Publications

Table of Contents:


Short URL for this page:  

Books: (Click on page number to see inside book.)









I reached out to none other than Dan Kleinman of Safe Libraries, the nation's leading expert on dangers to children in public libraries....
I was sitting at my computer working on this very book when an email came zinging in from my friend Dan Kleinman who runs the single best clearinghouse of information online exposing the lies that the ALA tells to librarians, parents, and the media alike.
The controversies often leave the objecting parents feeling like victims. .... They tap into online communities hosted by Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, Glenn Beck's 9/12 Project, and a one-man website with the impressive name SafeLibraries. 
....
"There are plenty of people out there who are opposed to homosexuality and are opposed to reading about how the world is older than 6,000 years, or there's witchcraft," he said.  "That is completely apart from the First Amendment.  If you're going to bring a challenge, you've got to bring a challenge based on the law.  As far as I know there is no law that says if it's about homosexuality, you've got to get it out of the library.  The fact is, people with weird beliefs are never going to win, because there's not anything to back them up."
  • "Intellectual Freedom Manual, Ninth Edition," Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, 2015.  While I was named in the Eighth Edition, the Ninth Edition didn't want to mention he who should not be named, so instead it refers to "Oppositional Groups": "Organizations ... detracting from ALA's intellectual freedom agenda are a ... challenge."  Then ALA goes on to prepare librarians to silence critics and get ready to call "local law enforcement" if any "oppositional group" tries to "disrupt the proceedings or to seek publicity."  ALA means me since it thinks my efforts to electronically attend meetings to advise about the child porn coverup were just for publicity, and I'm the only one who sought to attend in that fashion.  It is noteworthy that with regard to the child pornography ALA was pushing in the Orland Park Public Library (by claiming only judges can determine what is child porn, not librarians), videotape captured the library, the library's lawyer, and the police colluding to manufacture an incident by which the police would arrest the child porn whistleblowers.  The videographer was fired for accidentally filming this collusion.  Because of ALA OIF's close ties to the Orland Park library, this is the type of activity ALA has in mind when it gives its advice to silence "oppositional groups" with "local law enforcement"; as this video states, this is "Plotting to have free citizens voicing opinions thrown IN JAIL": "2014-05-19 = THROW THEM IN THE TANK! OPPL Plotting with Police Against Citizens," by Megan Fox, YouTube, 30 May 2014.
  • "The Library Juice Press Handbook of Intellectual Freedom: Concepts, Cases, and Theories," by Mark Alfino and Laura Koltutsky, Eds, Library Juice Press, April 2014; Chapter 19. Libraries and Intellectual Freedom, Loretta Gaffney.


Government Publications, Patents, and Proceedings:
  • Cho, Wing.  Systems, Methods and Techniques for Safely and Effectively Coordinating Video Game Play and Other Activities Among Multiple Remote Networked Friends and Rivals.  US Patent 9,931,571 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  3 April 2018.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,895,614 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  20 February 2018.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,884,256 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  6 February 2018.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,839,850 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  12 December 2017.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,731,205 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  15 August 2017.
  • Smith, Darren C.  Enhanced Method and Apparatus for Selecting and Rendering Performance Data.  US Patent 9,592,445 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd., 14 March 2017.
  • Smith, Darren C.  Enhanced Method and Apparatus for Selecting and Rendering Performance Data.  US Patent 9,067,133 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd., 15 June 2015.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,050,536 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  9 June 2015.
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 9,050,533 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  9 June 2015.
  • Kevin DuJan, speaking at Orland Park Public Library meeting 18 August 2014 calls on the board to allow me to speak but I was denied a fourth time.  Denied the right to speak about a policy being voted on that evening specifically designed to deny me personally the right to speak, and one the Illinois Attorney General twice ruled was illegal.  Funny if it weren't so ironic and sad:
  • Sasaki, Tetsuya et al.  Communication Game System, Game Apparatus, Server, Storage Medium Storing a Program, and Game Control Method.  US Patent 8,795,083 B2.  Original Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,  5 August 2014.
  • John Kraft of Edgar County Watchdogs reads my speech after Orland Park Public Library blocked me at its board of trustees meeting 16 June 2014:
  • Maryam Judar of Citizen's Advocacy Center speaks up for my rights but doesn't mention my name at the Orland Park Public Library board of trustees meeting 16 June 2014:
  • Georgia Smithee of Citizen's Advocacy Center speaks up for my rights but doesn't mention my name at the Orland Park Public Library board of trustees meeting 16 June 2014:
  • Kevin DuJan of HillBuzz speaks up for me at the Orland Park Public Library board of trustees meeting 16 June 2014:
Dan Kleinman, a Chatham Safe Libraries committee member, commented relative to bullying, censorship, and the controversial 10th grade Honors English assigned-reading book.
Dan Kleinman, a Chatham Safe Libraries committee member, requested that the 3- minute rule for speakers be waived. Mr. Antonucci responded. 

Lawsuits:
  • Pierson v. Nat'l Inst. for Labor Rels. Research, US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, No. 15 C 11049, 17 October 2016:
The only connection between Defendants' allegedly tortious post and the forum state is that Plaintiff happens to live in Illinois. Simply put, these facts are insufficient to establish specific personal jurisdiction. See, e.g., Bittman v. Fox, No. 14 C 08191, ... (N.D. Ill. Sept. 23, 2015) ("In the end, Bittman's case for personal jurisdiction over Kleinman boils down to the undisputed allegations that he republished and commented upon information concerning an Illinois resident employed by an Illinois library on a subject-specific 'watchdog' website that is accessible by anyone, anywhere....The writing and posting of the accompanying article, without more, do not suggest that Kleinman was purposefully directing or expressly aiming any conduct at Illinois[.]"); ....
Speeches:
  • I had a minutely short speech at Orland Park Public Library as the library censored me and broke the Open Meetings Act law a third time to block me a third time:
ALA Booklist Training Webinar Features SafeLibraries

