Heidi MacDonald and Tom Spurgeon have both already linked to the latest chapter in the materials selection policy development process going on in Marshall, MO, but I did want to extend my compliments to Zach Sims and the Marshall Democrat-News for their continuing coverage.
Having worked at weekly and daily papers that serve smaller communities, I know that it’s hard to commit limited resources to ongoing coverage of a public policy issue. The process involved isn’t always riveting, certainly less so than the controversies that act as the trigger. But it’s tremendously valuable to lend transparency to those processes, and I think it speaks very highly of Sims and the Democrat-News that they’re in the story for the long haul.
Here are the Democrat-News articles that have run so far that either cover the story or comment on it:
- Library trustees to hold hearing on novels
- The Shepherd’s Heart/What’s going on? Society has kicked morals to curb (opinion)
- Library board hears complaints about books/Decision scheduled for Oct. 11 meeting
- Library board decision expected
- Marshall receives attention in debate over two books
- Library board votes to remove 2 books while policy for acquisitions developed
- Spectrum/Do not restrict access to the two books (opinion)
- Library committee reviews material selection policies
- Check It Out/Policy regarding children at the library outlined (tangential, but interesting)
- Progress made in effort to develop Marshall Public Library materials selection policy
- Newscope/Friday, Nov. 17