After being publicly embarrassed when a Washington Post reporter was allowed to watch their firings, the Daily News reports that former BPL staff members feel "vindicated" that chief Dionne Mack-Harvin has resigned in the wake of the scandal. On top of having their reactions publicly aired, laid-off workers were asked to sign an agreement not to discuss the firings. One former worker said "We felt disgusted. We felt we weren't valued at all." Though Mack-Harvin insists she was "misled" by the reporter, Library staff says the Post had approved access. "They thought it was a great media opportunity... After the story came out, they realized it was public relations mistake." more ›

Brooklyn Public Library chief Dionne Mack-Harvin has resigned after a scandal with downsizing firm the Five O'Clock Club and the Washington Post. The story goes something like this: Mack-Harvin's $80 million budget for the library system was cut by 5% last August, so she hired the downsizing firm to fire 13 employees. However, the Five O'Clock Club was being profiled by the Washington Post, apparently looking to cover a real-life Up in the Air firm. more ›

So about that locked vault that holds controversial books at the Brooklyn Library... the Daily News published a piece by the New York Civil Rights Coalition's executive director, Michael Meyers, chastising the practice of locking up our nation's history—no matter how ugly it can be. The book at the centerpiece is Tintin au Congo, and Meyers says, "we don't need librarians protecting us or our children's wonderment and discovery from 'bad' images and messages in books. Where would such paternalism in the forms of censorship and banishment begin and end? We shouldn't try to hide unpleasant truths from our children. It is historical fact that white racialists colonized Africa, and that explorers and even missionaries thought of black Africans as primitive savages in need of civilizing." Indeed, this history happened and it's not an "Out, out damned spot" sort of scenario where a lock and key will make it disappear. more ›

Fact: The Brooklyn Library has a vaulted room which holds some of the more "controversial" books. CityRoom pointed out that you can't find a copy of, say, cartoonist Hergé's book "Tintin au Congo" on the shelves, because that book is held in this locked room. (The site published parts of the book, so probably that web page should go in there too.) One librarian told them, “It’s not for the public," and has been locked away for 2 years now after "a patron objected to the way Africans are depicted in the book. In particular, the patron took issue with illustrations that she felt had the Africans 'looking like monkeys.'’’ more ›

Sure, World Breastfeeding Week isn't until August, but the lactivists can celebrate a small victory today. The NY Post reports that "the Brooklyn Public Library was forced to apologize to a new mother after a security guard scolded her on two occasions for breast-feeding her daughter in a children's book area." The female security guard was allegedly unaware that New York law dictates that women have the right to breast-feed at any time, in any location. The mom, Danielle Glanvill, said the guard "was uncomfortable with the flesh of my breast being exposed and told me what I was doing was 'inappropriate in front of the children'," and walked away when she tried to explain the law. After contacting the New York Civil Liberties Union, the guard was transferred to a different branch, memos were hung up, the library apologized, and the breast-feeding continues amongst the books in Brooklyn. more ›