Tracts in Library--What Would You Do?

[GeoBQn]

I was at my local library the other day, and on the table where they let local organizations put newsletters and catalogues, I found some newsletters that looked like they had the intent to proselytize. It would be one thing if the newsletters were from a local church about upcoming events, but these newsletters had dubious subject matter ("Unite Africa in Christ!") and looked like they were written mostly in Bible quotes. They also looked like they were placed behind other pamphlets in an attempt to hide them. I have no qualms about throwing out things like that if I find one of them, say, underneath a computer keyboard or in a book, but I was reluctant to throw them out since there was a stack of them. The table is underneath a billboard that requires library approval to put up flyers, so I don't know if stacks of pamphlets also require approval. In similar situations, I have heard people argue over first amendment issues--that either throwing them away would violate that group's first amendment rights, or that the group successfully exercised that right by placing the newsletters there and the right does not extent to ensuring that the newsletters stay there. Obviously, the group wants the newsletters to be taken, but they have no idea if the newsletters are being taken home to read or going in the garbage. What do you think?

[RR88]

I think the entire idea of placing extraneous material into books is disingenuous. It's legal, though, I believe.

[Terrie]

Don't be afraid to ask the library what its policy is. It could be that anything that does not, say, contain curse words is allowed. In that case, the librarians probably don't care what happens to the flyers and feel free to walk the lot of the to recycling. Since you'd be taking actions as a private citizen, it has nothing to do with the first amendment. Their first amendment rights are being upheld by the library letting them put the flyers on the table, since it only applies to government action.

[luckylibrarian]

It depends on the library's policy. If the table is there for anyone to place flyers or brochures without someone's approval, then they have a right to place their pamphlets there. If it requires someone's approval, then it's only okay if it was approved. It couldn't hurt to show one of the fliers to an employee and ask.

We've had Jehovah's Witnesses try to leave out tracts at our library (small private college library.) We told them no, because we're not a public library and their tracts don't support our curriculum in any way. The public library has less leeway to say no since it is for all taxpayers, regardless of their wacky beliefs.

ETA: tl;dr - What Terrie said. :D

[Coconut Flan]

I'd ask a librarian. They may be allowed to do that or perhaps no one has noticed and it isn't supposed to be there.

I checked a couple of random library handbooks and one specifically prohibits any proselytizing material in the library. The other says it allows material of general religious interest only.

[dawbs]

I'd ask at the library.

And it is actually 'littering' and against the rules, IMO

[PBrooke]

Since it looks like they were trying to hide the stack behind others, you could feign ignorance, bring the whole stack up to the librarian, and say, "I think someone forgot these."

[crawfishgirl]

I was working for a large company in the 90's, and was in the break room one day during an election period, and someone had put a stack of flyers by the vending machines. The flyers stated how horrible abortion is, and then listed the anti-choice candidates that everyone should be voting for. I decided to vote with my feet, and threw away the stack of flyers. Not sure if I went too far or not, but I just felt that those people were trying to take away my right to control my body, and that putting them in the garbage was my small way of protesting.

[JesusFightClub]

Leave 'em, personally. It sounds like no one was forced to pick them up and though they were daft, not abusive?

I had a sitch like this with a complaint about Socialist Workers' Party literature. While I respect most people aren't Trots, it was a fairly innocuous flyer for a demo, which nobody has to go on if they don't want to. It was just "Join our march against cuts to public services" with the details, which is not, I think, inappropriate. Same for most parties who would put out literature.

But you saw the tract, and I didn't. Did you think it was offensive, aside from being fundie?

[Feberin]

The library where I work frequently gets people trying to put unapproved flyers, posters and tracts in various places. We have a policy of nothing that promotes religion however things like a poster for a church fundraiser are allowed as long as the event isn't religious.

