steal this book

Offended library patron seizes sex-ed book
A Lewiston woman won’t return two copies of ‘It’s Perfectly Normal,’ which she calls ‘abnormal.’

The Associated Press September 19, 2007

LEWISTON — A Lewiston woman who is upset at the
content of an acclaimed sex education book published 14 years
ago has checked out copies from two libraries and refused to
give them back.

“Since I have been sufficiently horrified of the illustrations and
the sexually graphic, amoral abnormal contents, I will not be
returning the books,” JoAn Karkos wrote to the Lewiston and
Auburn public libraries last month.

Each letter was accompanied by a check for $20.95 to cover the
cost of the book, “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies,
Growing Up, Sex & Sexual Health.”

“This has never happened before,” said Rick Speer, director of
the Lewiston Public Library. “It is clearly theft.”

Speer returned the check, along with a form that Karkos could
use to request that the book be removed from library shelves.
He said he may seek help from police if she doesn’t return what
she borrowed.

“That’s really what we want,” Speer said. “We want the book
back.”

Written by Robie H. Harris and illustrated by Michael Emberley,
the book features frank but cartoon-like illustrations of naked
people in chapters on topics that include abstinence,
masturbation and sexually transmitted diseases.

The publisher, Massachusetts-based Candlewick Press, said “It’s
Perfectly Normal” has been sold in 25 countries and translated
into 21 languages.

Championed by Planned Parenthood, the book has come under
fire from conservative groups such as Concerned Women for
America and the anti-abortion American Life League. It was the
American Library Association’s most challenged book in 2005,
topping a list that included books by J.D. Salinger, Toni Morrison
and Judy Blume.

Karkos, 64, said that she first heard of the book from the
American Life League, an anti-abortion group.

She felt compelled to act after she checked out the book and
found it to be “pornographic” and worse than she originally
feared.

“Hopefully, this will harness enough people to be sufficiently
horrified and want to speak out, to say it’s gone too far,” Karkos
said, adding that she was aware that drawing attention to the
book might raise people’s interest in it.

Rosemary Waltos, director of the Auburn Public Library, said
Karkos’ decision not to return the book was “an inappropriate
act” that will likely prove fruitless.

“If somebody wants a copy, they can get one,” she said, noting
that at least three dozen Maine libraries have copies available for
interlibrary loan.

Both libraries have ordered replacements for the books that
Karkos took.

Speers ordered two more copies because of an increase in
requests for the book.