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Home My WebLink About04-15-2024-BLT-PUBLIC COMMENTS1 From:Danett Abbott-Wicker Sent:April 11, 2024 2:42 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Comment for NBPL Board of Library Trustees Meeting on April Please include my comments into the public record for this meeting. The first item on the agenda will be Patron Appeals of Director's Decisions, which will review the first two of the eight appealed books: "Melissa" by Alex Gino and "Prince & Knight" by Daniel Haack. The Board has established NO CRITERIA for the appeals process. They are supposed to be examining whether or not the library director followed the collection development policy when rendering her Director's Decision. They are NOT supposed to be voting on whether or not they approve of the book itself. I support a child's right to access ANY books. The decision should be up to each individual family as to what is appropriate for their child. Library staff should be trusted to decide which books should be included in the collection (including the children's collection), not the public or the Board of Library Trustees. Books should not be removed or relocated. Supporters of the library are ALSO taxpayers and have the right to access. __________________________________ “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” John Lewis February 21, 1940–July 17, 2020 1 From:John Nichols Sent:April 11, 2024 12:59 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:I oppose the proposal that the Library Board should approve books I am a Newport Beach home owner and permanent resident. I am a registered voter and vote in every election. I am a long time holder of a Newport Beach Library card and our library, my library, is one of the greatest municipal libraries in the nation. I oppose the proposal that the Library Board should have authority to approve any books, whether for children or adults. Firstly, the Librarians are professional and should continue to be responsible for the selection of books that are in the library. The Library Board members are not professionally qualified for that responsibility. Secondly, it is the responsibility of the parents to screen the selection of books that their child takes out from the library. No Board Member has the right nor is qualified to tell parents what books their children read. This is how the selection of books has functioned and how parents have exercised their responsibilities and it is how it should continue. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments. Sincerely, John H. Nichols 1 From:AuthorsAgainstBookBans Sent:April 12, 2024 5:15 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Authors Against Book Bans in Support of Melissa by Alex Gino To the Newport Beach Library Board, We, the undersigned authors and illustrators, are writing to oppose the removal of MELISSA by Alex Gino from the Newport Beach Public Library. We urge you to protect the freedom to read for all people. As authors and illustrators, our books are created with great care and intentionality, and we recognize the responsibility we have to our readers. We are deeply concerned for the families, librarians, and communities who suffer when the freedom to read is challenged and taken away. A book may not be for every reader, but—as we know from the many letters we receive from our readers—a single book can matter deeply to an individual. The book challenge facing your community is part of a wave of backlash in response to hard-won gains made by authors whose voices have long been underrepresented in publishing. The banning efforts escalating across the nation particularly target BIPOC and LGBTQ+ stories; they seek to erase history and silence the voices that speak truthfully about essential human experiences. When books are removed or flagged as inappropriate, it sends the message that the people in them are somehow inappropriate. It is a dehumanizing form of erasure. Every reader deserves to see themselves and their families positively represented in the books in their libraries and institutions of higher learning. Studies show that diverse books build empathy and reduce prejudice, creating a more compassionate world for us all. As hate crimes spike across the U.S., we need these books now more than ever. Moreover, as today’s young people grapple with mental health challenges, these books can literally be a lifeline, encouraging readers to seek help from their families and communities. For centuries, libraries have provided equal access to a wealth of knowledge and ideas for all members of their communities. When pro-censorship groups seek to overwhelm or manipulate these systems, seeking to advance their own political agendas or personal beliefs by censoring books, they create an atmosphere of fear and oppression and infringe on our most bedrock freedoms–freedom of ideas, of expression, of thought. The freedom to read is essential to ensuring our communities thrive. We urge you to rely on the extensive expertise of librarians in your community for collection development and review. These highly trained public servants are dedicated to ensuring libraries include a depth and breadth of ideas, information, and literature that will engage, inspire and entertain readers of all ages. What’s more, these skilled professionals have formal policies in place for addressing concerns with the materials available in the library. Books have immense power to build compassion, overcome prejudice, and enrich lives—but they must stay on your shelves to do so. We call on the Newport Library Board to retain the affected books so that they remain accessible to all. Signed, AABB's National Leadership Team: David Levithan Andrea Davis Pinkney 2 Maggie Tokuda-Hall Ellen Oh Samira Ahmed Gayle Forman Sarah MacLean Alan Gratz Christina Soontornvat Joanna Ho Jessamyn Huang And members: A.C. Esguerra Aaron H. Aceves Aaron Starmer Abdi Nazemian Abi Cushman Adam B. Ford Adam Gaylord Adam Gidwitz Adam Rex Adib Khorram Adrianna Cuevas Aimee Lim Aimee Lucido Aimée M. Bissonette Alechia Dow Alethea Kontis Alex Gino Alex L Combs Alex London Alex Sanchez Alexander Wallace Ali Terese Alicia D. Williams Alicia J. Novo Alison Cherry Alissa Nutting Alyson Gerber Amie Kaufman Amitha Jagannath Knight Amy Ignatow Amy Lukavics Amy Noelle Parks Amy Ratcliffe Amy Rebecca Tan Amy Spalding Andrea Beatriz Arango Andrew Maraniss Andrew Simonet Angel Luis Colon Angela Burke Kunkel Angela Dalton Angela Pham Krans Anica Mrose Rissi Ann Angel Ann McMan Ann Rose Ann Zhao Anna E. Jordan Anna Kang Anne Marie Pace Anne Ursu Anne Wynter Annette Bay Pimentel Annie Herzig Anya Johanna DeNiro April Henry Art Coulson Asela Lee Kemper Audrey Perrott Audrey Vernick Barb Rosenstock Barry Lyga Benny sperling Bethany Brookshire Bethany Hegedus Bianca Mabute-Louie Bliss Bennet Booki Vivat Breanna Carzoo Brian Katcher Brian Martinez Brigit Young Brittany Parry Brooke Binkowski Bruce