ALA, State, or Local Library Meetings/Trainings:
Ignore Them
The last technique you can use is to simply ignore them.  Sometimes, if you ignore the lie it simply doesn’t gain enough momentum and traction and goes away.  This is risky, but if you know enough about the detractor or who they know in the community, you can make an informed guess as to whether or not they can get enough support of their claim to become a problem.  The detractor may simply go find something else to lie about somewhere else in the community.  This is usually because they are trying to build a name for themselves or play a “hero” role in the community and they won’t be able to gain that role if nobody steps up to be the villain.
One thing that you should never do is openly debate, criticize, or demean the person bringing up the lie.  They can use your open debate to validate themselves and their claim.  If you criticize or publicly demean them, they can make the claim that you are simply trying to put them down because they are close to “the truth.”  You will become the villain that they are looking for and they will make the case that they are the hero.
  • The following occurred at the Orland Park Public Library Board of Trustees meeting, 16 June 2014:
  • "Transforming Library Space of Community Engagement; A Webinar Rethinking How Library Spaces Can Be Configured to Enhance and Expand Community Engagement in the Digital Age," by Beth Farley, Betha Gutsche, Eileen Shaw, OCLC WebJunction, 22 May 2014.
  • "AWP Day Two & Three," by Sarah Woodard, Sarah's {Random} Musings, 2 March 2014, re: Association of Writers and Writing Programs and "Warning Extreme Content: Sex, Drugs, and Abuse as Themes in Young Adult Literature with Ann Angel, Kekla Magoon and Carrie Jones"; "Carrie Jones talked about sex and how it was introduced to teens with Judy Blume, Norma Fox Mazer, Fanfiction, and romance novel.  She also talked about V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic and how it was one of the novels that teen [sic] encountered.  There were 1577 complaints of sexually explicit material.  She mentioned Safelibraries and how by censoring material, we limit the people that have access to it.  When if we respect teens, censorship shouldn't happen." 


  • "OUTRAGE! Board Member Sticks Fingers In Ears to Ignore the Public!," by Megan Fox, YouTube, 16 December 2013, re the Orland Park Public Library Board Meeting; I am the very first topic addressed in the public comments section of the meeting that begins at 2:08 or thereabouts.
  • "ALA Reply to ‘ALA Supports Orland Park Public Library Stance on Viewing Porn," by Sean O'Connor, Chicago Libraries Examiner, 7 November 2013.   Contains a letter from ALA's Deborah Caldwell-Stone discussing what I said in the Chicago Tribune but not mentioning me by name.
  • "RE: Possible Workshops to Address Orland Park Situation," by Barbara Jones, Director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, 7 November 2013:
    First off is whether you have any way to limit attendance to RAILS members.  IF Dan Kleinman or some of our detractors attend, we will need to change our content.  We've dealt with this before, so if it is an open webinar, we just need to know that.

    Thanks for letting me know that ALA can have the content to use later on if we need to.  We want to repeat this for trustees.  And/or, this session can include trustees as well.
  • "Revisiting CIPA 10 Years Later Part 1," by American Library Association Washington Office, American Library Association, 30 July 2013.
  • "AGENDA; Regular Meeting of the Pierce County Library System Board of Trustees," by Linda Ishem; Board of Trustees, Pierce County Library System, 10 April 2013.
  • "Public Information Office Media/Social Media Report, EBD #12.17, 2012-2013, Midwinter 2013 Media Report," by ALA Executive Board, American Library Association, 16 January 2013 (emphasis in original):
    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
     Media relations activity for the past quarter (Oct. 1, 2012 – Jan. 6, 2013) has focused in several areas including Banned Books Week, Teen Read Week, International Games Day and ebook lending in libraries.  This quarter the ALA achieved more than 16,442 mentions/articles, which resulted in a circulation rate of more than 2.8 Billion.  This reporting cycle there were a total of 23 negative articles/mentions from conservative groups like Focus on the Family and Dan Kleinman.  All attacks were fueled by Banned Books Week and ALA's position on censorship.
  • "John Green at the Freedom to Read Foundation Banned Author Event," by John Green, OIFTube (Freedom to Read Foundation's Banned Author Event during the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Dallas, TX), 22 January 2012; he discusses me though not by name starting a little after 16 min., though I have made it clear "Looking For Alaska is NOT Porn."
  • "Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes: September 18, 2012," by Board of Trustees, Spokane County Library District, 16 October 2012.
  • "Public Information Office Second Quarter 2012 Media/Social Media Report, EBD #12.45, 2011-2012," by ALA Executive Board, American Library Association, 30 May 2012:
    Negative coverage during the quarter was minimal with 29 articles.  The majority of the coverage was fueled by Safelibraries.org which featured posts on ALA’s policies on censorship and Internet filtering.
  • "Library Board Meeting Minutes," by Bennett Martin Public Library, Lincoln City Libraries, 20 March 2012.
  • "Internet Safety Informational Packet," by Board of Trustees, Puyallup Public Library, 19 March 2012.
  • "Tell Me What Democracy Looks Like: OIF Walks the Walk," by Barbara Jones, Director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, Wisconsin Library Association, 1 November 2011: "and then we receive attacks from Dan Kleinman still...."
  • "NJLA Children's Services Section; Meeting Minutes," by Lisa Taylor, New Jersey Library Association, 9 September 2011:
    Pat Vasilisk reported the following highlights from the NJLA Executive Board meeting ... Dan Kleinman of Safe Libraries has been pushing for legislation regarding pornography on the Internet that would affect public libraries. Pat Tumulty has asked the NJLA Public Policy committee to comment on the proposed legislations and perhaps suggest some language that would be acceptable and reasonable for public libraries.
  • "NJLA Executive Board Meeting Minutes," by NJLA Executive Board, New Jersey Library Association, 26 July 2011, and note the collusion to teach library trustees the opposite of US v. ALA that says a library is not an open public forum:
    Pat T. reported that she was interviewed by News 12 NJ on an issue involving a complaint by a patron that her child saw “pornography” at a local library. Pat was subsequently asked to do a follow-up segment with Dan Kleinman from an organization called Safelibraries. Pat felt that it was unnecessary to add anything to her original statement. Pat expressed concern regarding this push for “follow-up”. Mary R. commented that it is a complicated issue because a public library is a democratic institution, committed to freedom of speech and freedom of information, while at the same time it serves different constituencies. A public library is a public space with both youth and adult areas. The public at large does not always understand that a public library is an open institution and not necessarily safe.

