Censorship in your public library

Off-topic
1

Hey.
So I really hate it when you go to the library and grab some cds, check them out, take them home and play them, only to find that some of them have had swear words and even drug names censored out. I totally understand having these “Clean” albums for radio broadcast (cause of the evil FCC. The FCC must die…) but do they belong in the public library?

I’ve been in contact with the lady who purchases material for the Spokane County Library system and I found her to be sympathetic with my views on this topic. After talking with her, she says she will be holding a staff meeting to discuss revising the practice of purchasing censored material whenever it is available. Yeah!

What are your views on this practice?

I’m against it cause… First of all, they totally mutalate the creative expression that the artist used on his/her album. And it’s like a book of paintings blurring out private parts of naked people in the paintings.

They make the song SOOO unbearable to listen to (all the bleeps in the lyrics) and you already know what they’re saying.

There are still a lot of un-censored albums in the system which totally defeats whatever purpose they had intended with the practice.

There are lots of albums that have all the swear words bleeped but still have very violent content. Everyone swears, not everybody murders, rapes, etc.

Lots of parents object to having their kids listen to music with “bad words” but it IS NOT the library’s place to impose a few parent’s house rules on an entire community by offering a watered-down, mutilated version of a work of art in lieu of the real thing.

Hopefully she can manage to change the system’s rules on this topic.
I’m really excited.

Anyway… what are your views? Any other observations or points you think I should make?

Peace…

EDIT: And before someone points out that I’m not old enough to pay taxes to the library, my family pays for a library card since we don’t live in Spokane County.

2

Censorship = Stupid

4

I agree that if the library is going to get a CD, movie, or book that they should get it in its original form and not some cleaned up version. The artist intended it to be the way that it was originally.

Walmart does the same thing. All CDs that they sell are “clean” versions. No explicit lyrics. Maybe the library is buying everything from Walmart? :astonished:

The library could get the explicit version of CDs and put a sticker on saying it has explicit lyrics. People that don’t want to listen to explicit lyrics can self-censor and choose not to checkout those CDs.

See if your library has Free Speech for Me – But Not for Thee by Nat Hentoff (the library should have that book). The first chapter is The Right to Read a Book with “Niggers” in It. The second chapter is The Right Not to Read a Book with Whores in It. Both chapters are relevant to your query and should give you some insight as to how to address the situation to the library staff.

5

Why do you get music from the library, go buy a cd.

Jesus, is this really an issue that you felt so obliged that you had to speak to the librarian. The human body and inappropriate language are too totally different things. The female figure is a beautiful thing while shit is not.

From what I’ve seen it seems like you cry about everything.

7

Renting a cd and illegally downloading it is the same thing.

And 8.25 an hour isn’t exactly unlimited funds.

8

Why have libraries at all?
Buy all of your books, periodicals, research material, and everything else you find at a library.

Getting a CD at the library is about exploring. Trying new music that you wouldn’t try otherwise. It is also about researching and learning. Libraries often have good classical music and opera collections. That allows you to learn about classical music, listen to relevant music while reading a book on music history, and just finding out what styles of classical music that you like.

9

You just made a huge generalization about rap music.

There is plenty of rap music (like the blue scholars (and MC Solaar, although he’s french)) that is nothing like that. Music with ingenious lyrics that make you go “I wish I could think of words like that”.

11

I think that even if you disagree with the content of the music, other people with different views should have access to it. You just don’t have to check it out if you’re offended by it.

That’s crazy. I didn’t know Wal Mart did that!!
I’ll check that book out, it sounds really interesting. Thanks!

Well, I’m saving for college. I’m studying music right now which costs a lot. I teach but I need to save that money.
Libraries are places where people can explore vast expanses of information, entertainment and art without shelling out hella cash.
That’s why I PAY for library cards to two districts that I’m not part of.
I’m not rich.

Music is art. If you say f*ck or something in your piece, a record company has as much right to censor it out as a book does to censor out naughty bits.
And don’t forget that cocks are hot too, lol.

I cry about stuff that needs to be cryed about, haha.

EDIT: And what are your objections to having the original album in libraries?

Do you support censorship, or the styfling of free speech and freedom of expresion?

12

I have no objections to censorship, what you are complaining about is censorship in libraries.

If you don’t like what they have to offer don’t go. Yes, I hate that companies censor music, it’s abnoxious. But I’m not going to create a thread complaining about it. Yes so maybe your just trying to inform us of your opinion, but frankly I don’t like your opinion, or the majority of your opinions for that matter.

Suck it up.

13

You suck it up and understand if Jackie doesnt have a library, where will he go to get cds, books and the like?