[Kitten]

You might want to ask the library staff how/if it reviews such flyers for content before granting permission. Do they have to accept any flyer, as long as it meets basic content standards (e.g., no "obscene" language or "disturbing" pictures), to avoid any 1st Amendment lawsuits? If so, there's little or nothing you can do to prevent the material being there. But, from a legal standpoint, if the flyers are left for anyone to pick up and take with them, there is nothing wrong or illegal with taking ALL of them and disposing of them in any manner you wish. You need to decide for yourself how you feel about it. If someone saw you do it, would you be comfortable defending your actions?

[Mama Mia]

At our library there is a display area where people can put any brochures or flyers they want. I'm sure if there was something patently offensive someone might be able to complain - but otherwise it is an area for people to promote their own political/religious/community events.

Personally, I think it is wrong to take and dump them all -it seems, to me, to be somewhat unethical.

[GeoBQn]

This is the first time I've seen something like this at this particular library, so I'm not sure how often it happens, but I will ask about it at the customer service desk next time. Kitten, you have a good point about being able to defend my position. At the time, I think a big reason why I didn't throw out the stack was that, if someone were to ask why I was doing it, I couldn't come up with a better reason other than, "I disagree with religious proselytizing."

I felt like I needed to get some second opinions because it made me think about a blog post on Feministing's community blog. A woman was looking at one of her university's public flyer kiosks when she found a poster for a group claiming to offer "post-abortion counseling and support groups" for women. She became suspicious of it, then went home and looked up the website the poster gave. The site was entirely virulent anti-abortion propaganda and bloody fetus pictures (and, needless to say, offered absolutely nothing in the way of counseling services). She went back and tore the poster down. Then she started to wonder if she did the right thing, and she asked about it on the blog. The commenters were basically divided into two camps:

1. Disagreeing with the content of a poster isn't a good enough reason to take it down, and she was a horrible person for violating that group's right to free speech.

2. The group exercised the right to free speech by putting up the poster, and that right does not extend to ensuring that the posture stays up. If the kiosk is public for people to put up posters without approval, then they can be taken down without approval as well. Also, the content of the poster was blatantly lying about what it was offering.

There's a difference between a poster that's expected to stay up and newsletters that are expected to be taken, but it's still a lot to think about.

[ladypuglover]

I agree with JFC as long as the fliers are not hurting anyone. If it is like Chick tracts then make sure the library knows but if it is just a bunch of bible verses it isn't hurting anyone.

I know a lot of folks would like to see zero religious activity but that is just as bad as everything else being zero activity. Having zero tolerance for one thing opens up zero tolerance for everything else. We have to have a happy medium of tolerance for things even even if we don't agree at all with said subject*.

* any subject may do not just religion.

[mpheels]

I would let a member of the library staff know. If the tracts are not OK according to library policy, the library can remove them. I wouldn't feel comfortable removing them myself. I wouldn't want someone to remove materials I placed just because they disagree with me, and I want to extend the same courtesy to my neighbors, no matter how crazy I think they are.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

I would ask a librarian.

If they're not ok, you've done a public service.

If they are OK and they allow any kind of religious stuff... maybe respond with some FSM type stuff?

[donks]

If the tracts are ok with the library, then the only thing to do is obvious: take them! Afterall, the churchies put them there for people to take!

[Witsec7]

If the tracts are ok with the library, then the only thing to do is obvious: take them! Afterall, the churchies put them there for people to take!

Exactly what I would do :D

Our library has a corner in the entry where free newpaper and newsletters are located. Lots of good resources,like access to free mammograms, respite child care, free massage for seniors, gleaners etc. There are no religious tracts or newsletters, all media must be vetted by the head librarian and their rules expressly exclude religious media.

[Queen of Serpents]

I'm going to agree with ask the librarian because that seems to follow the library rules. I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I have removed anti abortion flyers and propaganda (incredibly false information) from my college campus, while at the same times clubs that I supported where getting their materials defaced (Gay Straight Alliance, Feminist Club).

My instinct is to take them and neatly place them in the recycle bin.