    Allen expressed concern regarding the trustee point of view. It is important to educate board members before there is any issue. Mary R. pointed out that it is also important to build relationships with officials who support freedom of speech and open access. Eileen P. suggested giving a “heads-up” to the Intellectual Freedom committee. Susan O. suggested that the Intellectual Freedom committee be asked to put together a template for educating board members. Eileen P. thought that Pat was correct in how she handled the situation. The board agreed.
  • "Public Information Office Second Quarter 2011 Media/Social Media Report, EBD #12.35, 2010-2011," by ALA Executive Board, American Library Association, 20 May 2011:
    Negative coverage during the quarter was minimal with 130 articles.  The majority of the coverage was fueled by Safelibraries.org which featured rants regarding ALA's policies on censorship and Internet filtering. 
  • "Public Information Office First Quarter 2011 Media/Social Media Report, EBD #12.26, 2010-2011, [Midwinter 2011 Media Report]," by ALA Executive Board, American Library Association, 10 March 2011 (emphasis in original):
    E-books
    ....
    Other negative coverage was produced by Dan Kleinman of Safelibraries and other conservative groups.  Posts attacked ALA's position on the worker's rights which was fueled by a statement released by ALA President Roberta Stevens regarding Wisconsin protests.
  • "Raising the Chorus: CLA Presentation Nov2010," by Amy Sonnie, California Library Association, 14 November 2010:

    Presentation by Author/Librarian Amy Sonnie - notice legitimate observation sourced to a leading industry journal is "targeting" and a school book involving "lengthy, vivid descriptions of a ménage à trois" is "information."
  • "Booklist Webcast - Defending the Right to Read: Celebrating Banned Books Week Featuring Special Guest Judy Blume", by ALA Publishing, American Library Association, 28 September 2010, wherein SafeLibraries and Dan Kleinman are named at about 55:50 to 56:15, by speaker Kristin Pekoll, Young-Adult Librarian, West Bend Memorial Library, West Bend, WI.
  • "Video from Annual Conference:  IF Issues Briefing," by Angela Maycock, OIF Blog, 13 August 2010, speech by Dee Venuto names SafeLibraries as changing the library profession at about times 1:04:54 to 1:05:26.
  • "TOP 10 THINGS I LEARNED AT FLA," by Stacy Alesi (The Book Bitch), BookBitchBlog, 12 April 2010.  (She also writes for ALA's Booklist).
  • "YALSA Board of Directors Meeting Conference Call, Item #6, Summer 2009," by YALSA Board of Directors, American Library Association, 25 August 2009.
  • "Youth First Amendment Court Case and Link," by Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Esq, Acting Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom (letter from ALA to West Bend Community Memorial Library), American Library Association, 1 June 2009:
    Also, here is a link to another blog you may find useful (I did, of course!)
    http://sexdrugsandintellectualfreedom.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/dan-i-dont-play-gotcha-kleinman/
  • "ALA American Library Association 2007-2008 Annual Report," by American Library Association, American Library Association, 2008, p.25.  "A Great Big Thank You ...; ... Library Advocates; ... Individuals; ... Dan Kleinman...."

Cable/Television:

Post by Gina Gentry Loudon.

Magazines:
The Blaze magazine, cover, March 2012

Library and Other Schools:

  • "Pressure Groups and Library Collection Development: Attempts to Influence Library Collections, and Best Practices for Library Response," by Christy L. Davis, Emporia State University, April 2013, 855 Collection Development for Dr. Donna Reed:
    ABSTRACT: An examination of various United States pressure groups' messages regarding how to influence or censor library collection content.  Looks at the beliefs and goals of several different groups that have web presences and who wish to challenge and change the material holdings, collection development and Internet policies of school and public libraries.  Describes what libraries can do to resist attempts of control and censorship by these groups and how libraries can maintain intellectual freedom standards and First Amendment rights for their library patrons.
  • "Intellectual Freedom," by Karin Perry, Asst. Professor, Library Science Dept., Sam Houston State University, 26 February 2013, "A presentation I made for our library science students."





Newspapers:
USA Today
19 Aug 2011
  • "Chatham Man's Website Takes On Library Offerings; Provides Advice to Those Questioning Books' Content," by Matt Manochio, Daily Record, 12 December 2010, p.A1. 
  • "Still Arrogant, Still Wrong," by Editorial, The Daily Herald, 3 December 2010.
  • "Those Challenging Books Find Strength in Numbers," by Didi Tang and Mary Beth Marklein, USA Today, 1 December 2010 (updated 6 December), p.3A.
  • "Banned Book To Be Read at Show," by Jim Walsh, Courier Post, 20 August 2010.
    Dan Kleinman, a Morris County-based "safe library" activist who backs [library director Gail] Sweet's decision, said the protesters were well-intended but mistaken.

    "Libraries may remove books for legitimate reasons," he said.

    "I think it's great what they are doing," Kleinman said of the performers.  "They're standing up against what they believe is book-banning and censorship.  It's not, but that's what they believe it is."
  • "Hen Hud:  Court Order May Be Required," by Barbara Livingston Nackman, The Journal News, 31 October 2009. 
    Public libraries and police are both funded by and created to serve the public, said Dan Kleinman of Safelibraries.org.