Coville Caela Carter Carey Blankenship-Kramer Carmen Oliver Caroline Carlson Caroline Kusin Pritchard Carrie Finison Cassie E. Brown Cat Winters Cathy Pegau Cátia Chien Cece Bell Chanda Prescod-Weinstein Charles de Lint Charlie Jane Anders Charlie Lovett Charlotte Agell Charlotte Sullivan Wild Charly Palmer Cheryl B. Klein Cheryl Blackford Cheryl Rainfield Chris Barton Christiane Knight Christina Cooke Christina Lauren Christine Evans Christopher Farnsworth Christopher Healy Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger Claire A. Noland Claire Legrand Claire Willett Clay Carmichael Cliff Burke Clothilde Ewing Colleen AF Venable Colleen Paeff Cordelia Jensen Cory Putman Oakes Courtney Milan Crystal Hana Kim Crystal Maldonado Cynthia Gómez Cynthia Levinson DD.L. Lang, Former Poe Laureate of Vallejo, CA Dahlia Adler Dan Gemeinhart Dan Poblocki Dana Alison Levy Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) Danielle Davis Danielle Joseph Danielle Pieratti Darcey Rosenblatt Darcey Steinke Darlene Beck Jacobson Dashka Slater David Arnold David DeGrand David Demchuk David Serlin Debbi Michiko Florence Debbie Ridpath Ohi Deborah Heiligman Deke Moulton Derek Milman Destiny Soria Deva Fagan Devon Holzwarth Diana López Diane Telgen Dianna E. Anderson Dominique Dickey Don Martin Donalyn Miller Donna Barba Higuera Donna Gephart Dori H. Butler Dorothy H. Price Dow Phumiruk Dr Kevin Karlson Dylan Meconis Edna Cabcabin Moran Edward Underhill EF Dodd Eija Sumner 3 Eileen Heyes Elana K. Arnold Eliot Schrefer Elizabeth Eulberg Elizabeth Kilcoyne Elizabeth Winthrop Ella Schwartz Ellen Hopkins Ellen Miles Elly Swartz Emeline Lee Emilee Moore Emily Barth Isler Emily Deibert Emily Dove Barton Emily Ecton Emily J. Edwards Emma Reynolds Emma Straub Erica Friedman Erica Ivy Rodgers Erica S. Perl Erik Jon Slangerup Erin Thomas Eugene Myers Evan Griffith Federico Erebia Fiona Cook Fleur Bradley Gabi Snyder Gabriella Gamez Gareth Hinds Gayleen Rabakukk Gemma Hartley Gennifer Choldenko Ginger Park Gordon Edgar Gordon Jack Gordon Korman Greg Howard H.M. Bouwman Helene Dunbar Hikari Leilani Miya Hilary Reyy Holly Green Holly Walters Isabella Kung J.McDonald J.S. Park Jacob Grant Jacqueline Davies Jacqueline K. Ogburn Jacqueline West Jae Steinbacher James Ponti Jamie Jo Hoang Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow Janae Marks Jane Kuo Janet Fox Jarrett J. Krosoczka Jarrett Lerner Jaymie Heilman Jen Breach Jen Wilde Jenn Bishop Jenna Grodzicki Jennie Shortridge Jennifer Castle Jennifer Chambliss Bertman Jennifer Chen Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer Gennari Jennifer J. Stewart Jennifer L. Gadd Jennifer Nissley Jennifer Torres Jeremy C. Shipp Jess Townes Jesse White Jessica Burkhart Jessica Day George Jessica Day George Jessica Khoury Jessica Reisman Jessica Spotswood Jessica Yoon Jill A. Smith Jilly Gagnon Jo Brenner Jo Knowles Jo Whittemore Joanne Rossmassler Fritz Jocelyn Rish Jodi Picoult Joelle Charbonneau Johanna Taylor Jonathan Conyers Jonathan Hill Jordan Sonnenblick Josephine Cameron Josh Cook Josh Funk Josh Monken Joy McCullough Joyce Sidman JS Carter Gilson Judy Schachner Julia Kuo Julia Lyon Julia Walton Julian Winters Julie Buxbaum Julie C. Dao Julissa Natzely Arce Raya Justice McPherson Justin Eger Justin Weinberger K. Marcus K.M. Walton KA Holt Karen Chow Karen Krossing Karen M. McManus Kari Jones Kari Lavelle Karina Yan Glaser Kasey LeBlanc Kat Yeh Kate J. Armstrong Kate Messner Kate Milford Kate Spencer Katharine Duckett Katherine Applegate Katherine Locke Katherine Marsh Kathleen Breitenbach Katie Schenkel Katrin van Dam Katrina Tangen Katryn Bury Kealani Netane Keely Parrack Keezy Young Kekla Magoon Kelly Barnhill Kelly Farmer Kelly Jones Kelly Link Kelly Mangan Kelsey E. Gross Kendra Preston Leonard Kevin Cordi Khushboo Patel Kiersten White Kim Hyun Sook Kim Murphy Kimberly Harrington Kip Wilson Kirby Larson KR Alexander Kristin Harmel Kristin O'Donnell Tubb Krystyna Poray Goddu Kyle Tran Myhre Lala Watkins Lance Rubin Lara Starr Laura Bontje Laura Purdie Salas 4 Laura Renauld Laura Ruby Laura Rueckert Laura Shovan Laura van den Berg Lauren Parker Lauren Semmer Lauren Thoman Laurie Calkhoven Leah Kessler Lee Mandelo Lee Reed Leigh Luna Leila Sales Lesléa Newman LeUyen Pham Lev Grossman Lev Rosen Lewis Buzbee Libba Bray Libby Cudmore Lin Thompson Linda Sue Park Lindsay H. Metcalf Lindsay King-Miller Lindsay Leslie Lindsey Lane Linsey Miller Lisa Brown Lisa Frenkel Riddiough Lisa Jenn Bigelow Lisa McMann Lisa Moore Ramee Lish McBride Lissa Gromley Livia Blackburne Liz Garton Scanlon Loree Griffin Burns Lucas Klauss Lyn Miller-Lachmann Lynne Kelly M. K. England M.C. Ross Mackenzi Lee Mae Respicio Maia Kobabe Mallory O'Meara Marc Tyler Nobleman Marcy Campbell Margaret Chiu Greanias Margarita Longoria Marie Rutkoski MariNaomi Marissa Moss Markelle Grabo Marpheen Chann Martha Freeman Martha Waters Matt Forbeck Matt McMann Matt Phelan Maureen Johnson Max Brallier Maya Prasad Meenal Patel Meg Medina Megaera C. Lorenz Megan Benedict Megan Frampton Megan Frazer Blakemore Melanie Conklin Melanie Ellsworth Mercedes Lawry Mia P. Manansala Michael Genhart Michael Leali Michelle Cronin Michelle Cusolito Michelle MiJung Kim Michelle Schusterman Mikaila Mariel Lemonik Arthur Mike Curato Mike Jung Mindy McGinnis Mindy Weisberger Minh Lê Mk Smith Despres Molly Beth Griffin N. K. Jemisin Nadia Salomon Nadine Presley Nanci Turner Steveson Nancy Ohlin Nancy Tandon Naomi Danis Naseem Jamnia Natalia Sylvester Natalie C. Parker Natalie Standiford Natalie Zina Walschots Nick Mazmanian Nicole Chen Nicole Chung Nicole D. Collier Nicole M. Wolverton Nidhi Chanani Niki Smith Nikki Grimes Nina Crews Nino Cipri Nita Creekmore Nova Ren Suma Opal Wei Padma Venkatraman Pam Munoz Ryan Pamela S. Turner Pamela Toler Patricia Newman Paul Acampora Peter Lerangis Phil Bildner PK Morrison Premee Mohamed R.M. Romero R.O. Kwon Rachel Cohn Rachel DeWoskin Rachel Elliott Rachel Louise Snyder Rachel Michelle Wilson Rajani LaRocca Randee Dawn Randy Ribay Rebecca Coffindaffer Rebecca Kim Wells Rebecca Petruck Rebecca Stead Renee Carter Hall Rex Ogle Rie Neal Rob Costello Rob Renzetti Robert Liu-Trujillo Roberto German Robin Newman Robin Stevenson Ronni Davis Rose Brock Ryan Bani Tahmaseb Ryan C. Bradley Ryan Estrada S. A. Chant Saki Tanaka Sal Sawler Sally Sultzman Samantha M Clark Sandra Proudman Sarah Adler Sarah Albee Sarah Aronson Sarah Callender Sarah Darer Littman Sarah Day Sarah Dessen Sarah Elkins Sarah Gailey Sarah Kapit Sarah Lynn Baker Sarah Manvel Sarah Mlynowski Sarah Ruiz-Grossman 5 Sarah S. Brannen Sarah Sax Sarah Weeks Sarah Weinman Sarah Wendell Sarah Zachrich Jeng Saundra Mitchell Sean Scott Seina Wedlick Sergio Troncoso Shana Youngdahl Shari Green Shaughnessy Miller Shauna Robinson Shawn K. Stout Shelby Van Pelt Sherman Dorn Shirley Ng-Benitez Simon Han Sonja Thomas Sonora Reyes Stan Yan Stephanie Perkins Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic