Librarians out in the west are weighing in on how the lockup librarians act, House Bill 1239, will affect their ability to do what they do. And like many things in the library, you should read this:
“My initial reaction to HB 1239 was confusion as to why it is necessary and how it would be implemented,” said Grace Balloch Memorial Library Director Amber Wilde. “We already have procedures in place to handle concerns about specific books in our collection, and in over 20 years of working in libraries, I’ve only handled one ‘request for reconsideration’ form. The library board completed the reconsideration and sent the concerned patron a thoughtful response, and the matter was complete.”
And..
“If a library assistant allows a minor to check out an art book that contains an image of a nude figure — say, a Botticelli painting — that assistant could face criminal charges, a fine of up to $2,000, and/or up to one year in jail. The law would treat this the same as someone deliberately distributing pornography to minors,” Shoop said.
And..
“I kind of feel like this is another way for people who are trying to censor materials to go about it because they are not having success going to school boards and libraries,” Hahn said. “By removing protections that are already in the law, I think they are trying to intimidate librarians and school boards to keep them from picking materials that they think are going to get them in trouble.”
And..
Shoop said, “Ultimately, the responsibility for guiding a child’s reading choices should belong to parents, not librarians. We strongly encourage families to be involved in their children’s reading selections, using the tools and policies we have in place to make informed choices. Our role as librarians is to provide access to a broad range of materials that serve the needs of the entire community, not to act as gatekeepers making decisions for individual families.”
Go read this story, if you read anything this weekend. The lock up librarians act will result in librarians being exposed to criminal charges, and will close many libraries in South Dakota simply because nobody wants to work there.
And for those who will remain open, they will likely refuse to check out books to children, for fear of going to jail.
If there is one piece of legislation this session that will underline to the public how awful the legislature is this year, this is it.
The mad dogs have taken over. Soye is the ringleader of this fiasco.
If it passes Rhoden signs it
The Church Ladies have taken over, and they want to jam their gods down your maw. Let this serve as a reminder to you fellows out there who voted for the insanest people in your towns to go to the legislatures, and oust them. OUST THEM!
It’s seems that this new crop of “Republicans” are unfortunately Socialists in Republican clothing. These so-called conservatives believe it their duty to impose their values and morals on the rest of us while forgetting what freedom truly looks like. This is what the nanny state does. It takes away your rights and your free will and creates a police state where parents and right-minded people are taken out of the picture. What is even more disturbing is that these Socialists have recruited some of what we used to consider sane legislators via threats and intimidation with by way of “postcarding” in the 2026 election cycle. Will the real Republican leaders please stand up to this insanity and get us back on track! Or are we too far down this path of self-destruction? The new SDGOP leadership offers no hope, so…..
Please stop besmirching socialists by connecting them to this ridiculous bill. Good luck finding ANY self-respecting socialist who would support it. You might as well drag out the tried and true Antifa straw boogeyman — remember when it was postulated that Antifa rather than Trump wing nuts who invaded the Capitol? Yeah, right.
Same problem here folks. These are Trump-inspired “Moms for Liberty” wing nuts. NOT Socialists, or Antifa, or Democrats. It’s amazing that you can’t (or won’t) see your political brethren for who they actually are, and from who they draw their inspiration.
You had me for a second regarding the Socialist comment and then you went for the jugular. Problem is, I never have accepted these far far right folks as my brethren. To the contrary, these are the ones who are tearing the Republican Party apart. Too bad we don’t have a true leader here in South Dakota to bring the party together.
These folks aren’t “Trump inspired”, the ones I’m familiar with have always been this way.
They call themselves “conservatives” but there’s no real difference between them and the hard left. They both want to be “in control” and “cancel” everyone they disagree with.
They’re not really consistent with any political ideology, they just want power and control over people .
seriously, socialists aren’t the problem, it’s the bloodlust of criminal empowerment and kleptocracy.
it’s trump too, at the epicenter of this burgeoning oligarchy.
It’s not Trump. He’s not at the epicenter. These clowns were causing trouble years ago. Everything was a conspiracy.
Long before Trump they were worried about vaccines, chemtrails, pet microchips, smart electrical meters, & (gasp!) Morgellans! (Beware the evil morgellans!) They were worried about HAARP, operating out of Fairbanks, causing all natural disasters since the 90s. Then there was 5G.
They coalesced around Trump because he wasn’t part of the establishment. He was supposed to save them.
But then he fast-tracked the covid vaccine development and distribution and they went into full blown hysteria. He and his family were vaccinated. They don’t trust him anymore.
Now, under his administration, even chickens are going to be vaccinated. This will drive down the price of eggs, which will no longer be safe for the wackadoodles to eat. That’s his plan for driving down the price of eggs, the vaccination of chickens.
BS, they dont trust Trump. They worship him. Look at this very site. Mentally ill people like John Dale openly cheer for him. You get your own opinion, but not your own facts.
agreed on the false idol worship of trump. clearly it is the case.
South Dakota is turning into a Christian version of Saudi Arabia and Iran. Minority rule by religious fanatic control freaks that were always kept in the fringe and out of power. Often times they are the biggest hypocrites with their own lives being a trainwreck.
Monday we will see the fanatics in action with a number of bills that if passed into law will drive normal people away from South Dakota and attract more weirdos. Anti-business, anti-opportunity and increase the brain drain out of South Dakota.