    "In this case all they need to [do] is give the police permission to look at the computer they already have in their possession," Kleinman said.  "This isn't invading anyone's privacy.  They are all on the same team.  Libraries are formed by charter to serve a particular purpose.  Child pornography is not usually one of these purposes."
  • "Librarians' Code Does Not Allow Censorship," by Luther Turmelle, New Haven Register, 22 October 2009. 
    Dan Kleinman, a New Jersey resident who operates a blog and Web site that focuses on national library association policies that he says put questionable material in the hands of young people, said Cheshire residents seeking to ban the book would be better served working toward changing the library's policies, which Harten said don't permit the Library Board or any of the town's elected leaders to overrule her decision.

    "These people don't have to be in the situation they're in," Kleinman said.   "Maybe the policy should be changed.  Even the ALA's guidelines don't recommend giving a library director that much power."

  • "Read! Speak! Know! — While You Still Can …," by Paulette D. Kilmer, Toledo Free Press, 25 September 2009.
  • "US Libraries Hit Back Over Challenges to Kids Books, by AFP, Khaleej Times, 7 September 2009.
  • "Gay Penguins on Banned List," by Unnamed, Canberra Times (Australia), 7 September 2009, p. A6.
  • "US Libraries Hit Back Over Challenges to Kids Books," by Sara Hussein, Agence France-Presse [AFP], 6 September 2009, emphasis mine. 
    ....

    Dan Kleinman, who runs the website safelibraries.org, says his concerns are with the sort of sexual content found in "Gossip Girls."

    "It is wrong to say that children should not have books because the Earth is not older than 6000 years.  It is wrong to say children should not have books because there's witchcraft in them.   This is silly," he told AFP, referring to some of the arguments put forward by religious fundamentalists.

    But, he says, "some books have explicit, very detailed sexual conduct that is not of a teaching nature... it's just inappropriate for children."

    Kleinman, whose website is a clearing house for information about challenging books, insists that he does not want to see books banned, but says there is a legitimate legal basis for restricting children's access to sexually explicit material in libraries.

    "All I'm seeking is application of existing law," he said, drawing a parallel between explicit websites or films and literature.

    Kleinman accuses the ALA of hyperbole in celebrating Banned Books Week.  "The whole purpose of Banned Books Week is to provide this kind of misinformation," he said.  "The ALA misleads people into thinking that if you keep an inappropriate book from a child that is considered censorship.  It is not."

    ....
    See also, "É.-U. : Deux Papas Pingouins Gays Déchaînent les Passions (Two Gay Penguin Dads Unleashed Passions)," and "O Carte Pentru Copii Despre Doi Pinguini Homosexuali, Stârneste Controverse în SUA," etc.
  • "Librarians:  Throw The Book At 'Em," by Don Corrigan, Editor-in-Chief, South County Times, 26 September 2008.
  • "Who's Controlling County Libraries:  Taxpayers or the ALA?  New Teen Sections at County Libraries Stocked with Sexually Explicit Materials," by Dan Kleinman, St. Louis MetroVoice, 21 August 2008.
  • "Letters:  Board Bans Junk Food, But Not Racy Books," by Guy Hegg, Appleton Post-Crescent, 29 May 2008:
Apparently, the board is willing to condemn high fructose corn syrup but sits idle in condoning a library book containing vulgarities and profanities not fit for print in this newspaper. (Visit www.safelibraries.org/pushers.htm for a taste of this award-winning work.) Note: "Alaska" is under review by district librarian Nancy Biese.

Trade and Law Journals:
On May 16 U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp Jr. dismissed a second amended complaint filed by Bridget Bittman, former public information director of the Orland Park Public Library (OPPL), IL, against New Jersey–based blogger Dan Kleinman, who describes himself as a “library watchdog” on his website SafeLibraries.
At Illinois's 99th General Assembly on February 29, State Representative Peter Breen (R-District 48) introduced House Bill 2689, which would create the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act (ISPLA). The act provides that every public library in the state of Illinois must have a "technology protection measure," such as filtering software, in place on all public computers "to prevent the display on a public computer of any visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors." The library may disable the technology on request for an adult engaged in legitimate research. ISPLA contains no definition of "legitimate research." 
.... 
ISPLA has been applauded, however, by advocates such as David Smith, of the Illinois Family Institute, a Christian website, and Dan Kleinman on his site Sexual Harassment of Librarians.
On his site Sexual Harassment of Librarians, Dan Kleinman offers the claim that Breen "designed the bill to, among other things, protect librarians from being sexually harassed and having to work in a hostile work environment that is the direct result of library patrons viewing unfiltered pornography including child pornography." 
One common theme among challengers to materials in libraries and their supporters is that librarians sanction having pornography in their collections and that such materials are easily available to children. Sometimes this theme appears in reference to filters on computers: “Did u know #ALA @OIF is listed as 1 of USA’s leading #porn facilitators?” tweeted Dan Kleinman of Safe Libraries in reference to a short news item from Morality in Media, an antipornography organization.
Dan Kleinman ("Expression hypocrisy," Feedback, LJ 10/1/11, p, 10) takes Jessamyn West and Karen Schneider to task for suggesting that LJ censor the Annoyed Librarian blogger. I am not sure that this is what they are suggesting at all. On my campus, we have been deeply invested in conversations about community values, how we arrive at them and how we live by them. These intense and challenging discussions have helped us make decisions about severing ties with some businesses whose values, as evidenced by their financial donations, do not mesh with ours. Annoyed Librarian could continue to publish her/his views in a blog independently. Perhaps it is time to consider whether the views AL espouses (or at least publishes) promote the values and views of LJ readers as a community, not as individuals.
—Celia Rabinowitz, Dir. of the Lib., St. Mary's Coll. of Maryland, St. Mary's City
ED. NOTE: Kleinman's views are anathema to many of us at LJ and our readers, but making contributors' values "mesh" with ours sounds like a censorious litmus test, not free expression, libraianship's [sic] primary core value.
"LJ Click Bait," by Jessamyn West, Library Journal, Feedback, 1 October 2011:

