Bet this won't appear in our local newspaper

[masonco]

Ludington librarian fired over tell-all novel says her First Amendment rights were violated

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/08/ludington_...

 

If this link doesn't show up, go to(home is www.mlive.com

Home > Grand Rapids News > Courts & Crime

Didn't know if anyone else saw this, but thought it worth posting on our great Ludington library

[XLFD]

Let us remember, the author has said it is a fictional story (like Marty says), and at worse it is a lampooning [Publicly criticizing (someone or something) by using ridicule or sarcasm].  I respect the MCDL Director, but I think he made a critical mistake when he terminated the lady and named authoring the book as the reason.  If you try to accuse her of a number six violation of ALA ethics, then that would be a stretch-- after all, though links may be made between real library folk and fictional characters in the book, this is coincidental, as she does not use anyone's real name, library name, or location name.  In the 9-2008 LDN article, MCLD Dickson shows his logic, some of which I may agree with, but he makes the case easier for her by using an oxymoron--calling it 'non-fiction with inaccuracies':

Mason County District Library Director Robert Dickson calls it non-fiction “with gross inaccuracies.”

“If she had one fictional character in there, maybe you could call it fiction, but those associated with the library … know who (the characters) are,” he said.

That is an invasion of patron privacy, Dickson said, and the reason she was fired, although she is an “at-will” employee and he didn’t need a reason to let her go.

Had she not promoted it in Ludington, where people would know the individuals, he said he would not have fired her. But as he wrote in a letter suspending her prior to her firing, because of her book, “Patrons may be less likely to utilize the services of the library, or to ask questions of the staff, for fear that they, too, will be mocked.”

[Willy]

I can see this case going to the High Court. There's a conflict between her right as an author and the rights of the library patrons to be free of public criticism by and employee of a public facility. If the author had not been employed by the library, I believe we would not be having this conversation. This will be interesting.

 

side note: this situation could apply to XLFD after Shay's public comments in the newspaper as marty stated in another topic.

[masonco]

Willie good point.

[masonco]

I did notice that this showed up in LDN paper AFTER it was published in Grand Rapids. It seems to be a watered down copy of the article in Grand Rapids paper though. Too many people in this area must have asked why Ludington did not report this "objective" news in their paper.

[XLFD]

Once again, GR media cover the area better than our local news outlets do when it comes to news that isn't window dressing or passed-on propaganda. 

[Dave]

Saw a little blurb in the USA Today yesterday regarding this story.... glad the higher ups of Ludington are always looking to put the city in papers for all the wrong reasons.

[XLFD]

The Grand Rapids Press printed the Library's attorney's defense of her client today.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/09/mason_coun...

"... the book is nothing more than a series of defamatory allegations against clearly identified library patrons,”

“Even if Stern-Hamilton’s view that people should not be allowed to reproduce unless they have a certain IQ were a matter of ‘public concern,’ defendants were well within their rights as an employer to fire Ms. Stern-Hamilton because the book was contrary to the library’s mission and harmful to its proper functioning.

“Ms. Stern-Hamilton ridiculed the public as ‘bums’ and ‘perverts’ and by mocking their physical attributes and mental capacities.”

 

This was a work of fiction, that those who run libraries should realize that for each fictional character 'any appearance to an actual living person is purely coincidental'.  The attorneys briefs, however, does seem to show that the book's contents were incidental to the plaintiff's firing. 

 

[Dave]

This also appeared in todays LDN... they of course used the story from the GR Press instead of actually going and getting the story themselves... kind of makes you wonder what they actually do at the local paper if they can't even cover local stories with local reporters.

[XLFD]

I noticed that as well Dave, but I didn't want to rag on the local newspaper too much as technically the story is happening in the GR courts, and the GR media has easier access to court proceedings.  

And just because I used the word "rag" and "local newspaper" in the same sentence does not 100% mean that I believe the two are equivalent, just purely coincidental; don't pervert my intentions.

And just because I used the word "pervert" in the same sentence as "local newspaper", doesn't mean I am ridiculing those bums as perverts.  LOL.

[AQUAMAN]

Well the local Phillips story also got a soft-touch. Instead of plainly admitting the guy was wrongly charged in the kidnapping by the PA, they stated the charges were now just changed. And the judge actually made a comment about being sentenced, and that is downright prejudicial, and judges are supposed to be impartial, so technically, he should disqualify himself or be removed from the case entirely. Doesn't mean I think the accused is innocent by any means, but goes to show how the local court system procedure is faulty and illegal all too often. Denying the rights of the innocent until proven guilty is a violation of his constitutional rights thus far. I wouldn't be surprised if the ACLU steps in to help now, justice is supposed to be blind per the rules of law, and in Mason County, it's peaking thru the blindfolds continuously.

[XLFD]

Aq, where was the judge quoted about the sentencing?  I missed that, was that part of the court record or in some news report? 

[masonco]

I thought they put it in Ludington paper because it was in Grand Rapids paper...LDN would look kind of foolish if they didn't publish local news that was published elsewhere.

 

By publishing what already was in Grand Rapids press they are not revealing anything more but can "blame" Grand Rapids Press for having to post it as they chat with the friends who bribe them for what to publish.