Ty Falk wrote:
>I Think that the disdain is a little more universal. I know I've gone
>to my libraray to obtain even vaguely occult related books and have
>been met with similar reactions.
>
I have had the same experience at my local library. I was shocked that
the cross-wearing librarians there felt free to comment negatively on
occult books I got on interlibrary loan. One of them insisted on wishing
me "Merry Christmas," literally jumping out from behind her desk and
blocking the door so she could do this. One would deliberately not help
me at the desk; another would help me but keep her lips pressed firmly
together, like she was in the presence of a bad smell. And no, I am not
being paranoid. I should say that I thought this was not just due to my
book choices but to my appearance--I have long hair and am a scruffy,
odd dresser. Funny, when I was a professor that was almost the uniform.
I wrote a long letter to the head library about it, including my library
card cut up and ending with, "Next time you want funding, go ask a
church." The head library actually got mad about it herself and did an
educational thing about it for the others, but I never went back to that
library again. I felt humiliated.
Since then I moved and got a card at another library in the tri-county
system. Recently I was taking out a book and the librarian was puzzled
to see that I had been "banned" from that other library by one of the
librarians there. She removed this ban. Can you believe it?
Every time I go in this new library now I am waiting for the other shoe
to drop.
Harry Roth
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