Francine Fialkoff says "Al's brand of satire is much milder than The Onion, for instance" ("The 'Annoyed Librarian' Strikes Again," Editorial, LJ 9/15/11, p. 8). Everyone wants to be as funny and biting as Jonathan Swift, and they usually fail. The Annoyed Librarian (AL)(ow.ly/6tcs8) isn't a humor column and you, dear Library Journal, are not The Onion. Swift also published under his own name. I find the cheap shots and the nastiness tiresome and so usually only read LJ in print. I feel that the AL blog is here more for click bait than because you feel that it's an astute commentary on the library profession. It's easy to "encourage discussion" by calling people names and pushing their buttons. Sheer numbers of comments and/or clicks isn't a measure of quality. The AL just does what they do, fine, but I was happier when they were blogging on their own site. Library Journal could do better.

—Jessamyn West, Randolph, VT

"AL Doesn't Understand," by Karen G. Schneider, Library Journal, Feedback, 1 October 2011:

There's a saying from the early days on the net: "You own your own words." You can't say AL=LJ with any seriousness (Francine Fialkoff, "The 'Annoyed Librarian' Strikes Again," Editorial, LJ 9/15/11, p. 8). That article "The Last Perk of Librarianship" (ow.ly/6tcs8) shows that AL simply does not understand academic roles such as First Year Experience. (Confirming my hunch that AL comes out of public libraries...). And you are really comparing AL to The Onion? Really? Eesh. You can give a turd a blog, but it's still a turd.

—Karen G. Schneider, aka Free Range Librarian, San Francisco

"Expression Hypocrisy," by Dan Kleinman, Library Journal, Feedback, 1 October 2011:

Are Jessamyn West and Karen Schneider suggesting that LJ censor the "turd," the Annoyed Librarian? "The library profession is great at defending the concept of intellectual freedom in theory and terribly hypocritical at exercising the reality of intellectual freedom in the real world. Ours is a very, very normative profession. If you speak out against those norms, you will be condemned, ostracized, and eventually censored. No wonder the Annoyed Librarian writes under a pseudonym. She clearly does not relish the prospect of hot tar and feathers applied by people with MLS degrees," says Will Manley on his blog, Will Unwound (ow.ly/6th9N), in a post discussing Francine Fialkoff's editorial "The 'Annoyed Librarian' Strikes Again" (LJ 9/15/11, p. 8). It's amazing such leading librarians as West and Schneider come here to perfectly illustrate what Manley and others have been saying for a long time.

—Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries.org, Chatham, NJ
    ALA has observed numerous trends in challenges to library materials over the past ten years, including more frequent challenges to materials in Advanced Placement or honors level courses and an increase in organized challenges—those brought or backed by groups such as the 9.12 Project, Parents against Bad Books in Schools (PABBIS), and SafeLibraries (Tang and Marklein 2010).

    Dan Kleinman, who runs the website SafeLibraries.org, said in a letter to city officials that such filters are necessary to keep library visitors safe. Privacy screens aren't enough, he said. 
    In an interview, Kleinman, who lives in New Jersey, pointed out that libraries already have book selection policies and should have similar guidelines that determine what people can view online.
    • "School Book Challenges Increasingly Organized Efforts," by American Library Association, Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, LX:2 (March 2011).
      But while challenges once were mostly launched by a lone parent, Caldwell-Stone has noticed "an uptick in organized efforts" to remove books from public and school libraries.  A number of challenges appear to draw from information provided on websites such as Parents Against Bad Books in Schools, or PABBIS.org, and Safelibraries.org.
    • "ALA News; Book Banners are Finding Power in Numbers," by AL Direct, American Libraries, 16 February 2011
    • "Chapter 4: Internet Filtering," by Sarah Houghton-Jan, Library Technology Reports 46:8, November-December 2010:
      Finally, the influence of outside lobbying groups on local Internet filtering policies in libraries should not be understated.  Some groups, such as the Values Advocacy Council and SafeLibraries.org, have local affiliate organizations and members that try to get Internet filters into local school and public libraries.  These groups can provide local politicians in their like-minded political party with template proposals for Internet filtering ballot measures, city council resolutions, policy changes, and so on.  This often provides the politician, in his or her mind, with a clear winning platform for the next election.  These prewritten policy-change templates require the politician to insert only his or her city, school, or county name.  With such an easily presented fast lane to election supremacy, libraries and intellectual freedom advocates must stand vigilant and constantly remind politicians that their constituents include people who believe in the right of choice, not only people who believe in their right to remove everyone else's choice.
    • "ALA in the Airport?," by Annoyed Librarian, Library Journal, 15 November 2010.
    • "Handling a Book Challenge in Today's World," by Barbara J. Morse (Director of the Leesburg Public Library), Florida Libraries (Florida Library Association), Spring 2010, 53:1, pp.10-11.
    • "Libraries Fight Challenges to Graphic Novels," by Brigid Alverson, Publishers Weekly, 27 April 2010:
      Most challenges are brought by parents and grandparents, or adult community members who happen to stumble on a book in the library, Caldwell-Stone said, but there are also organized groups, using names like "family friendly," "citizens for decency," or "safe libraries."  "[They] say they are there to protect kids, that they are there to protect parents' rights to raise their kids the way they see fit, and they think this gives them the right to dictate what is in the library," she said.  "They can often take a challenge in a community where a concern is raised by a single parent and blow it up into a major conflagration."
    • "ALA Event Meet West Bend Community Library Supporters," by Diane Chen, School Library Journal, 30 June 2009.
    • "Wisconsin Library Challenge Heats Up," by Debra Lau Whelan, School Library Journal, 7 May 2009.
    • "Acknowledgements, Movers and Shakers," by Staff, Library Journal, 15 March 2009.
    • "Privacy, Shmivacy," by Annoyed Librarian, Library Journal, 9 February 2009.
    • "Obama Wants Your Library Records," by Annoyed Librarian, Library Journal, 21 January 2009.

