Dear Supporters, Friends & Activists:

You may or may not have heard of an organization called Family Friendly
Libraries, but I can tell you they are anything but friendly towards
libraries. They are very active in Gwinnett County, where a critical vote
this Thursday will take place.

FFL in Gwinnett is pushing for a restrictive "adult" section where books can
be placed after receiving a complaint from any parent or adult. Once in this
section the books will be off limits to minors.

While this, on the whole, may not sound like absolute censorship it still is
a troubling development all the same. I can tell you as someone who spent
six years as an anti-censorship activist in Florida before coming to
Atlanta, once you give a group like FFL an inch, they take foot, and then a
mile. In an article published recently in the Gwinnett section of the AJC
one woman actually admitted she went to the library specifically searching
for a book she could claim offended her. Can you imagine this? People going
to public libraries just looking for books to complain about! Why should one
person decide what books get placed in restricted areas in our public
libraries? Aren't these issues better left to parents and individuals for
themselves?

Debbie Tuschall, Gwinnett Library Board member, has offered a compromise
plan. Briefly, it raises age restrictions on some non-fiction books dealing
with sexuality. Currently these books are already restricted to children of
middle school age, and Debbie's compromise moves these to high school age.
She says this is an appropriate move that might gain support of other board
members and take the wind out of FFL's sails.

I want to give you the fax number of the Director of the Gwinnett Library
and ask you to please send her a letter to distribute to the board members.
I realize this is short notice, but this issue just arouse suddenly, a
common FFL tactic. Remember the vote is on Thursday!

Your letter does not have to be long and involved, just a brief note saying
you are opposed to overly restrictive policies in public libraries would be
most helpful to those in Gwinnett that want their libraries to stay truly
"family and individual friendly"!

Send your letters to JoAnn Pinder 770-822-5379, Library Director.

IMPORTANT!!! Be sure to tell Ms. Pinder you want your letter distributed to
the board at the meeting!!!

Thanks so much for your help!

Feel free to forward this message to anyone who might help.

Skip Evans