Steve Watkins Stuart Gibbs Sunmi Supriya Kelkar Susan J. Korman Susan Johnston Taylor Susan Kuklin Susie Dumond Suzanne Brockmann Suzanne Williams Tamara Ellis Smith Tammi J. Truax Tanya Boteju Tanya Konerman Tara Dairman Tara Sim Tasslyn Magnusson Thomas Levenson Tiana Smith Tiffany Jewell Torrey Maldonado Tracey West Traci Huahn Traci Sorell Tracy Richardson Trisha Moquino Ty Chapman Tyler King Ursula Vernon V Park (VP) Anderson Van Hoang Vanessa North Vicki Johnson Vicky Fang Victor Catano Wendy W. Shang William Alexander yves. Yvonne Ventresca Zachary Braman Zetta Elliott Zoraida Cordova Ann E. Burg C.C. Harrington Veronica Bartles C.E. Thornton Lesley Younge David Shannon Kristy Acevedo Laura Gao Lauren Yero Michelle Jing Chan Nichole J Charbonneau Sydney Dunlap Susan Tan Jacky Davis Soman Debbie Vilardi L. E. Carmichael, PhD Deborah Freedman Laura Ruby Naomi Kritzer Tyler King Jennifer A. Nielsen` Sylvia Chen Michelle Jing Chan Chamisa Kellogg John Coy Stephen Shaskan Erin Dionne Kelly deVos Britt Hawthorne Dianne White Alonso Duralde Carrie Firestone Alex Schumacher Curtis C. Chen Laurie Calkhoven Andrea Wang Steph Littlebird Judi Moreillon Cynthia Harmony Karen S. Chow Phoebe Fox Amy Fellner Dominy Tanja Bauerle Tracey Baptiste KIM TOMSIC Megan Chance Sean Beaudoin Jennifer Haupt Katherine Malmo Caroline Leavitt Clare Hodgson Meeker 1 From:Linda Benner Sent:April 12, 2024 8:38 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:New Book Collection Policy Dear Newport Beach Library Board Members, I am writing to express my deep concern about the process requested by a group of concerned citizens who wish to change the way in which books are chosen for the Newport Beach Public Library. I will not challenge their sincerity. It is hard, though, to believe that permitting such a change without a more formal demonstration of this group’s standing to require that the judgement of professional library staff and professional library organizations be diluted in the matter of book selection, will be understood by library users as a “different” process from the ones used in insurgencies against public library policies occurring across the country. Accumulating data shows those outcomes have resulted in thousands of banned books. Up until now, this public library, and many others, stand as an ever rarer “neutral” community spaces, where readers with a huge variety of interests, ethnic and cultural backgrounds feel welcome, taking refuge from the polarization that has gradually degraded community life and public discourse in other places. That acceptance of public libraries as intentionally neutral spaces for learning seems to exist only because that is what we all believe they are. This idea stands on a powerful tradition that I think will be hard to regain, should the Newport Library be perceived as politicized in it’s book selection process. To me, this is about much more than moving or removing a few children’s books. After many years as a Newport Beach Resident, I live in Irvine. As a Diaspora user, I realize that the tradition of excellence and the dedication of the Newport Library Board members, Foundation supporters and a highly professional library staff have created a Mecca of sorts, drawing a wide swath of people from many demographics who look to the rich collection available through your city’s library system. I am grateful for your willingness to serve on the board of such deserving institution, and I don’t envy you the dilemma that you face on this issue. I wish you well, and thank you for reading my lengthy message. Sincerely, Linda Benner 2 The court explained: “[the] case involves the censorship of two acclaimed books, Heather Has two Mommies, by Leslea Newman (Alyson Wonderland Publications 1989) and Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite (Alyson Wonderland Publications 1990). Both are children's picture books . . . written for very young children about the subject of children who have gay and lesbian parents.” Sund v. City of Wichita Falls, Tex., 121 F. Supp. 2d 530 (N.D. Tex. 2000). The Sund Court found that removing the picture books from the children’s section and re-shelving them in the adult section violated both the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Similarly, in Pico, the removed books were available from other sources in other places, but the fact that they were REMOVED FROM CHILDREN’S ACCESS due to their content was the constitutional violation. Removing books from the children’s library due to the desire to suppress ideas or topics is illegal. Restricting full access to materials because of objections to the content therein is illegal. The mission of the public library is to provide relevant stories that benefit the community, and these stories are relevant to and benefit children and families in our community. These stories are relevant to the many same-sex couples raising children who use the Newport Beach library. These stories are relevant to the many children who are gay, lesbian, trans, queer, questioning, gender- creative, pan, or other who use the Newport Beach library. These stories are relevant to straight, cisgender kids who can build empathy and understanding, and who like good stories about all sorts of people, and who use the Newport Beach library. Anecdotally, in our community, I have friends with a gender-nonconforming kid who was held down and assaulted by kids who had no empathy so they could try to take off their pants to see their genitalia. I have a friend with a son who was bullied for liking another boy. I have friends whose kid was told he was no longer allowed to hang out with former girl friends because he figured out he was gay, and the girls’ parents did not want him “influencing” their daughters. I have a friend who saw a trans kid in elementary school in Newport Beach and nobody knew how to act around them. And, since I see lack of empathy as crossing more than one category, my own kid was told she could not play soccer nor become president because she is a girl. Everyone benefits when learning environments are more inclusive and educated and welcoming. Everyone benefits from a community in which people have empathy for others and appreciate the differences in their lives and experiences. Everyone benefits from books about diverse lives and experiences because they promote empathy. Since reshelving books based on content violates the First Amendment and harms the library community, if the Board pursued that option, it would open them up to a lawsuit. As a Newport Beach taxpayer, I would urge the Board to follow the law, as stated above. Huntington Beach has just embarked on a path that will result in years of litigation and a media circus. In that media circus, comments are made that harm LGBTQ members of that city’s community, and open up the city council to more division and vitriol. I would urge this Board to avoid that path for our city. I urge this Board to uphold the law and