Maybe you have never lived hours off in the woods, with limited resources to jobs, traveling, and shops, or in a situation where the best internet you can have is faulty dial-up because the phone companies dont supply a dsl/cable line far enough into your location or just all the other options are too expensive.

So at a max speed of 3-5kBs, and most songs averaging 3-5mb each. The average size of what Jackie listens to probably averaging a bit higher. The amount of songs on an average disc/discography. You do the math. It takes a LONG time to download a cd. Without a torrent program or download manager, its pretty much not worth it, which is why a library is a perfect place to go.

Why wont you complain about it? You just going to go with the flow? Afraid to speak about what you feel is right or wrong? Dont want to share your opinion and take action to make a change?

You say you dont like censorship, but im also sure you stream in real time full audio tracks. Possibly download a full discography within a few mins? So your problem with censorship hardly exists because your access to material is very large. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who gets his majority of music from an area filled with censorship. Now what? Oh wait, just sit back and not care, and then just not go and just stop getting music all together. Problem solved yeah?

Nope.

Anyways. Go Jackie go! Be the change! =p

14

I’d like to nominate this for “dumbest statement of 2009.” I know the awards are a long way off, but too often the early year nominations are overlooked.

15

If there is an option between censored and non censored material to go in a library I am with Jackie and think that the non censored stuff is what the library should keep on catalogue.

My guess as for why the library has censored material is to please protectionist parents who may be a small fraction of a libraries patronage but a very vocal percentage. Proof that complaining can work if you get a few people together and complain loud enough.

Joe i don’t get you. I take it you don’t like complaining or complainers and what do you do about it? Complain. Why don’t you be a “biggerman” and suck it up yourself.

I did learn something from this thread. I didn’t realize people payed for library cards (except to replace lost/misplaced cards). I picked up half a dozen library cards over the course of my recent road trip out east and never had to pay for any of them. Maybe our public libraries are more public than your public libraries…

16

Does censorship belong in libraries? No.

I’m sorry but the library is the only place I have to go to get music. My thread is to discuss the topic, not really to complain. But I’ve done more than complain, I’ve convinced a librarian to hold a meeting concerning the matter.

Libraries are for the public. They are here for everyone to use. I feel that if I can help them to stop filling their shelfs with annoying censored, it would be good.

I was expecting people to have somewhat valid arguments about the good of censorship but your only argument is that you don’t like me… Lol.

17

Wrong! Ask the FBI, they’ll tell you.

18

Actually most of what the FCC does is pretty necessary. The airwaves are a finite resource, and if someone wasn’t in charge of doling them out, it would be broadcast chaos out there and things like garage door openers, WiFi networks and cell phones wouldn’t work.

The library should label whether it’s a “straight” or “bleeped” version. Both are legal, and some people prefer one over the other. I prefer the original, but parents of small kids might not. Just let the customer know what they’re getting.

19

But do little kids go in and check out those cds very often?

And if they do, I guess it’s touch cheese for their parents cuz their parents shouldn’t have the right to enforce their house-hold rules for their children, on an entire community.
EDIT: And I know that the FCC is necessary, but they go way overboard with what you can/can’t say/do on the air-waves.

20

Out of curiosity, what music did you find at the library that was censored?

21

Lots of stuff… haha.
A few I can remember recently checking out are T.I.'s “King”, D’Angelo’s “Voodoo” and Future Leaders of the World’s album.

22

John! Respond!!

23

It depends on the library. Often public libraries only give free cards to those that pay taxes to the area supporting the library. Like for a city library if you live outside the city limits and don’t pay city property taxes you sometimes have to pay for a library card. Libraries in richer areas often have less restrictions. For example the Beverly Hills, and Burbank Libraries (near Los Angeles) will give a free card to anyone who lives in Los Angeles County. The Newport Beach library will give a free card to anyone who lives in California, and only charges $10 a year to those who do not. It all depends on where their budget comes from. Any of them though let you use their facilities without a card, you just can’t check anything out.

Maybe Canada is just more open about such things.

As for Censorship at libraries I think they should carry objectionable material, but have no problem with it being labeled as such and/or being restricted so that kids can’t access it without parental permission.

I think in Jackie’s case, at some point someone made a decision to buy the censored versions without there really being much discussion about it or without even realizing their were 2 versions. It very well could be that the distributor they buy their CDs from only carries censored versions.

As for the radio and the public airwaves. I have no problem with censorship on radio or broadcast television, because the airwaves are in your home whether you want them or not and I think it’s reasonable for someone to not want certain things in their home.