Jack of Hearts Retained!

Recently I wrote about the attempt to have Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts) by Lev A.C. Rosen removed from the Irving Public Library. Bookriot picked up and expanded upon the story as well. As the author announced last week, the library did the right thing and retained Jack of Hearts in the teen collection where it belonged. The decision is a good textbook answer to an unreasonable challenge.

The Library’s response is pretty textbook. It reviewed the book according to the collection policy, the professional reviews, and how other libraries have classified the book. All of this points to an obvious conclusion: Jack of Hearts is a perfectly appropriate book for the teen collection. Amusingly the library notes that it has not circulated heavily but now there are a number of holds on it. This is not an uncommon experience when censorship attempts go public, it brings attention to the work that it would not have had otherwise. It also brushed aside the absurd idea that Jack of Hearts was obscene by invoking institutional roles: the library “is not a law enforcement agency and does not make legal determinations regarding alleged violations of” Texas law. This is a kind way of saying you’re full of shit but if you want to go to the police to complain good luck.

The above is the most interesting to me and it is classic library justification for a diversity of books. The challenger, of course, will not accept this. To such people there is no such thing as diversity in this case, there is right and wrong. Presenting queer stories, especially queer sex-positive stories that partially provide kids with much needed sex ed, are inherently wrong. This is not something the challenger sees as open to debate. It is the library’s job to enforce the challengers Christian Right belief system, there is no liberty to endorse immoral actions. There is no compromise with this argument and I’m glad the Irving library stood strong against this type of censorship.

Here are the materials disclosed to me after the retention decision was made.