    Talk Radio:
    Dr. Gina Loudon
    • "The Dr. Gina Show," guest Dan Kleinman, 101 WYDE FM, 17 August 2011.
      Dr. Gina Show - Guest Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries - 17 August 2011 Hr 2 Seg 3
    • "The Joe Crummey Show," caller Dan from Chatham, WABC 770AM, 27 June 2011.
      .... Also the topic of pornography being available in a public library has come up again, only this time in New Jersey.  Still doesn't seem right that you can access porn in a library, so why hasn't it been prevented?  That and more on today's Crummey Show.  [This call is related to "Access to Pornography at Libraries Raises Concerns," by Matt Murphy, News12 NJ, 25 June 2011.]
    • "Laura Kostial — Bad Books in Libraries — 3-8-08 (part 1)," by Laura Kostial with Dan Kleinman as a caller, Eagle Forum Live with Phyllis Schlafly, 8 March 2008.
    • "Laura Kostial — Bad Books in Libraries — 3-8-08 (part 2)," by Laura Kostial with Dan Kleinman as a caller, Eagle Forum Live with Phyllis Schlafly, 8 March 2008.
    • "Download MP3 Tue 08/21/2007 Hour #1:  Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries.org and Karen Lukes (parent) re:  Followup on 8/7/2007 District No. 126 (Alsip & Oak Lawn)," by host Sandy Rios, guest Karen Lukes, guest Dan Kleinman, The Sandy Rios Show, 21 August 2007.
    • "Download MP3 Tue 08/07/2007 Hour #2:  Dan Kleinman, SafeLibraries.org re:  Profane books for students in Cook County School District No. 126 (Alsip & Oak Lawn, IL)," by host Sandy Rios, guest Karen Lukes, guest Dan Kleinman, The Sandy Rios Show, 8 August 2007. 

      Author Blogs:
      • "SpeakLoudly," by Teri Lesesne (Professor Nana), The Goddess of YA Literature, 11 June 2016.  This "professor" yet again continues to make false reports without contacting me.  She's done this enough to set up the ready excuse for it: "So are sites such as Safe Libraries (and now I will be trolled by the owner of this site for several weeks)."  So any response, even after she publishes calumny, is called "trolling." And the echo chamber echoes again.
      • "American Library Association Changes Child Porn Policies Due to SHUT UP! Busting Them!," by Kevin DuJan, HillBuzz, 27 May 2016:
      The OIF’s new Director, a man named James “Jamie” LaRue, took to Twitter and engaged in a childish and immature squabble with Dan Kleinman, the nation’s leading expert on dangers to children in public libraries. Megan and I met Kleinman through our investigation into unreported sex crimes in the Orland Park Public Library, as Kleinman runs Safe Libraries (which is the best clearinghouse of information on all of the awful things that the ALA has been doing since the days of Judith Krug and her perverse War on Children). Kleinman confronted LaRue on the dangerous policies that the ALA had in place that instructed librarians not to call police when child pornography was being accessed in their libraries. LaRue denied that the ALA did that…but Kleinman had the proof, which he found right on the ALA’s website!
      • "Ex-cuuuuuuuuuuuse Me!," by Teri Lesesne (Professor Nana), The Goddess of YA Literature, 20 June 2015.  This "professor" continues to make false reports without contacting me first.
      • "Guess Who Is Back?," by Teri Lesesne (Professor Nana), The Goddess of YA Literature, 11 October 2014.  This is a very mean attack by her.  False, of course.  I will respond in a separate post as she keeps censoring my comments.
      • "Here Ya Go!," by Teri Lesesne (Professor Nana), The Goddess of YA Literature, 9 October 2014. This is her response to her previous censorship of days ago.  Naturally, my response has again been blocked.  So again, here is my response:
        Terrific, may I comment now?
            @Booktoss said I used "conspiracy theory rhetoric."  Where?  I discuss sexual harassment of librarians and the potential for complicity by ALA's OIF.  I get blocked every way I turn from having that discussion, the latest example being the above comment being marked as "spam."  When a single source such as Professor Nana finally does publish what I say, and it is extremely rare, she casts it in an awkward, self-interested light that prompts a commenter to call it "conspiracy theory rhetoric."
                There is a big problem with sexual harassment within the ranks of librarians and the library profession.  I report that ALA OIF is poo pooing claims of sexual.  The response is to attack me for reporting that.
                    And you are not the only ones.  I supported Amanda Goodman for speaking out on sexual harassment and Stephen Francouer responded by saying librarians can't let Dan Kleinman be the only support for Amanda, as if silencing me takes precedence over supporting sexual harassed librarians.
                        ALA OIF itself responded to me via that statement where it said sexual harassment of librarians essentially never happens.  I provide a link below so you can see this for yourselves, see ALA OIF Deborah Caldwell-Stone speaking on the issue, saying it really hardly ever exists.
                            So here I am speaking out about the issue of sexual harassment within librarianship for longer than anyone and I get attacked for it.  Don't let Dan speak out.  He's uses "conspiracy theory rhetoric."  Library Journal absolutely never says word one about the topic except to call it "poppycock."  American Libraries never discusses it.  The few people who do, like myself and the sexually harassed librarians themselves, are ignored.  Heck even #TeamHarpy is being attacked for speaking out by some.
                                The only time ALA paid attention to me publicly was when Rory Litwin interviewed me in a weird way in which he kept digging to find out why I oppose ALA OIF and that it must be due to -- sexual harassment he imagined I must have experienced when I was young.  Sexual harassment is not only ignored within the library profession, but the idea of it is used as the means to smear those trying to expose it!
                                    Gee, is it any wonder there's a problem with sexual harassment in librarianship? People mock it.  Leadership says it doesn't exist.  Library media jokes about it or simply ignores it.
                                        What did one of #teamharpy just say? @ByShieldMaiden: @Talen_Lee We accept the support of anyone who is against sexism, harassment, oppression, and silencing. :) #teamharpy
                                            #teamharpy accepts help from anyone who is against sexism, harassment, oppression, and silencing.  That includes me.  On the other hand, there's Professor Nana and booktoss.  On the other hand there's ALA OIF's Deborah Caldwell-Stone who, in response to me, tells a local library at its trustee meeting that sexual harassment of librarians hardly ever happens because the rules are so stringent, and times when it did happen it really didn't happen.  This is no  "conspiracy theory rhetoric." Rather, this is something you can watch, even if you won't admit it and don't truly support opposing sexism, harassment, oppression, and silencing:
                                                "ORLAND PARK CHILD PORN SCANDAL: Terrific rebuttal to ALA lies (Part 3)"
                                                    [Skipping to beginning of speech by ALA OIF Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Esq. at 5:15]
                                                      http://youtu.be/JwXeTfvzQHk?t=5m15s
                                                          Professor Nana, as long as you continue to mock me instead of including me as one of the voices speaking out against sexism, harassment, oppression, and silencing, you are part of the problem.
                                                          This "goddess of YA literature" and "the Book Woman" censored out my response despite request, so I'll publish it here so you can see what was blocked, and this censor is also a professor in the Department of Library Science at the Sam Houston State University:
                                                          Thanks
                                                            Thanks for writing about me. I see you are "annoyed." Are you the Annoyed Librarian? You have misrepresented me and ascribed words to me I did not say. Had you spoken with me I could have set you right. I am certain you do not wish to intentionally mislead your readers.
                                                                SafeLibraries.org is years old and has been replaced, as the site warns. I haven't updated it in many years. People are allowed to improve, right? The quote you cited on the main page was not mine. The quote on the Porn Pushers page is mine, but without context, I'd have to agree with you that it's a gem. The PABBIS site is not mine and it is even older.
                                                                    My SafeLibraries blog is updated regularly. It references reliable sources, such as Judith Krug saying in the rare instance a book does not meet a school's selection policy, "get it out of there." I am not aware that it violates copyright, but I suspect you mainly had the PABBIS site in mind since it provides multiple, extensive excerpts. I don't do that.
                                                                        Professor Nana, how would you like to speak with me directly about your concerns? Then you can report more accurately on the topic.
                                                                            Overarching all, however, is the actions of ALA that I report, not that people don't like that I report it or how I report it. For example, #TeamHarpy is now discussing sexual harassment of librarians. Great! I have been speaking about that topic for many years but ears close because of my connecting the dots showing sexual harassment of librarians can be laid directly at the feet of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom and its pro child pronography policy. In reality, sexual harassment of librarians can be laid directly at the feet of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom. I report on it. ALA does not. Indeed, OIF's Deborah Caldwell-Stone recently said, mainly in response to me, sexual harassment of librarians almost never happens. I'm happy #TeamHarpy is discussing sexual harassment of librarians, but I have been discussing it for years, people like you attack the messenger, and OIF to this day makes light of sexual harassment of librarians. Have you helped anyone by mocking/silencing a whistleblower?
                                                                                Professor Nana, who is the real problem here? The inartful reporter, as you may view me, or the powerful ALA OIF in a position to exacerbate the sexual harassment of librarians by claiming it almost never happens so not filtering child pronography may continue unabated? And that's just one example.

