It comes as no surprise that the Macon County Library board is working on an official complaint system.
What’s troublesome is that a library needs such a thing.
For most adults, tucked away in their memory is the fond recollection of time spent at the local library. Rows upon rows of books present opportunity for education, entertainment and enjoyment no matter the topic.
With that opportunity does come some cost – Not all books are for everyone. Sometimes topics, themes, language and other subject matter aren’t suitable for a particular reader.
But the great thing about the library is that patrons can simply ignore the books they don’t have interest in and choose material that better suits their needs. No one forces books that may be deemed offensive by some into the hands of library users. There is no incentive to “push” books that feature specific subject matter, ideology or language.
While the complaint process may be new in 2023, the need for a formalized system to deal with complaints is a long time in the making. Throughout the year the library features themed displays dealing with topics such as Banned Books Week, Black History Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, books written by female authors, authors from Western North Carolina, and a host of other topics.
It was the Pride Month display that drew public backlash in 2022.
So much so, that a group of upset citizens went to the Macon County Board of Commissioners to publicly voice their displeasure with the display, and subsequently, the library and its staff. Macon County is part of the Fontana Regional Library System, which oversees all three of the facilities in the county – Macon County Public Library in Franklin, Hudson Library in Highlands and the Nantahala Community Library.
The ruckus reaching a county commissioners meeting almost certainly spawned the development of the new complaint process. Soon anyone who finds a book, a display, or anything else at the library objectionable will know who to yell at, rather than moving on to topics that interest them. It’s a troublesome sign of the times.