THOMASVILLE- The Thomas County Public Library Board held a meeting on Wednesday afternoon, where multiple members of the public voiced their concern over the potential review of a book. 

The book called into question was “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender, and Sexual Health” by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley. 

The book currently is labeled for children ages 10 and up and sits in the children’s section of the main library. 

However, several parents were concerned after their child brought home the book and began reading the graphic nature and depictions presented on the page. 

The book has not only been questioned by local citizens, but nearly 17 out of 24 reviews on Google Books found the content to be inappropriate for the age labeled. In fact, according to National Public Radio, “It’s Perfectly Normal” has become one of the most banned books in the past two decades. 

For Carla Defnall, though, she doesn’t want to see the book banned; she just wants to see it appropriately shelved. 

“I’m not here to ban books,” she said. “I’m not here to take books off the shelves I disagree with, I’m here for a very specific purpose.” 

Defnall explained she was at the library a week ago, when she checked out “It’s Perfectly Normal.”

A quick glance through the book was all it took for Defnall to believe what she was reading was verging on pornography, and possibly breaking the law. 

Defnall presented the Board with Georgia Code 16-12-103, which states “it shall be unlawful for any person to furnish or disseminate to a minor any picture, photograph, drawing or visual representation of a person which depicts sexually explicit nudity, sexual conduct, which is harmful to minors.” 

The code goes on to state that it is also unlawful to provide books that contain explicit or detailed verbal descriptions of of sexual excitement or sexual conduct.

“This book is full of that,” she said. “I have marked all of the narratives and pictures, which I will be happy to show. It seems clear to me that this book is pornographic and it is against the law to furnish it to children and teens.” 

Defnall said she thought she must have misunderstood the law and shared the book with a local attorney and Sheriff Carlton Powell, who both concurred the book is pornographic and is against the law to give to children to read. 

“This law supersedes any Library Bill of Rights,” Defnall said. “I just want to make you aware of that. I’m speaking strictly in that lane, we want to do this for the children.” 

Not everyone agreed with Defnall.

One of the speakers, Christopher Linton, argued that libraries are supposed to be offensive. 

Linton displayed a book about alternatives to vaccines as an example. 

“I am very pro-vaccines and this book offends me, but it’s here for the people who want it or need it and don’t agree with me,” he said. “Just because you don’t like or agree with something doesn’t mean you need to take it away from everyone who may want it or benefit it from it being there.” 

Retired Library Director, Nancy Tillinghast agreed. 

“I always thought a library was a place anyone could come and get an answer to their question,” she said. “There’s a question you might have that I don’t want to answer, but I can get it to you. There will be answers on both sides that you have to make the decision what is right for you. No one should tell you what you should and shouldn’t read.” 

Tillinghast said that during her time as director, parents would decide what their child could and could not read, which was fine, but she didn’t want anyone telling her children what they couldn’t read. 

“That’s my responsibility,” she said. “It’s very important to think about the whole… kids come in here and like to see books written about themselves. If you don’t like it, that’s fine, but don’t keep it away from a child or an adult, who needs to read it.” 

Mary Beth Huber then spoke, reiterating Defnall’s point that they are not looking to ban the book, but would like to see it moved out of the children’s section. 

“We picked up the same book in the little teeny children’s section, and they don’t need a detailed description on how to have group sex,” Huber said. “They don’t need pictures of men and men in bed together, or men and women in bed together. These are our concerns for our little children. Put the book in the adult section.” 

Board Chariman Erin Rehberg took all concerns into account and said she wants to make sure there are no books that are harmful to children in their collection. However, she reminded everyone that the library still needs to maintain a collection of books that reflect all needs of members in the community. 

“Every librarian makes their best effort to make sure every book is properly catalogued, however I am thankful a policy exists to review an item if necessary,” she said. “I think it’s a healthy part of our democracy.” 

The policy Rehberg is referring to is the Library’s Procedures for Handling Challenges About Materials. 

The procedural policy states that patrons must fill out a form detailing they complaint. Library personnel will then take the form and forward it to the director. 

The director is required to acknowledge the complaint and engage with the professional library staff to review the complaint. 

The entire process takes five days, and after the five days the director will forward a written statement to the patron. 

If the patron disagrees with the recommendation, they can appeal to the Board of Trustees, who can place the appeal on the next agenda. 

Throughout the entire process of review, the book in question remains off the shelves. 

Library Director Holly Phillips said this book in particular has allowed the library to review their policies and procedures and make sure every voice is being heard when it comes to challenging materials. 

“We are making some changes too,” she said. 

Since the conclusion of the meeting, Phillips said she has reviewed where the book in question is located in other libraries and noticed it is placed in Young Adult or even Adult at various locations. However, some still have it in the Children’s section. Phillips said this information will allow the library to use their discretion when it comes time to review the book. She is currently still awaiting a form from Defnall.