Opinion | What happened in Alpena was about more than books

A phone call from my mother in July alerted me to the fact that something was wrong. Though I left Alpena 25 years ago, my parents still live in this rural community in Northeast Michigan, so I am occasionally treated to updates about a place I have not lived since I was a child. 

"They're trying to defund the library," my mother lamented, asking me what she could do to fight the latest book banning effort to happen in our state. In the days and weeks after that phone call, I read about the (thankfully unsuccessful) effort to defund the Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library in Bridge, but was dismayed that the larger context for the story seemed to be missing from the coverage.

Both stories about this book banning effort featured a photo of campaign signs reading "Vote no on library grooming." The concept of "grooming" is a conspiracy theory with a long history, in which proponents of this particular moral panic allege that the mere existence of LGBTQ people is somehow harmful to children. This conspiracy theory ignores the fact that it is patently absurd to claim that your local public library is distributing pornography, and refuses to acknowledge that the majority of Americans know and support the LGBTQ people in their lives, including LGBTQ children.

The books mentioned as targets of book banners in Alpena include titles owned by hundreds of libraries throughout the United States. Some of the books have won prestigious awards. While most of the books this campaign sought to restrict access to were works of young adult and juvenile fiction, a few were age-appropriate non-fiction sex education, which seeks to give children language to talk about their bodies. Though I am glad Bridge covered this story, referring to these books as having "sexual themes" elides the fact that these books have literary, artistic, and other value for a community of readers, and that knowing about their bodies helps protect children from abuse.

Also missing from the story of what happened in Alpena is the fact that book banning itself is something of a hobby for a select few. Yes, it is true that one of the titles at issue in Alpena was one of the most challenged books according to the American Library Association. And it is also true that there have been efforts to remove books and defund libraries elsewhere in Michigan. However, a national analysis of attempts to remove books from K-12 school libraries found that the majority of challenges were filed by just 11 individuals. In addition, restricting access to library books is broadly unpopular across the political spectrum.

In the end, the book banners in Alpena did not succeed in defunding the library. However, their attempts to remove the library's appointed board could be successful. So what do we do about all this? How do we combat the organized efforts of a small group of people who seek to deny readers access to books? 

We must meet the organized efforts of book banners with organized efforts of our own, and we must remember that these are fights we can win. The first step is to find out who in your community is already fighting back against book bans. Second, get involved in local politics in your community. Figure out who is on your school board, your public library board, your county commission, or other bodies that have power and influence over what kinds of reading material are available in your community. Show up to meetings. Read the agenda packet. Make a public comment. If you have the inclination, run for office.

I spent a great deal of time in the Alpena Public Library when I was child. I studied, did homework, and read about people and places unlike myself and the small town in which I lived. The library was a welcoming place for me, and I hope it can continue to be a source of support for the community in the years to come.