Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994 TAG: 9402240137
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MANASSAS LENGTH: Medium
The county's public library board of trustees is scheduled to decide Thursday night whether to place the Washington Blade in its 10 libraries.
Library systems Director Dick Murphy will make a recommendation to the board, he said. He would not say whether he favors adding the free weekly to other periodicals available to patrons, but said the library already offers materials that span the ideological and social spectrum.
"We have materials that will offend anybody," he said.
Blade Publisher Don Michaels said the paper is not now available in Prince William.
The paper includes a section with sometimes explicit personals ads. The section could be removed before papers are placed in libraries.
"I don't think a magazine that advertises or promotes homosexual dating has a place in the public library," said county Supervisor John D. Jenkins.
Fairfax County last year restricted distribution of the Blade. Young readers now are barred from materials that "may be harmful to children."
Copies of the newspaper still are available by request in Fairfax libraries.
Joyce Phillips, chairwoman of the Prince William library board, said she is receiving telephone calls and letters from opponents of the paper.
"The persons I've heard from say they don't like homosexuality, but that's not a legitimate criteria for deciding what belongs in a library. Everyone does not have to like everything in the library," she said.
The board last year rejected a request to stock two controversial children's books - "Heather Has Two Mommies" and "Daddy's Roommate" - which deal with homosexual themes.
Phillips said the books were poorly written.
by CNB