                                                                                Experts (Not Already Listed Elsewhere):

                                                                                Library Blogs:


                                                                                ALA Distribution Lists:
                                                                                Now, you might say that it is I who am exaggerating the sinister intent and power of organizations like those represented by Mr. Kleinman. If so, just check the election results for 2000, 2002, and 2004 and consider the narrow margins by which the presidency and other offices have been won in "battleground" states like Florida, Ohio and (yes) Missouri.
                                                                                • "[alacoun] RE: Censorship Issue," by James Casey, American Library Association, 5 August 2008.
                                                                                • "[alacoun] RE: [Fwd: [SafeLibraries] American Troops Defamed by ALA Councilor Peter McDonald]," by James Casey, American Library Association, 27 June 2008.
                                                                                • "[alacoun] [Fwd: [SafeLibraries] American Troops Defamed by ALA Councilor Peter McDonald]," by Peter McDonald, American Library Association, 26 June 2008.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:19056] Re: The invented 'Scrotum controversy'?," by Therese Bigelow, American Library Association, 28 February 2007.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:19052] Re: The invented 'Scrotum controversy'?," by Steve Matthews, American Library Association, 28 February 2007:
                                                                                  Since I have now had a request for an interview from Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries, I am more convinced that Councilor Rosenzweig may indeed be right about the ideological conspiracy although I am sure that this incident is far more complicated than that, but SafeLibraries is a smear of major proportions.   I responded to Mr. Kleinman's request for an interview with the following:

                                                                                  Mr. Kleinman:  Of course not.  Your organized effort to trash public and school libraries and create a climate of fear disgusts me.  You are as disingenuous and sensationalistic as the supermarket tabloids.  Your real agenda is to destroy the whole concept of the public library and to render school libraries ineffective and ultimately worthless.  You have a right to your opinion, but I’m not interested in being a part of your destructive and misguided zealotry.