What about the pornographic, nude statue of David in downtown Sioux Falls. Arrest the mayor!!!
You think that statue is porno? Well i guess if I change my granddaughter’s diaper I must be watching porn. C’mon man.
Let’s go crush the Venus d’Milo stature.
This bill needs to be defeated! Where are the ” freedom lovers?” A vote for this BINDS a librarian to being sentences to jail should he/ she check out a book with a swear word on page 324. Some freedom…
They only want you to have the freedom they think is best. Soye postulates a mommy dearest knows best message, but you have to really look at her sheltered perspective of the world and wonder how she managed to get through law school and still thinks this is an acceptable, conservative bill. Soye, Hansen and Odenbach have weaponized their law degrees to feed a Christian nationalist agenda.
She talked in committee about knowing the implications because she’s an attorney, but she works for a bank. I really doubt she has spent an hour on criminal law.
Does the bank she work for charge interest? Isn’t that a sin?
Where are “the people” on these issues. Sadly, they don’t show up and vote in primaries and they likely don’t donate or knock doors for candidates.
Here in the US, life is really really good. It is angry people or people who have too much time on their hands (aka keyboard warriors) who are showing up. Everyone else thinks what we have will last forever.
We aren’t a nanny state, or haven’t been in the past. But the bills presented this session were inching that direction. Just wait until they take away more freedom, inch by inch. Today it is what you read or watch. Tomorrow it is what you say. Once freedom is lost it will never return.
So, is a librarian going to get in trouble for lending out a Bible? The Old Testament has some content that would run afoul of these rules.
good point. the Old Testament is full of stuff they would find objectionable.
This bill is the inevitable consequence of the sdgop’s shameless fomentation of all of its worst elements for decades come home to rooster.
The inmates are running the asylum. Led by Soye, Hansen, Lems, and Odenbach.
Hey now, let’s not forget to give credit where it is due to Noem, Lederman, Wiik, Jensen, JFM, Hickey, and PP for assisting in getting us to the here and now.
Oh my gosh. How could you forget the Bling Girl. (Trying not to assume gender)
Librarians nationwide didn’t speak up when “Huckleberry Finn,” “1984,” and “Little House” were threatened — and often actually — pulled from the shelves. So it’s hard for me to get upset when they are in a tizzy about this or similar legislation.
That’s because you cant think of anything outside of your partisan blinders and see the Constitution as a side note to your Dems vs. Repubs soap opera.
Bullshit they don’t. Maybe watch or read something that isn’t OAN or Newsmaxx.
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/
I robbed a casino. What are you in for?
I am a Librarian.
Speaking of nearly attorneys, any doubt where Amber Frye-Mueller will be on this? Heard she cried in committee passing it out.
Amber Frye-Mueller. That made me laugh. It’s too accurate. Originally, I thought she was just leaning into the crazy because her district is kind of nuts and she thought she needed to in order to beat Julie. I didn’t respect it, but I understood it. Turns out, she’s worse than JFM. Because she’s actually articulate and speaks well when the media comes knocking. I thought she may be able to slyly bring things quietly back towards sanity. But now I think she actually believes the crazy.
Amber Frye-Mueller
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
From Keloland – Republican Sen. Amber Hulse, said while she would be voting for the bill, she believes it’s not solving the problem of getting these books off the shelf. She added that this could cause many librarians to leave the profession. “I do think the intentions on this bill are noble, do I think this is this is the best approach on how to do that I don’t really think so,” Hulse said. ” I don’t know if this bill is really getting to the meat of what the problem is and as legislators we are supposed to ask what the problem is and if the bill actually solves it.”
So if it doesn’t solve a “perceived” problem then why vote for it? Typical lawyer speak – talking out of both sides of her mouth. Sad….she’s so worried about the 2026 election cycle that she’s selling out to the far right lunatics.
It is sad that yet here is another district where the standards and expectations of candidates and elected officials are so low. Very low quality.
Well,
As I mentioned previously, you can bet that everyone of the Book Banner, Lock Librarians up
in jail coalition have children that they wholeheartedly support.
All of these kids are a curious as anyone.
All of them have cel phones.
They know how to spell PORN.
They have already seen what you think they
haven’t.
Try talking honestly to your children and please stop passing legislation that makes you feel good without actually doing a damn thing.
He is right on the bike trail, for goodness sake. And the children… oh yes… we all know there are countless children that have been harmed by that obscenity.
I tell you this much – that Statue of David in sin city is shivering now… and it’s not because of the cold. He knows he’s next!
we’re kind of at that part of the revolution where the elites have been dispatched and the revolutionaries start drilling sideways to get rid of those who disagree. the third phase of course is when they kill each other over purity issues.
Librarians may get away with disseminating that filth in Europe or maybe even in North Montana (formerly Canada)… but NOT HERE!
2026 First bill of the legislative session HB001.
“We Seek Solutions To Problems That Do Not Exist” shall be inscribed in the stone block above the main entrance to the South Dakota State Capitol.
Who should be prime in the senate and house?
Brought forth and supported by We The People!
The Catholic lobbyist said in committee he won’t take his kids to the library because he is afraid what they might find. As a lifelong Catholic, I am embarrassed for my church. Bearing false witness is a sin, and he did it on behalf of the diocese of Sioux Falls and Rapid City.
Look for those under 18 to be banned from libraries. Why take a chance?