Waltham Library targeted to offer LGBTQ books, curators say
A Massachusetts couple who run a small free library say the Waltham Free Community Library is focused on its selection of LGBTQ books. “have been ransacked twice in two weeks. “Usually we have the library packed, no space for new books,” Petrie said. “It seems really targeted,” Cohen said. The couple said that when books were stolen from their library for the first time, it was in the middle of the night. But the second time, a man was caught taking books by the pile in front of the camera in the middle of the day.” The second person would grab huge handfuls of books, drag them across the street in their car, and then come back and do it again,” Petrie said. “We really don’t think this elderly white man has any intention of reading books for young people and children.” Petrie and Cohen said the books that were taken were not returned and presumed they were stolen. , and the response they received from the public was overwhelmingly positive. “People started sending us books from as far away as Australia,” Petrie said. “If you keep taking them, we’re going to keep taking them out and you’re ‘giving us the ability to reach more people because more people are paying attention to what’s going on,'” Cohen said. Petrie and Cohen tell their story. history as debate intensifies over whether certain LGBTQ-themed books should be allowed in Waltham High School Library.At a Waltham school committee meeting on Tuesday, some people said that two Books in particular — Juno Dawson’s “This Book is Gay” and Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer: A Memoir” — should be banned from being allowed into the school library. meeting, however, came out in support of keeping these books in the school library “Gender Queer” in high school.
A couple from Massachusetts who are hosting a Small free library says the Waltham Free Community Library is focused on its selection of LGBTQ books.
Krysta Petrie and Katie Cohen told NewsCenter 5 that LGBTQ-themed books for youth and young adults in their “Little Queer Library” had been ransacked twice in two weeks.
“Usually we have the library packed, no room for new books,” Petrie said.
“It seems really targeted,” Cohen said.
The couple said when books were first stolen from their library it was in the middle of the night. But the second time, a man was caught grabbing books from the camera in the middle of the day.
“The second person would grab huge handfuls of books, drag them across the street in their car, and then come back and do it again,” Petrie said. “We really don’t think this elderly white man has any intention of reading books for young people and children.”
Petrie and Cohen said the books that were taken were not returned and presumed they were stolen.
The couple informed Waltham Police of the incidents, and the response they received from the public was overwhelmingly positive.
“People started sending us books from as far away as Australia,” Petrie said.
“If you keep taking them, we’re going to keep rolling them out and you give us the ability to reach more people because more people are paying attention to what’s going on,” Cohen said.
Petrie and Cohen tell their story as the debate intensifies over whether certain LGBTQ-themed books should be allowed in the Waltham High School library.
At a Waltham school committee meeting on Tuesday, some people said two books in particular — Juno Dawson’s ‘This Book is Gay’ and Maia Kobabe’s ‘Gender Queer: A Memoir’ — should be banned from school. be allowed in the school library.
The majority of people who attended the meeting, however, came out in support of keeping these books in the school library.
Waltham Public Schools Superintendent Brian Reagan and the Book Review Board also support keeping “This Book is Gay” and “Gender Queer” in high school.
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