                                                                                  If you have not taken a look at http://www.SafeLibraries.org/ recently, you should.  I stand corrected if I downplayed the persistent efforts of the fringe, Councilor Rosenzweig, we have everything to fear.  And to all councilors, don't forget about that check to the Freedom to Read Foundation.  Now more than ever.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:17466] RE: Finding a website," by James Casey, American Library Association, 22 March 2006.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:16498] RE: New Censorship Website," by Jessamyn West, American Library Association, 29 November 2005.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:16497] RE: New Censorship Website," by James Casey, American Library Association, 29 November 2005.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:16496] RE: New Censorship Website," by Jim Rettig, American Library Association, 29 November 2005.
                                                                                • "[ALACOUN:16494] New Censorship Website," by James Casey, American Library Association, 29 November 2005.
                                                                                  Oak Lawn resident Mark Decker has been on a campaign since March 2005 to remove Playboy magazine from our Oak Lawn Public Library.  He has thus far been unsuccessful.  Our Board voted unanimously to retain that title in our collection on June 21.  This was publicized heavily in the Chicago area.  The issue hasn't "gone away" as Decker began lobbying our Village government, has broadened his focus to filtering issues and expanded his demands for removal of other "indecent" titles.  Most recently, he and his supporters launched a website.  http://www.safelibraries.org  ALA and the ACLU are among the chief targets of this site.  Several "ALA-Indoctrinated" Librarians are named in various sections, but the chief target of the authors seems to be Judith Krug.  "Now we come to the ALA.  While the ALA has a president elected yearly, the top dog at the ALA is someone working tirelessly, year after year, with ten of thousands of supporters and millions and millions in funding, to ensure, among other goals, children maintain access to pornography."

                                                                                  If Judith Krug is really the "top dog" of ALA, maybe she should get a raise!

                                                                                Librarian Blogs (Including Library Employees):
                                                                                • "I Stand With Bridget (And So Should You)," by Andy Woodworth, Agnostic, Maybe, 9 December 2014.  The "Bridget" he "stands with" is a homophobe and a trainer using homophobia for the same ALA unit with which Andy has worked.  He regularly attacks me online, like in the linked article he called my work to stop harassment "disgraceful and utterly contemptible," and he censored out my response to the first comment, so I'll publish it here, and notice it is substantive, hence his need to censor it out and not have to respond, telling me he supports people who are homophobic given what I said:
                                                                                SafeLibraries | December 9, 2014 at 10:47 PM 
                                                                                Your comment is awaiting moderation. [NOTE: That means censored.]

                                                                                @tiffinianne, I can tell you the route she and her “cronies” took has been completely mischaracterized if not falsified by those seeking to silence them (and me). Know that this library has, after a year of steady effort, finally admitted it did not report child pornography to the police and it should have, finally implemented many of Megan/Kevin’s suggestions resulting in a big decrease in sex crime incidents, and been found by the Illinois Attorney General to have repeatedly violated the law in a criminal fashion.

                                                                                I totally understand people wanting to help someone in need. In this case, the story is intentionally changed to provide an angelic view of things, leaving out, for example, repeated criminality and numerous incidents of homophobia by a number of key players at the library.
                                                                                Bridget Bittman, a librarian who is striking back against defamation by this shitty dude who calls himself “safe libraries” but is really a conservative douchebag who wants to lock down free information, especially on the internet [sic], and is not afraid to use some disgusting tactics to do so. Yours truly has seen this guy before, when he tried to heckle the People’s Library’s policies of freely available information, [sic]


                                                                                Prominent Political Blogs:
                                                                                Those bannings, while rare, did happen.  These days though, there aren't books being banned in America.  Those saying otherwise are repeating comforting lies.  Leftists, led by the weirdly extremist American Library Association, tell themselves these things so they can feel superior to others. 
                                                                                The lack of a banned book problem is so striking though, Dan Kleinman points out that press outlets are starting to notice, who otherwise would just parrot the "banned and challenged books line."  That's the trick wording: The American Library Association is trying to get you to equate 'banned books' (which are a thing that mostly happens in the Islamic world) with 'challenged books.'

                                                                                General Interest Blogs:
                                                                                Also named in Bittman’s SLAPP suit was Dan Kleinman, the nation’s leading expert on dangers to children in public libraries, who wrote extensively about the disgusting behavior of OPPL employees in not responding properly to serious crimes such as child porn being accessed on public computers in their facility. Kleinman has been a decade-long critic of the American Library Association, which is a George Soros-funded lobbying group based in Chicago that Kleinman argues is largely responsible for the disturbing pattern of library employees not doing the right thing when children are endangered in public libraries or when illegal content is accessed on library computers or WiFi networks. The ALA worked closely with Bridget Bittman on a “crisis management strategy” aimed at Fox, DuJan, and Kleinman that culminated in Bittman’s SLAPP lawsuit. We have covered the long-running pattern of attacks on Fox, DuJan, and Kleinman that Orland Park Library board members and staff have engaged in to silence these whistle blowing critics and attended OPPL board meetings to address this board in person ourselves. To this day, this board continues to lash out at its critics and refuses to admit to its wrongdoings. That is a sadly all-too-familiar story in Illinois.
                                                                                Kelle Pressley, victim of selective
                                                                                library policy enforcement                                                                                .

                                                                                       

                                                                                Satire: 
                                                                                • "Why Does the Safe Libraries Guy Suck So Much??," by Unnamed, Library Wardrobe, 8 June 2015.
                                                                                • "^ This is Edited for Safelibraries.org," by Jon Rothenberg, 8bitlibrary.com, 19 August 2011:

                                                                                • "Supreme Court: Appeals To Children Unlawful; Politicians, Drug War Jeopardized," by Travis Cobb, Spooftimes.com, 4 July 2011.
                                                                                  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court, by a vote of 5-4, it is unlawful to make public appeals to children’s interest or child safety without evidence.

                                                                                  The ruling was the result of the National Youth Cooperative v. U.S. case.  Minors of varying ages were outraged by the numerous appeals to their welfare made by politicians and parent groups without first consulting them, leading children to seek legal counsel and file numerous lawsuits.

                                                                                  .... 
                                                                                  The courts ruling has also affected many parent groups and censorship organizations as well.  SafeLibraries.org says that “without the ability to use children to ban books and achieve our agenda, we feel like our freedom of speech is being taken from us.”


                                                                                Short URL for this page:  







                                                                                Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)