UPDATE July 19 National Library saga highlights “divisive” issues (via Channel News Asia)
From Channel News Asia:
Two books pulled off the shelves of the library’s children’s section will not be pulped, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim told the Straits Times. Instead, they will be moved to the adult section.
“I have also asked NLB to review the process by which they deal with such books,” Dr Yaacob said in comments which were also posted on his Facebook page on Friday (July 18).
Over the past week, there has been a vigorous debate on the National Library Board’s (NLB) decision to withdraw the three children’s books ‘And Tango Makes Three’, ‘The White Swan Express’, and ‘Who’s In My Family?’.
We stand by NLB’s decision to remove the three books from the children’s section. As I said earlier, NLB has to decide what books should be made readily available to children, who are usually unsupervised, in the children’s section of our public libraries. NLB will continue to ensure that books in the children’s section are age-appropriate. We have a much wider range of books in the adult section of public libraries.
Many objected to the idea that the books would be pulped after being withdrawn from circulation. I understand these reactions, which reflect a deep-seated respect in our culture for the written word. ‘Who’s in My Family’ had already been disposed of as the title had been reviewed earlier. But I have instructed NLB not to pulp the two other titles, but instead to place them in the adult section of the public libraries. I have also asked NLB to review the process by which they deal with such books.
The decision on what books children can or cannot read remains with their parents. Parents who wish to borrow these books to read with their children will have the option to do so.
No word about other children’s books removed earlier this year.
See Also: Singapore’s National Library Board Had Pulled More Children’s Books Off Library’s Shelves
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