established policy by rejecting calls to limit the ideas available to children. Accordingly, I ask that you affirm and uphold the Newport Beach Director of Library Services Melissa Hartson’s decisions with regard to the current and future appeals. Thank you for your consideration, Gia Gaffaney Co-Chair of Orange County Equality Coalition’s School Compliance Task Force, former Girl Scout Leader in Newport Beach, former First Amendment attorney, and frequenter of Newport Beach libraries 1 From:Carmen Wood Sent:April 12, 2024 6:37 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Keep 'Melissa' on the shelves! Hi there! I'm a concerned CA state citizen, avid reader, and middle school library technician. I'm writing to ask you to please KEEP GREAT BOOKS LIKE 'MELISSA' BY ALEX GINO on your library shelves, and not let the invalid, ignorant opinions of a few decide what reading materials are valuable. This book in particular is such a lovely, accessible, age‐appropriate story about one child's life experiences, and rather than discussing removing it, we should be discussing getting this awesome book to any readers that want it! Thanks so much for your time, and carry on supporting readers and access to great stories and information! Sincerely, Carmen Wood 1 From:Jaymie Heilman Sent:April 13, 2024 4:28 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Please don't ban Melissa Dear Library Board members, I am a writer and mom deeply concerned by the recent effort to ban Alex Gino's Melissa from your shelves. Melissa is a beautiful, moving, and important story about a fourth-grader trying to get the world to understand her true self. It's a novel I read with my nine-year-old son. Honestly, he thought it was a little boring -- but it definitely helped him grow more compassionate toward and understanding of transgender kids. The notion that the book is pornographic is absurd. Protestors state Melissa doesn't "reflect the values of (y)our community." Really? Your community doesn't value kindness? Your community doesn't value supporting our kids? Your community doesn't value courage and compassion? Really? Please do the right thing and keep Melissa on your shelves. Jaymie Heilman 1 From:Debbi Michiko Florence Sent:April 13, 2024 1:53 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:MELISSA by Alex Gino Dear Library Board, Please do not remove the book MELISSA by Alex Gino from your shelves. Every child needs to see themselves and those in their community within the pages of a book ‐ to feel seen and heard and understood, and to learn the value of the experiences of others on this Earth. Thank you. I believe in the Freedom to Read! Warmly, Debbi Michiko Florence ‐‐ Debbi Michiko Florence Buy now: Jasmine Toguchi series, This Is How I Roll, Sweet and Sour, Keep It Together Keiko Carter, Just Be Cool Jenna Sakai, and Niki Nakayama 1 From:Linsey Miller Sent:April 13, 2024 9:09 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Retain "Melissa" by Alex Gino To the members of the Newport Beach Library Board, Make no mistake: the framing of trans literature and trans people themselves as inherently sexual or pornographic is a clear tactic meant to erase them not simply from library shelves but from existence, and giving into that rhetoric only supports it. They will not stop at "Melissa." They do not actually believe that the book is pornographic. They know that it is a buzzword that can be used to remove it from the library and be used as a stepping stone to remove books that feature other non-sexual but queer content. The goal is to set a precedent to have all trans and queer literature removed from all libraries. Additionally, to remove "Melissa" because it conflicts with a religious viewpoint sets up another precedent that I am sure you do not wish to set. Will you consider only one religion's viewpoints? You are a public institution. Bowing to religious complaints doesn't reflect all religious beliefs. Either you will have to walk it back after it's publicly and rightfully challenged in court, or you will have to remove all books challenged due to them contradicting religious viewpoints for all religions. It is not just that giving young readers access to books that reflect their realities saves lives; it's that removing them tells bigots you're on their side and their ideology is correct. It gives them a path to spread their ideas forward. Ultimately, to remove "Melissa" will not only deprive your readers of the book but prove to those who seek to erase trans people from existence that they're correct. We cannot allow these hateful and frankly unpatriotic removals (because they will argue it is not a ban) to become the standard. Regards, Linsey Miller 1 From:Kirthana Ramisetti Sent:April 13, 2024 7:34 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Writing in support of "Melissa" by Alex Gino Hello, As an author and former Newport Beach resident, I wanted to advocate for keeping Melissa by Alex Gino on your shelves. LGBTQIA+ representation is not just vital and important for young readers, it also saves lives. As someone who grew up in Newport Beach, I've always had a great fondness for the Newport Beach Public Library. As an Indian American teen, it was meaningful to have access to books that helped me feel seen. Please do not take that away from your young readers who rely on your library and deserve the same. As the world changes and evolves, so do books for children and teenagers. Please keep Melissa on the shelves and let that book be discovered and speak to the young people who need it. ‐‐ Kirthana Ramisetti 1 From:Pavan Ramisetti Sent:April 13, 2024 9:15 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:In support of "Melissa" by Alex Gino Hello, It came to my attention that the Newport Beach library has been under pressure from radical right‐wing religious groups looking to ban an important LGBTQ+ book, "Melissa" by Alex Gino. Literature like this, and others, are vitally and potentially life‐saving for young children in the LGBTQ+ community who may feel ostracized or threatened in their family. I used to live in Newport Beach for over a decade. I spent hours in your library studying and checking out books that were fun, entertaining, and also educational. Removing this book and others like it is actual censorship. My guess is these supposed "free speech" advocates who accuse it being about pornography have never read this book. If they were so concerned about protecting children and keeping them away from pornography, violence, incest, and genocide then they should also be asking to ban the Bible. But I'm sure they haven't read the Bible either. Or have conveniently forgotten about those parts. 