Books Sarah Palin wanted to ban, CONTESTED.

Copied from a .pdf supplied by the City of Wasilla as made available on their website: http://www.cityofwasilla.com ________________________________________________ CITY OF WASILLA •Office of the Mayor• 290 East Herning Avenue • Wasilla • Alaska • 99654 ·7091 • Telephone 907·373·9055 • Fax 907·373·9096 • We at the City of Wasilla have received many emails and requests for information about “banned or censured” books at the Wasilla Library while former Mayor Palin was in office. We have no records of any books being “banned or censured” ever. Below is the policy to request reconsideration of library materials: Reconsideration Requests of Library Materials In accordance with the Wasilla Public Library Collection Development Policy, the library, “…strives to achieve a balanced collection of materials in the major information categories, as well as a fiction collection calculated to satisfy the widest possible variety of tastes. All viewpoints and opinions on controversial subjects will be represented whenever possible… Wasilla Public Library recognizes the right of every citizen to read and gather information, and his or her right to freedom from censorship by other persons. Many books are controversial and any given item may offend some persons. However, selections for this library will not be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the material in relation to the building of the collection and to serving the interests of all readers. This library holds censorship to be a purely individual matter and declares that – while anyone is free to reject for himself books and other materials of which he does not approve – he cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict the freedom of others.” The Library conducts a systematic process whenever a Matanuska-Susitna Library Network cardholder requests the reconsideration of an item in the library collection. The first step in the process is the patron speaking with the library director, who listens to the patron concerns and explains how materials are selected for the library’s collection. It is the policy of Wasilla Public Library that all challenged materials remain in circulation until a final decision is reached and a challenged item may go through the reconsideration process only once within a twelve month period. Our records indicate the following actions requested by library patrons: Pre-1986 Angel Dust Blues by Todd Strasser Creation of “Young Adult” section in library and placement of item in section 1986 Bumps in the Night by Harvey Allard Remained on shelf 1987 Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman Remained on shelf 2005 America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction by Jon Stewart Remained on shelf 2007 The Abduction by Mette Newth Remained on shelf Thank you for your interest in the Wasilla Public Library policy. Mayor Dianne M. Keller