My Philosophy

We have a censorship challenge at the Library because of the movie Basic Instinct. When I read the justification for challenging Basic Instinct I was struck by how the Customer wants the Library to comply with guidelines similar to the Hays Code. (Its fairly interesting reading if anyone wants to Google the Hays Code.) The Hays Code was the self policing guidelines for motion pictures that was in effect from 1930 until it began to fall apart in the 1960's. In 1968 the MPAA ratings (G,PG,R,X) replaced it because so many movies were beginning to 'push the envelope'. (The MPAA has modified the ratings several times since 1968)

I love old movies. I'm especially fond of Film Noir. The Maltese Falcon is my favorite movie, but the Godfather, for example, could never have been made under the Hays Code. Criminals could never be glorified or their criminal enterprises allowed to succeed under the Hays Code. While it would be easy to only buy movies made before 1968 to avoid censorship challenges I wouldn't be doing a very good job if I did that. And I would be missing out on some fantastic movies.

Most people misunderstand the role of the Librarian. We are not supposed to be arbiters of taste. We are certainly not censors. I don't think anyone wants a government bureaucrat in that role (a Public Librarian is definitely a bureaucrat). We are discriminating in what we buy or add to the collection but that is a matter of space and cost. We don't have the money to buy and store everything so we try to get the most bang for the taxpayer's buck.

So what am I trying to do?

I'm trying to collect a representative sample of the art of Motion Pictures.

• If someone wanted to do a self guided history of Motion Pictures they would find what they needed in our collection.
• If a motion picture had a significant impact on our culture it would be in our collection.
• But it's not just academic or educational. Hopefully there will be some movie in this library that will excite, intrigue, amuse, or engross any one who comes in to check one out.
• Movies are an integral part of modern culture. Sam Spade, Scarlett, the Little Tramp, the Sheik, and the Godfather, are just a few of the characters that have become part of the fabric of our culture. (I know I'm being redundant but it's important.)

It would be a shame and the misuse of taxpayer money if they weren't in the collection.