1 From:Summer Bailey Sent:April 14, 2024 4:16 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Resist Moms for Liberty Dear Board, I am a English major graduate of UCI, a 38 year resident of Newport Beach, a mother of 2 children who attended Lincoln & CDM public schools, and current college advisor and writing tutor. I am horrified at the impending control these hateful Moms For Liberty zealots are threatening within our community. I implore you to resist all temptation to shelve, limit, ban, or deny ANY children’s books based on their closed‐minded and discriminatory suggestions. Thank you for your attention to this, Summer Bailey 1 From:Nancy Castaldo Sent:April 14, 2024 8:36 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Kids deserve book access! Kids deserve access to MELISSA by Alex Gino. MELISSA is a contemporary middle‐grade classic. Please consider how important this book is to readers. Thank you. Nancy Castaldo Nancy Castaldo Authors Against Book Bans 1 From: Sent:April 15, 2024 12:17 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Agenda Items #2 & #3 I support the Library Director's decisions with regard to "Melissa" and "Prince & Knight". The Newport Beach community is made up of a diverse group with diverse values. While parents have the right to choose what books are appropriate for their own children, they do not have the right to choose what is right for other people's children. From reading the comments from the appellants, it is clear that there is a coordinated community trying to limit points of view available in the Children's Library. Without all of this uproar, it is highly unlikely that their children would even be interested in these books. It is their own actions that is drawing attention to these books. I rely on the experts to determine what is appropriate for each reading level and I rely on parents to have frank discussions with their children about the values held in their own families. Please uphold the Library Director's decision and leave the books in place. Thank you, Dianne James 1 From:Jennifer Laughran Sent:April 14, 2024 10:48 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Removal of MELISSA by Alex Gino To the Newport Beach Library Board, It's my understanding that some community members are attempting to pressure the library board to remove the book MELISSA by Alex Gino from the children's section of the library. I'm the literary agent that represents Alex Gino and sold Melissa (originally published under the title GEORGE) to Scholastic. I'm also a property owner and taxpayer in Newport Beach -- in fact, my first-ever library card and book checked out came from the Newport Beach public library, and perhaps the librarians there can be credited for the life-long love of reading that has led me to work in the children's book publishing industry today. Melissa is widely regarded to be a modern classic of middle grade fiction, appropriate for ages 8-12. It's about a transgender child who knows she is a girl, though the world sees her as a boy -- and it has become a classic, in my opinion, for three reasons. First, because it was groundbreaking at the time of publication (the first middle grade book published in the US about a transgender child, by a transgender author). Second, because the text is age-appropriate and appealing to a broad audience. The book is NOT "pornographic" in any way. Melissa is not dealing with issues of sexuality or romantic attraction to anyone, she's a fourth grader. Her issue is simply one of identity. She feels one way, and the world sees her another way. (I think MOST kids can understand and empathize with feeling misunderstood, even if they themselves are not transgender!) Finally, Melissa has become a classic based on excellence. Though taste may be subjective and certainly an individual person might not like any given book, it's hard to argue that the majority of readers and experts consider Melissa excellent. Upon publication, the book received a veritable constellation of starred reviews from outlets like School Library Journal, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly, the highest accolade these respected trade journals bestow. It was called, by expert professional reviewers, "profound, moving"... "warm, funny, inspiring"..."a required purchase for any collection that serves a middle grade population." In addition to having gone on to win multiple awards for the quality of the writing, including the Stonewall Award for Children's Books (awarded annually by the American Library Association for books of "exceptional merit"), the Children's Choice award for debut author (voted on by actual kids!) and the prestigious Lambda Literary Award, Melissa has been published successfully in 17 languages around the world. Somehow this little book has resonated with readers around the globe, even in traditionally religious and conservative countries -- yet a handful of Newport Beach residents are lobbying to remove it from bookshelves. I'm frankly sickened and ashamed that folks in the Newport community think so little of children, and so little of fundamental American values, that they would want to ban ANY book -- let alone an important and meaningful book like Melissa. If they don't want their own children to read the book, that's absolutely their prerogative -- but they have NO right to limit what books their neighbor's children have access to in the library. I urge you, the Library Board, not to bow to would-be censors, and to keep Melissa exactly where she belongs -- in the children's section, with the other fourth graders. Cordially, Jennifer Laughran Senior Agent Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. 1 From:Deborah Lucas Sent:April 14, 2024 5:42 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:re: Library Book removal appeal Hello Board Members: I'm writing to you to voice my support for the decisions of the professionals on staff at our Newport Beach Public Libraries. The purpose of a public library is to address the interests, concerns and issues relevant to the community. I trust that the staff is better able to do that than a handful of residents who may feel uncomfortable with certain subjects. When it comes to items on the shelves in the children's section, all children under 12 are to be accompanied by a guardian, and so that guardian can monitor what books they're comfortable having their child check out. Different families will make different decisions, as families do about all manner of issues. I am against the discomfort, prejudices, fears and judgement of a few citizens determining what books will be available to all patrons of the NB library system. Thank you for your consideration on this issue. Deborah Lucas (NB resident for 35+ years, patron of NB libraries, and retired NMUSD elementary school librarian) 1 From:Maggie Maser Sent:April 14, 2024 3:25 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:LGBTQ+ Book Hearing, Newport Library Board To whom it may concern, I am writing to you in opposition of the removal of books related to LGBTQ+ families, refugee stories, and age‐ appropriate health and sex education from Newport Public Library. Upon inspection of the library board's meeting agenda, there