The Middlebury Public Library Board issued the following statement at their meeting on Thursday, November 21:
To whom it may concern:
The Middlebury Public Library Board of Trustees is aware that some individuals in the Middlebury community are passing out flyers making certain claims about our library and director.
While we believe the Middlebury community are more than capable of judging the veracity of these claims, we find it necessary to briefly refute them and publicly state our position on the matter.
We decry the targeting of our library director, Juli Wald, in these flyers. During her tenure (which followed the purchase of several of the books in question), Juli Wald has proven to be an individual of integrity, ingenuity, compassion, and efficiency who pursues excellence in every aspect of her work. She is an asset to our library and community, and has the Board's full support.
The books the Middlebury Public Library has purchased and retained in the children's and young adult section over the years go through a rigorous selection process involving critical reviews, literary excellence, recommendations from organizations such as the American Library Association, circulation data, and consideration of the demographics of Middlebury. In addition, and in accordance with Indiana law, none of them can be classified as obscene matter or harmful to minors.
We acknowledge the diversity of opinion among patrons as to whether certain books are appropriate for their kids or themselves, and uphold their right to not check out those books for their families. However, because our library is used by all taxpayers and not just a few, we uphold the decisions of our librarians to include them in our collection. By doing so, we are protecting the intellectual freedom of all patrons.
The Board of Trustees continually reviews our procedures and policies, and supports Juli Wald and the Library staff in these decisions. We are always happy to hear from patrons and answer questions about our policies and collections. We welcome all patrons to attend our meetings, provide input, and respectfully voice their opinions.
Sincerely,
The Middlebury Public Library Board
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