Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: Heartstopper, librrary

Michigan Public Library Debates Excluding Heartstopper From YA Shelves

Michigan Public Library debates excluding Heartstopper graphic novels from their YA shelves

Published Fri, 13 Dec 2024 07:57:34 -0600

Article Summary

Bellaire Public Library debates placing Heartstopper graphic novels in their YA section.
Local residents are divided, with petitions both for and against Heartstopper's YA placement.
Library director emphasizes parental responsibility in children's reading choices.
Heartstopper faces challenges in other libraries and book fairs post-TV adaptation.

Library board members of Bellaire Public Library in Michigan have been hearing both criticism and defence of the Heartstopper graphic novel series by Alice Osman and its place in their Young Adult collection. Tom Shilts, the library's director, told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that the board is considering what to do with the series, that the three-member subcommittee left it up to the entire board to decide what to do with the book but recommended against restricting access to the series. And that Shilts has already moved the young adult collection farther from the library's children's section after some patrons complained about its placement. "We're not a huge library. The new young adult book display consists of anywhere from a half-dozen to 10 titles, so it's not a lot of books. So moving that was not an undue stress."

Local resident Jennie McCormick-Killian started a petition on Change.org stating that it "originates from a deeply personal concern about the graphic content in the book series, "Heartstopper", on shelves at the Bellaire library. Like many in our community, I am alarmed that these books openly show sexual scenes in a manner accessible to children. These books have the potential to expose young, innocent minds to mature content they may not yet be ready to understand. This potentially infringes upon a parent's right to control the information their child is exposed to, and may influence their development in unhealthy ways. The Bellaire library should be a safe place for children to nurture their love for reading, we must ensure this library helps the developmental needs of our children. Join me and help protect our children by signing this petition and urging our library to not have books like "Heartstopper" in our children's reading choices under the age of 16."

While an opposing petition has been started by Kalico Casady, who writes that "there is a petition by a group to remove the "Heartstopper" series from the library in Bellaire, Michigan. This petition seems to be an attempt to get the library board's attention after their first challenge was denied. There are fraudulent claims by members of this group that claim the book portrays graphic sex aimed at minors when, in actuality, it is a young adult book with pertinent themes in the YA section, and nothing graphic is shown. I have read the entire series and am encouraged by the themes of anti-bullying, coming out, identity, and how to help a struggling friend. I understand that as parents, we want to keep our children safe. However, it is our responsibility to monitor what our kids read. The library is not there for only the straight, white, Christian community, it is there for every community. The library is a safe space for all. Let's keep it that way. Keep the bans off our books. Show your support for the wonderful librarians by signing and sharing this petition to keep "Heartstopper" in the Bellaire library!" And it was Casady who spoke to the library board at the previous hearing, defending topics addressed by Heartstopper, such as bullying, friendship and eating disorders. While others objected to the book's depiction of gay relationships,.

Tom Shilts told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that he believes the library represents people from all walks of life, where gay people can find materials they like, just as Christian families, conservatives, liberals, and other can. And that the library should have something in which everybody can see themselves or other groups represented, "it's really up to the parents to make the decision about whether or not this book is suitable for their children because it's not up to the librarians or the library to say, 'No, your child can't read this book.'"

Library board President Mary Edens says, "There may be a question of whether the book stays in 'Young Adult' or moves … on an 'Adult' shelf, but they're not that far apart in our small library."

It's not the first time Heartstopper has been challenged or banned in libraries or book fairs, especially after the popularity of the Netflix TV series.

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