are two books that have been subject to bad‐faith criticisms: "Melissa" by Alex Gino, and "Prince & Knight" by Daniel Haack. I will address both. Regarding Melissa: It seems that the majority of the contentions of this book come from the mentions of "pornographic magazines," "feelings of sexuality," and vague mentions of genitalia. Quite frankly, I believe that a parent is severely out of touch with their children if they think that these conversations are not happening between students with or without this book. In middle school especially, students are learning about their body and sex education; these are conversations are not only natural, but also beneficial during an incredibly formative point in their lives. To quote the World Health Organization: "Evidence consistently shows that high‐quality sexuality education delivers positive health outcomes, with lifelong impacts. Young people are more likely to delay the onset of sexual activity – and when they do have sex, to practice safer sex – when they are better informed about their sexuality, sexual health and their rights... With younger learners, teaching about sexuality does not necessarily mean teaching about sex. For instance, for younger age groups, [comprehensive sex ed] may help children learn about their bodies and to recognize their feelings and emotions, while discussing family life and different types of relationships, decision‐making, the basic principles of consent and what to do if violence, bullying or abuse occur. This type of learning establishes the foundation for healthy relationships throughout life." The only significant difference between "Melissa" and any other sex education book (unsurprisingly not mentioned by the parents) is the fact that this book is about a young transgender girl's journey in her identity. No one is forcing children to read this book; it is simply written in away that 9 year olds COULD understand, and co‐exists in the same sphere as other uncontested sex education books. The concerned parent's statements merely demonstrate that the opposition to this book is not founded on any benefit or protection for their children; rather it is a reactionary and discriminatory response solely because the book centers a marginalized experience that has been continuously and overtly demonized. Evidence that demonstrates a reactionary disdain for trans people: Rosaline E. Banker referred gender fluidity as "mumbo‐jumbo for indoctrinating our young children" and referred to the author as a "groomer in the first order." Debra Klein says "these books are an attempt to indoctrinate our kids" Jan Phares recommends the "The Holy Bible" book of Genesis especially, instead of this book. Haley Jenkins laments that the organizations that approve of age‐appropriate books "ONLY review and give preference to politically far left titles" Lisa Anderson says that she doesn't "feel transgenderism is an appropriate subject for [her] children" 2 Bret Bonken(?) says "why are you teaching our kids about transgenderism" Regarding Prince & Knight: Even more ridiculously, the opposition to a story book about a prince and a knight is only founded under a disdain for gay people. The parent's statements seem to reflect that the their main concern is that being gay is not age appropriate. As a 28 year old lesbian, I knew I liked girls when I was five years old: there wasn't a single book or parent that worked to influenced me into thinking any other way. To me, queerness came more naturally than learning how to ride a bike, and I tried incredibly hard to keep that repressed as a result of people like Bill Dunlap who think that a book "directly [promoting] a homosexual relation" is "not age appropriate." Opposition to this book being in a children's library is simply draconian and should not be awarded actual consideration. Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I will be joining tomorrow for the hearing and will hopefully be able to give my thoughts on the matter. Best, Maggie Maser ‐‐ Margaret (Maggie) P Maser UC Irvine School of Law Class of 2026 Preferred Pronouns: they/them April 15, 2024, BLT Agenda Item Comments These comments on Newport Beach Board of Library Trustees agenda items are submitted by: Jim Mosher Item No. 1. Discuss the Library Services Director’s Appointment, Employment and Evaluation of Performance (Government Code § 54957) The general rule in California is that the public’s business, as conducted by local elected and appointed bodies, be conducted in public.Subsection 54957(b)(1)of the Government Code section cited in this agenda item notice provides a limited exception to privately discuss “the appointment, employment, evaluation of performance, discipline, or dismissal of a public employee.” The present announcement suggests the Trustees will not be considering “discipline or dismissal,” and, despite the announcement, I would guess they are also not planning to discuss appointment or employment. In fact, I believe the intent is confined to conducting a performance evaluation pursuant to an agreement with the City Manager, who shares the responsibility to evaluate the Director’s performance. The scope of what can be discussed by the Trustees under this heading is not entirely clear to me, although in the absence of disciplinary actions, Subsection 54957(b)(4) prohibits any discussion of compensation. I would guess the Library Services Director operates under a contract, although it does not seem to be publicly posted.Section 8.E of the publicly-posted contract for the City Manager, for whom the City Council plays a similar evaluation role, allows them to set mutually-agreed-upon objectives for each year, and I believe those could be discussed with her in the closed session, although, oddly, she apparently does not attend it. I do not know if the Board sets objectives for the Library Services Director, or discusses them with her in these closed sessions, for, in contrast to some other agencies, the public has never seen those objectives set for the City Manager, if there are any. I would hope that if objectives are set or discussed, they would be personal improvement ones, and not goals for the organization as a whole to achieve in the coming year. The latter would clearly be something that should be agreed to in open session with public input. Item No. 4. Minutes of the March 18, 2024 Board of Library Trustees Meeting The passages in italics are from the draft minutes, with corrections suggested in strikeout underline format. Page 2 (handwritten page 51 of agenda packet), sentence 2 of top paragraph: “Chair Watkins commended Adult Services Coordinator Erin Spivey for the patron compliment of going above and beyond in helping her with technology;and noted how thoughtful and respectful Library Services Manager Rebecca Lightfoot’s response to the patron who was concerned about library April 15, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 2 of 4 parking during the