Lyon County Library Kerfuffle

Literary Indecency and Moral Outrage

Gather for the latest installment of “As the Pages Turn,” featuring an intrepid band of Lyon County residents scandalized by learning that books—those sneaky little devils—contain words. Some of these words–if arranged in an unfortunate sequence, might hint at things the average adult blushes to acknowledge, but which nature has already gone and made known to every barnyard critter in the county.

The trouble began when a concerned faction of citizens stormed the local library board, brandishing passages from books they declared unfit for the delicate eyes of young readers. According to Library Director Wynne Prindle, the initial group of about “seven or eight” rolled in, aghast that the library had failed to function as a moral monastery and was instead offering books—some of which, horror of horrors, contained passages that made people uncomfortable.

Upon encountering these literary horrors, Library Board President Deanne Davis confessed she had no idea such material existed in print. A fascinating revelation from a library official suggesting either a lifetime of very selective reading or a willful ignorance of certain sections of the bookstore. Regardless, Davis quickly determined that publishers had “taken out all the stops” in their race to corrupt the youth of Lyon County.

Predictably, there was a counterattack from those who still believe libraries should contain books and that readers should have some say in whether they read them. Librarians, who until now thought their job was helping folks find biographies of Abraham Lincoln and making sure the summer reading program didn’t devolve into chaos, suddenly found themselves branded as enablers of society’s moral decline.

“We take pride in what we do,” said Prindle, likely wondering at what point her career turned from community service into a high-stakes game of cultural dodgeball.

For those who believe in Democracy, the library provides a “Reconsideration of Materials” form, a charming bureaucratic device through which one can request the removal of a book without the need for pitchforks or torches. While six forms have been submitted, nary a book has been burned.

Silver City resident Erich Obermayer cut to the heart of the matter, suggesting this wasn’t about children or books but about power—one group’s determination to decide what everyone else can read. It is a comment that overlooked the most obvious question–can a non-adult get their hands and teeth on the edges of the jacket covers?

But fear not! The drama continues at the next Lyon County Commission meeting, where our valiant public officials will appoint a new trustee, thereby ensuring that the battle for the soul of the library rages on for another episode. Stay tuned—this one has all the makings of a real page-turner.