It turns out social media is still useful. Follett has backed down after users on multiple platforms pushed back against a proposed school library book software that would give parents the power to prevent LGBTQ+ books being checked out.
The news was first reported last week by the Forsythe County News in Georgia, which said that the local school board was considering changes to its media policy. One idea was for an email to be sent to parents when their child checked out a book, with the title, description and category tags. It was possible to restrict access to books through parental controls, for instance, to prevent a child from checking out a book that was related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer community.
It is the latest in a series of attacks on access to books about the Holocaust, the LGBTQ+ community and Black history in the United States. Follett had enough online flak that it reversed course on the plans.
Follett said in an email that they will not proceed with any plans to develop the module.
It's refreshing to see the public fighting for their rights online and not being too surveilled.
One librarian said on the social networking site that they were glad to see that Follett had decided not to move forward with planned system functions that violated core principles and ethics of the librarians profession.
Black and LGBTQ+ history is incomplete. It could have started a slippery slope if people hadn't sounded the alarm.
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