construction of the Lecture Hall was; and noted Patron Comment 4 regarding the library staff who was able to find an article in the Daily Pilot.” Page 7 (handwritten page 56 of agenda packet), Item 10, paragraph 1, sentence 1: “Chair Watkins opened the item and reported he attended the Parks, Beaches & Recreation Commission (PB&R) meeting on March 5, there were between 12-15 people in favor of preserving the remaining Eucalyptus trees tree.” Page 8 (handwritten page 57 of agenda packet), paragraph 1, sentence 2: “There was an element of discussion on the Cultural Art’s Arts side at the Council Planning Session, she presented a PowerPoint to the Council for the purpose of getting direction for the programming for arts in the new Fiscal Year.” Page 9 (handwritten page 58 of agenda packet), Item VII, paragraph 1, sentence 1: “Jim Mosher (Newport Beach resident) commented he spent submitted comments over the weekend overviewing the comments and something was mentioned regarding mentioning the Chicago 2024 Strategy which was a plan in which they set goals for their library.” [note: the reference was specifically to the Chicago Public Library 2020-2024 Strategy which is an example of an organization formulating a strategic plan for improvement with clearly stated goals.] Item No. 5. Patron Comments In the responses to Comments 8 (accessing JSTOR database) and 10 (VHS tape donations) it is good to see staff suggesting options outside NPBL’s own resources (for example, researching other libraries and organizations that could accept the tapes). Item No. 7. Expenditure Status Report The trustees may wish to be aware the City Manager’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 has been posted. It provides past and proposed expenditures at a more “granular” level than this standing agenda item (such as expenditures by branch and job function) starting on page 121 (page 128 of the 258-page PDF). One thing I failed to comment on when the proposed budget was reviewed by the Board as Item 9 on the February 26, 2024, agenda, is that the budget of acquisition of library materials (page 124) remains unchanged at $669,740 per year. One suspects that to maintain the same level of service, an inflationary increase would be needed. Yet for library materials, and more generally, very few inflationary increases over FY2023-2024 appear to be built into the budget proposal. The Board may recall that the library materials budget remained unchanged for nearly a decade before a correction was made. It would seem unfortunate to revert to that way of operating. Shouldn’t there be regular annual increases? April 15, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 3 of 4 Item No. 9. Library Materials Selection Adult Services Coordinator Spivey has provided an excellent and very helpful overview of the library’s selection and deselection processes. Unless I have missed it, one thing that seems missing is a clear picture of how much turnover results from following these procedures. One assumes that given the library’s relatively fixed shelf-space constraints, for every item acquired there must be one removed. But I don’t see a clear statement of what those annual numbers are. Similarly, the table provided regarding the size and distribution of the collection from which items are added and removed (top of page 3 of the report, handwritten page 78 of the agenda packet) raises a couple of questions: 1. Is there a deficiency of Young Adult non-fiction? One would assume the needs of young adults would be transitional between children and adults. Yet the fraction of the young adults collection classified as non-fiction (10%) is notably lower than the fraction in both the childrens (28%) and adults collections (35%). 2. Why are there no “non-book” materials for young adults? Regarding deselection, I briefly reviewed the CREW program for weeding referenced in the report. In the past, I have suggested it might be helpful to showcase items being considered for removal, much as we showcase new acquisitions. I was gratified that Step 10 of “CREW in Ten Steps” on Page 31 of 107 of the CREW Manual, the final step, recommends library staff “Set up displays for low circulating, high quality books that would benefit from exposure.” I know staff sets up intriguing displays of materials related to monthly topics, but does it try to call attention to neglected items that, without a checkout, would be on their way to discard? I also understand staff has begun attempting to track items used in the library, but not checked out – by scanning their barcodes before reshelving them. However, at least at Mariners, the carts that were once available for placing items for reshelving seem to have disappeared – nor are patrons encouraged to let staff do the reshelving. So I don’t know how effective that program is. Regarding the Board-adopted Collection Development Policy (Library Policy NBPL 2) referred to in the report, as I have noted in past years, some library boards provide much more specific guidance to staff as to areas of the collections they want developed, and how. As recently mentioned, the Development Policy of the City of Monterey Public Library – the oldest municipal library in California – is an example of such a more detailed policy. As to NBPL 2, the draft minutes of the March 18 meeting (handwritten page 54 of the present agenda packet) indicate a report back on the criteria for the children's collection had been hoped for at the April meeting. I don’t see it on the agenda. April 15, 2024, BLT agenda item comments - Jim Mosher Page 4 of 4 Item No. 11. Balboa Branch Replacement Update With the minutes indicating the design may go to the Council for approval next month, without further BLT discussion, I remain concerned that (in stark contrast to the CdM Branch rebuild) so little attention has been paid to the internal layout of the new branch. While the minutes correctly state (handwritten page 56) that the board was given two options to choose between at the January 16, 2024, meeting at Marina Park, neither the board nor the public had a chance to review any of the plans in advance of the meeting, and to the best of my knowledge the interior library layouts were identical in the two options, simply rotated. So, as far as I know, there has been only one interior layout considered, and, as best I could tell, it didn’t appear to have a storytime area – which seemed a key public concern for the CdM branch. 