To the editor:

I am petitioning the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County to remove the “Pride Month” displays from the libraries this year and in the future. Choosing to side with one political ideology that alienates large portions of our community makes the library less welcoming and accessible to individuals and families who would like to use the facilities.

Public libraries are an important resource that should be for everyone and so they should refrain from picking divisive political causes as monthly themes. While people should be able to access all information through interlibrary loan, our county libraries should not procure and display increasing amounts of “woke” materials, especially not for the children’s and young adults’ sections.

Many parents whose families used to frequent the children’s section no longer feel secure that our kids will only have access to age-appropriate and interesting topics. Books about knitting and foreign countries have been shoved behind books about “two daddies” and “boys becoming girls.” If someone wants to teach their children things like this in their own home, that is not my business. But we do not want to expose our children to harmful ideas about sexuality. And, national news stories from the last few years show Americans are not in agreement about these topics by far.

Something nice happens when people from very different walks of life and perspectives come together in a public place — they form relationships and friendships and start to understand and care about each other. The decision to make the library only welcoming to liberals drives a wedge and hurts the whole community. Join me in asking the library to return to being a place for everyone, providing information and opportunities to all, and keep politics out of the displays.

Laura Sirilla

Steub