Protecting First Amendment Rights in Public Libraries

Abstract

Lee B. Brawner, is a professional librarian with over thirty-eight years of experience, including twenty-five years as executive director of the Metropolitan Library System serving Oklahoma County. Last year he and his library system came under attack by two organized groups seeking to determine what materials would and would not be allowed on the shelves of the library. At his own expense and on his own time he wrote and distributed a letter to many persons in the library's service area. He stated that in all of his career “… I have never written a letter like this.” He went on to say in the letter's introduction “1 am writing to advise you of a serious threat to your first amendment rights in your public library and your public school libraries. I want to specifically address the threat to your public library and urge you to voice your opinion before your rights of access to library materials and information are curtailed.”