KTKA

The library board of trustees meeting was moved to a larger room to accommodate all those wanting to speak.

The proposal, which came from a library patron, was to restrict the access by children to four books, Sex for Busy People, The Lesbian Kama Sutra, The Joy of Sex and The Joy of Gay Sex.

"This is clearly an effort to suppress books about gay people. Only four books were targeted out of the thousands that might have been targeted, say, about tawdry romance novels or books about how to make a bomb or maybe a book about how to make poisons out of household items," restriction opponent Jason Chaika said.

"Most of our adults have already formed their positions as it relates to their sexuality. That's not what this is about. This is not about censoring material, keeping it from adults. But we do need to protect our children," restriction proponent Cecil Washington, Jr. said.

Some who spoke against the restricted access say it's not the library's responsibility.

"Parenting is up to the parents, and library policy is that children not be left unattended in the library," Chaika said.

"All of us know that our children go places that we are not aware of. That is why we need a society that is working with the parents to help provide that protection," Washington said.

The board charged the library staff with finding a way to restrict access to the books.