriate — and your policy states so,” Lang Ofsted said. 

Trustees maintained that the changes will not get in the way of librarians’ jobs. Trustee Doug Adams, who has filed to run for state Senate, said he believes people are misunderstanding their intentions. Part of their job as a board is to make sure policies stay up to date, he said.

“There's a perception that we're taking the job of collection development away from our librarians when in fact, they've been doing it and they will continue to do it,” Adams said. “We're not doing it. All we've done is tried to clarify things to make sure that they don't have problems.” 

As trustees engaged in discussion, Interim Library Director Teri Dugan said she wanted to make clear that when staff were asked for input on the proposed changes, they did not want the policy changed at all. Trustee Jane Wheeler also took issue with much of the language in the proposed amendments, saying that she and Ingram do not agree on the sections regarding obscenity. 

However, Wheeler said the amendment that gives librarians the option to house books in other sections of the library was included to outline that choice for them. She gave the example of a young adult novel being more appropriate for the adult section. 

“If it just isn't a fit there or it's not appropriate, they have the ability to do that. It doesn't tell them they have to, it just gives them the ability to make that choice,” Wheeler said. 

Wheeler said she asked library staff beforehand how easy it was for them to move books to different sections in the library. She said they told her it was simple and could be done if a librarian feels it’s necessary. 

After a discussion hashing out the diction of the policy — little was changed from the proposal — the amended policy was accepted in a 4-1 vote, with Wheeler voting against. 

The next monthly ImagineIF Board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 22 in the South Campus Meeting Room. 

Reporter Taylor Inman can be reached at 406-758-4433 or by emailing tinman@dailyinterlake.com.