By HOLLY GASKILL
A bracelet prize for the Wells County Public Library’s summer reading program has some community members raising concerns.
The bracelet, given to children who sign-up for the program, is rainbow-colored and reads, “Working as One.” A group of county residents alleged this promoted an LGBTQ lifestyle to children.
Children Services Director Cynthia Burchell said this was never her intention. Burchell advised she purchased the bracelets in December through the Collaborative Summer Reading Program, a website that offers bulk-order marketing materials for libraries.
Burchell stated that, at the time, she wasn’t aware of when Pride Month was. Instead, she ordered the bracelets because more children had previously enjoyed multi-colored bracelets over solid colors. She noted that “Working as One” expressed a sentiment of unity and teamwork, not alignment with an ideology.
“It’s talking about encouraging everybody in our community to be good neighbors, good community members,” Burchell said.
This issue follows a series of discussions among the library board regarding book displays, notably displays for Pride Month in June. The library ultimately decided not to have a book display for gay pride this year.
However, when the reading program opened last week, several social media posts circulated calling residents to attend the commissioners’ meeting to voice their frustration with the bracelet. Commissioner Mike Vanover prefaced the public comments by advising there may be more appropriate avenues for the conversation. Vanover also asked attendants to discuss matters with openness, gentleness, and respect for different views.
With this, Kevin Miller stated he was impartial to the lifestyle choices of others but was frustrated that his children were implicated. Chris Koiner also asked for a “fact-finding mission” regarding the library’s intent and accountability.
“It was so blatantly obvious,” Miller said. “I just don’t want my children to be forced to promote an ideology that they’re too young to understand. I want them to have had the ability to grow up and think freely and go to the library without having these political agendas or ideology of any kind.”
Brian Hollingsworth, however, didn’t find the bracelets to be politically motivated. Hollingsworth stated his family doesn’t celebrate gay pride, but his daughter often draws rainbows as many children do.
“Last I checked, we were the United States of America, and we were supposed to work together,” Hollingsworth said. “I don’t get how a rainbow bracelet is going to (change) a child’s sexual orientation and how that’s making them promote a different lifestyle.”
Haley Ashman echoed this sentiment, noting that the bracelets were described as tie-dye, not rainbow.
Burchell emphasized that patrons were allowed to decline library prizes. She also advised — contrary to some statements — the bracelets were purchased through community donations, not taxpayer funds.
While the item was not meant to reflect gay pride, Burchell stated she doesn’t want to discourage people of different views and lifestyles from using the library.
“I am a Christ-follower, and that’s my basis for everything I do in life,” Burchell said. “I start my day in God’s word. I believe in the biblical form of marriage. But we are a community that has very diverse meanings of what marriage is, and that’s not for me to place judgment on the people who don’t share the same beliefs as me. I work at a public library.”
In closing, Burchell said she has personally purchased additional single-color tie-dye bracelets to provide alternative options. Vanover also recommended community members talk with the library staff or board regarding their concerns or questions.
holly@news-banner.com
