The Newport Beach Public Library board decided to move a book about a 10-year-old transgender child from the children’s section in a new appeal process that has been offered to patrons wanting to challenge decisions on where books should be shelved.
The library trustees decided Monday night that “Melissa” will move to the Newport Beach Library’s teen reading section, while also deciding the picture book “Prince & Knight” will remain in the children’s section.
Under a new policy created in January, patrons who have requested a review of materials can now appeal library staff decisions to the five-member trustee board. Officials have said the library has seen an increase in requests to review materials since the fall.
Four library patrons had requested reviews of the two books, which Library Services Director Melissa Hartson, after consulting with her staff, had determined met the library’s Collection Development Policy and should remain in the children’s reading section.
There are six more books pending appeal to the board.
Library staff said “Melissa,” by Alex Gino, fit the library’s Collection Development Policy for materials appropriate for children in grades three through seven and “Prince & Knight,” by Daniel Haack, was considered appropriate material for children in Pre-K to kindergarten. Prior to the appeals in September, “Melissa” had been checked out 60 times. By the time of the board hearing Monday, the book was checked out 98 times, Hartson said.
On Monday, patrons who made the appeals to the board spoke, asking for consideration and read excerpts of “Melissa” to the trustees and those gathered in the Council Chambers.
Several people, including trustees, took issue with life-changing and medical aspects of the book being presented to younger children.
Chase Rief, a trustee said, “It concerns me that hormone therapy is presented to third to sixth graders.”
One speaker questioning the book’s age appropriateness asked, “What does ‘age appropriate’ look like? What is a child’s innocence worth?”
Another patron, Debra Klein, who also appealed “Melissa,” addressed the number of times the book has been checked out.
“The book was checked out by concerned parents who kept checking it out as long as possible to keep it from being checked out,” she said. “A library should be a safe space free of anything (children) can stumble upon that robs them of their innocence.”
In all, about 45 people spoke about “Melissa.”
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Some praised the book for being a lifesaver for children who might be going through a similar experience and a way to teach empathy to children.
“We should be searching for books that extend our sympathies to others,” one person said.
“There would be fewer suicides if they had more support,” a woman said, adding that she is an emergency room physician and recently had a 7-year-old child who had tried to kill herself.
A narrow majority of trustees supported moving “Melissa” to the library’s teen section.
“I don’t believe ‘Melissa’ is pornographic,” Trustee Paul Watkins, the board’s chairman, said. “I think the material in ‘Melissa’ is a mature level and I come down on relocation in the teen section.”
Trustee Lauren Kramer, who voted to keep the book in the children’s section, said the facility is a public library. “I don’t have to agree with the content,” she said. “If I hear a lot of people want to read it, I have to make room for those I disagree with.”
In a review and discussion of “Prince & Knight,” the board voted 5-0 to keep it in the children’s section.
“It’s a less controversial book,” Watkins said following the meeting. “It’s sweet, with an innocent theme and it’s a picture book.”
The next board review of book appeals will be on May 20, and then again on June 17.
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