Smithtown library board restores Pride displays in kids' reading rooms

[SharonClark]

That didn't take long.

Facing investigation by New York State human rights officials and withering public criticism from librarians, LGBTQ advocates and others, the Smithtown library board on Thursday restored Pride Month displays in its children's reading rooms.

The 4-2 vote reversed a decision by the board at its Tuesday meeting to remove the displays, which included picture books like "Pink is for Boys" and "Pride Puppy," and a history of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Displays in adult and teen areas of the library were not removed and the books from the children's display were not removed from the library collection, library director Robert Lusak told Newsday.

Trustee Marie Gergenti, who made the initial motion to remove the children's room displays, told Newsday earlier this week she was responding to complaints by community members, but ended a phone interview without elaborating on the complaints.

Gergenti and trustee Theresa Grisafi opposed the measure to restore the displays at Thursday's meeting, which was conducted over Zoom and had 1,000 attendees. Trustees Marilyn Lo Presti and Thomas Maher had voted to remove the displays earlier in the week, but on Thursday, Lo Presti said she was abstaining to seek "guidance from members of the LGBT community."

Maher said he was reversing his initial vote for removal.
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source: https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/smithtown-library-board-ebnx486m

[IngridsLittleAngel]

1. Never underestimate the power of public pressure...

...especially when those applying the pressure are right.