How does responding to challenges differ between a public library and other library settings or even, you know, you've gone across the country, maybe different areas?

Yes.

Uh, I will speak primarily for public libraries, um, because I have supported a number of public libraries, and I'll s- talk about, uh, our sister library, Paris-Bourbon County, um, you know Mark, Robyn.

I introduced them, two of them.

So Mark Adler is the director of Paris-Bourbon County Library, and in Kentucky, most libraries are, are county systems.

We are a municipal city library.

They are one of the libraries that, um, share the distinction of, um, receiving, you know, hundreds of challenges from a handful of individuals.

It's causing you stress even while you sleep.

What does that language sound like? What are some of those concerns that are raised? And if you want to get into a couple specifics, feel free here.

Absolutely, like we see one right here playing out, Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This book was published 27 years ago and has been consistently on the top 10 most banned books.

This is, if you haven't read it, this is a coming of age novel that explores really difficult themes and gives languages to young people who may not have that.

So the kinds of content that we're seeing being challenged over and again, know whether it's content that has sex sexual content or explains themes of trauma of really really hard stuff but also universal themes which is why it's resonated so widely with readers of loneliness of friendship of coming age grappling with identity um this book came out when I was coming of age and was hugely influential and it's so interesting to see I mean it's Stephen's book has been challenged for years for the same kind of reasons the difference now is the kind of pressure that's coming from organized groups Network coalitions with big money behind it um continue to try to pressure libraries school libraries and public libraries to remove this title because what's at stake is much larger than just the book it's really about who gets a say and it's about attacking our first amendment rights and free speech

I'm just curious, as a librarian, what you believe these conversations could and should look and sound like.

Well, it's unfortunate that it's come to this.

And I think it speaks to the national partisanship and the acrimony that we're seeing in across communities.