Blasco Library's Pride Month display created with new policy. What's different this year

In June 2023, the Erie County Public Library attempted to relocate a Pride Month book display to a less prominent location in the Blasco Library children's area.

The display, which featured LGBTQ+ children's books, was located just inside the entrance of the children’s library and was the first thing patrons would see upon entering. Erie County Public Information Officer Chris Carroll said a decision was made to take down and relocate the display after a “significant number of people" in the community expressed disapproval.

The decision didn't sit well with others.

LGBTQ+ groups called it discriminatory. Local and state elected leaders viewed it as censorship. Three members of the Erie County Library Advisory Board resigned in protest.

Children's librarians also pushed back, removing every display in the children's library rather than single out and relocate the "Read with Pride" display in question.

A sign placed in the children's library at the time and attributed to the "Erie County Public Library Children's Librarians" read: "It is against our professional ethics to pick and choose who we celebrate and don't celebrate in our community."

The question a year later: What has changed as a new Pride Month begins?

Pride Month display to be located at center of children's library

At the start of this year, the children’s library at Blasco began to use a centrally located display for books and materials celebrating cultural and diversity heritage months.

Pride Month won’t be any different.

Erie County Public Library Director Jessica Stefano said Pride Month books will be featured on this display at the center of the children’s library, along with materials recognizing other June observances, including Juneteenth.

Stefano, who spoke during the most recent Library Advisory Board meeting May 20, said having a dedicated display to celebrate cultural and diversity heritage months creates a standardized layout for librarians and patrons and ensures no celebration is given more credence than another.

“What you will see in June will be the same that you will see any other month,” she said.

Stefano added that books celebrating heritage months will remain on the central display for the duration of the month and not be replaced mid-month.

As for the display near the entrance of the children’s library, Stefano said this will be used as a designated Kid Librarian display, where children ages 7-12 will be selected to create a display featuring their favorite library books. The program is already underway.

New display policy stresses diversity, inclusion

The new display layout comes alongside the creation of a formal internal display policy.

The policy, which was developed by library officials and approved by the Erie County Library Advisory Board in February, states that library staff will strive to curate displays that represent a “wide array of people, cultures, ideas and experiences.”

The policy codifies a pathway for people to challenge materials but stipulates that displays will not exclude “topics, books, media, or other resources solely on the basis that they may be considered controversial.”

The policy also aligns with Erie County Council’s resolution to prohibit the censorship of reading materials.

David Moore, president of the PA Equality Project, which, in June 2023 staged a read-in at Blasco following the decision to relocate the Pride Month display, said the library's new approach was a “welcome relief.”

“We see it as an encouraging sign that the library is willing to work with the LGBTQ+ community in Erie County to make the library as diversified and inclusive as possible,” he said.

“It's vital that the resources that the library has are accessible and put on display just as any other display would be done at any other time of the year.”

For more information on the Erie County Public Library, visit erielibrary.org.

A.J. Rao can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pride display at Blasco children's library organized with new policy