Guest Opinion by Victoria Bauman
Since 2021, Kootenai County citizens have been raising the alarm regarding sexually explicit content in our children’s libraries. Despite an abundance of evidence, there are activists—and a library trustee candidate among them—who have denied or excused the existence of these materials and then insist they remain in the collections for minors. Nevertheless, the CLN board has been strident in revising policies to comply with Idaho’s law regarding these materials which went into effect on July 1, 2024.
To that end, CLN’s director is reviewing books in the collection for minors which have adult content for consideration to be moved to the Adult collection. Again, simply reclassifying and reshelving those books—not eliminating them or making them inaccessible to adults. This is CLN’s responsibility under the law. As a candidate for CLN library trustee, I support these efforts and I applaud the work of CLN’s current leaders.
However, I’m running for CLN trustee not to focus solely on books that should not be in a children’s library, but also to contribute to a more positive future vision.
In particular, I advocate for increasing CLN’s selection of time-tested children’s classics and working towards a better balance between modern and traditional children’s literature. I especially endorse more emphasis on books that have been enjoyed by previous generations and are familiar to Idaho parents and grandparents.
Children’s author Theodore Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss, succinctly summarizes the significance of children’s literature: “Children’s reading and children’s thinking are the rock-bottom base upon which this country will rise. Or not rise.” His starkness carries an implicit warning: carefully curating a children’s literature collection is a weighty responsibility, yet must be shouldered due to the critical potential outcome.
What then makes for worthwhile children’s literature? Stories that engage a child’s imagination and intellect, having imagery that inspires, narratives that foster critical thinking, conveying moral lessons to cultivate wisdom and virtue, and stimulating learning with a lifelong impact. These treasures also contribute to the preservation of history and culture while enlightening a child’s heart and mind. Many of us still remember books such as these and their inspirational effects. No less important is the value of effective storytelling in shaping a child’s ability to be an effective adult communicator who can hold the attention of their audience.
Obviously, CLN should continue to offer a selection of modern as well as traditional children’s books. But under previous trustees, there appears to have been a bias towards new works by unfamiliar authors, and little interest in retaining an inventory of vintage, well-regarded and time-tested, classic children’s books.
This has been documented by a recent study which shows that over 87% of CLN’s collection of children’s fiction was published after 2000, and almost 70% was published after 2010—meaning an extraordinarily high percentage of CLN’s shelf space is dedicated to recently published children’s literature, and very little is reserved for the great authors of yesteryear.
CLN does retain some of the best-known works of major authors such as Twain, Alcott, and Dickens. But many of the works of other popular 20th century children’s authors were not replaced when they became worn or lost.
Several beloved children’s authors are either missing or greatly under-represented in CLN’s current collection including: Victor Appleton (Tom Swift series), Betsy Byers (Girl Dads: A Legacy of Love, Guidance, and Support), Rebecca Caudill (A Pocketful of Cricket), Armstrong Sperry (Call It Courage), John D. Fitzgerald (The Great Brain series), Lois Lenski (Strawberry Girl), Hugh Lofting (Doctor Dolittle) … and there are dozens more.
Good people may disagree on what constitutes excellent children’s literature. However, for far too long, the American Library Association (ALA) has been unduly influencing the tone and direction of children’s literature which has contributed to the dismal quality of collections for minors. Consequently, the CLN board’s decision to separate from the ALA will buttress CLN’s autonomy regarding their influences when choosing materials to purchase with your valued tax dollars.
As a library trustee, I would encourage the inclusion of time-honored as well as modern voices. A more balanced mix of older and newer authors would be a boon to families who enjoy intergenerational learning and seek to share classics they enjoyed as children with future generations.
Who you vote into the role of trustee matters, so please vote on May 20.
Editor’s Note: Victoria Bauman submitted this opinion piece as a My Turn to the Coeur d’Alene Press on two separate occasions. The publication declined to publish it.