1 From:Joni Nichols Sent:April 14, 2024 10:47 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Appeals process Dear Trustees of Newport Beach library, Every book in our children's library is labeled with its Reading Level and recommended age. Restricting access to a title because someone doesn't agree with its message, viewpoint or philosophy violates the 1st Amendment which protects the right to read. This email represents my support for "Melissa" by Alex Gino (5th grade level) and "Prince and Knight " by Daniek Haack (3rd grade level). While my own children who frequented the library regularly are now grown, I use the children's library regularly as a Newport Beach Library literacy tutor and am not only familiar with the collection but grateful to the professional librarians who select and shelf them appropriately. When I became aware of a potential appeals process to"relocate" books, I made an effort to read 15 of the books receiving complaints from those members of our community who wants to repress accessibility. Having read these books in their entirety only underscores my faith in having the professional library director make the final determinations. Thank you Joni Nichols NB resident /homeowner NB library foundation member NB literacy tutor 4 years Attendee of Witte and Library Live events Weekly visitor to our library From:Marc Tyler Nobleman Sent:April 14, 2024 2:58 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:"Melissa" by Alex Gino Hello Newport Beach Library Board, Thank you for your concern for the well‐being of your community. In that spirit, please do not remove books written by people whose experiences are different than yours published by editors trying to reach all kinds of kids vetted by librarians, who are trained professionals (as you well know!) Please stand up for those who are already struggling plenty. Parents, of course, have the right to supervise what their own children read. But parents do not have the right to restrict what OTHER kids read. My message to those asking for removals: More rights for those less fortunate than you does not mean less rights for you. What stands between someone else and basic, unobtrusive happiness should not be you. YOUR parental rights are intact. You may talk with your kids about whatever you want. However, when you ask a library to remove books you don’t like, and may not have even read, you are infringing on MY parental rights to make my own decision about what my kids have access to. Don't tread on me. Censorship is overreach. Overreach kills freedom of speech. Overreach kills careers. Overreach kills KIDS. As reported by outlets including CBS News, a 2022 Trevor Project survey found that LGBTQ youth "who live in an accepting community reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide compared to those who do not. Nearly two in five LGBTQ youth reported living in communities that are either somewhat or very unaccepting of LGBTQ people." Which of these two kinds of communities do you want to live in? Thank you for reading. Marc Tyler Nobleman 1 From:Maria Solomon Sent:April 14, 2024 11:20 AM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Please trust our librarians Dear Library Board, Please let’s not go the way of Huntington Beach. I support trusting librarians to select and shelve books appropriately. I understand the next books under appeal are Melissa by Alex Gino (5th grade reading level) and Prince and Knight by Daniel Haack (3rd grade reading level). Please don’t re-shelve these books in the adult section. I am opposed to a small group censoring everyone else, which is what is happening regardless of how you label it. I understand Everyone Poops was removed in HB for nudity - really? I read this with my kids for years and referenced it for years after. Restricting access to a book because someone does not like the ideas in the book violates the First Amendment, and it is a very slippery slope. Thank you, Maria Solomon 1 From:Carolyn Hacker Sent:April 15, 2024 9:14 AM To:Library Board of Trustees; Library Admin Team Subject:Request to Reject Appeals Hello, I understand that at tonight's Board of Trustees Meeting, decisions will be made on appealed challenges to Melissa by Alex Gino, and Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack. Having read Melissa thoughtfully, I found it to be heartfelt, honest, and exactly the book that would have great meaning to a child in pain, who feels different from his or her peers. More importantly, regardless of the material being considered, I ask that you not allow a small group of patrons to dictate what members of the public may have access to, based on their own narrow agenda. The Newport Beach Public Library offers a carefully curated and diverse selection of materials, for the benefit of all who use it. Granting appeals and banning materials is a slippery slope without a visible end. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and for the dedicated work you all do. Sincerely, Carolyn Hacker 1 From:Maggie Maser Sent:April 15, 2024 8:47 PM To:Library Board of Trustees Subject:Regarding Today's Hearing and Hormone Therapy Misconception Dear Board Members, Thank you today for allowing me to speak in support of Melissa's placement in the children's section of the library. While I respect the decision to move the book to the teen section of the library, I do want to clear up misconceptions regarding hormone therapy considering it was mentioned in the justification for the movement of the book. It is a misconception that hormone therapy, especially puberty blockers, always leads to irreversible changes in the human body. Every human body produces both estrogen and testosterone in a spectrum of different ratios as those particular hormones go through a variety of different physiological pathways from their initial precursor cholesterol. As such, the effects of hormone therapy can often be temporary or used to offset a previous imbalance of hormones. See e.g. Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer hormone therapy treatment. While it is true that hormone therapy can have lasting effects, this would be directly proportional to the length of time that hormones are being taken. The hormone therapy option for trans youth in most cases is the prescription of puberty blockers: medications that are designed to delay the effects of puberty by suppressing testosterone and/or estrogen production. The process of getting a puberty blocker prescription requires inputs from both physicians, parents, and the child. To quote the hyperlinked article and Yale adolescent medicine physician Meredithe McNamara, “puberty‐blocking treatment is probably one of the most compassionate things that a parent can consent to for a transgender child... it allows transgender children and their families the opportunity to weigh their options carefully, without the constant pressure of physical changes." Once the trans individual stops taking puberty blockers, puberty proceeds naturally unless intervened through HRT. Therefore, it is simply incorrect to say that hormone therapy, in the context of trans youth, is permanent. In the future, if the board plans to reference science in its decisions, I would highly encourage that the board take more time to research the topic being referenced before using it in a potentially binding decision. Best, Maggie Maser ‐‐ Margaret (Maggie) P Maser UC Irvine School of Law Class of 2026 Preferred Pronouns: they/them