Moffitt shares his personal views on library collections policy
Dear Editor:
The Meeker Regional Library Board met last week for a working session and our regular board meeting.
Both meetings focused heavily on the formation of a Collections Development Policy, which will govern the strategy and principles used to guide the acquisition of library materials. I, along with the other board members, are extremely grateful for the legal input of the MRLD attorney, Glory Schmidt, in guiding us through these policy decisions.
Some parts of these discussions recalled the reason(s) that prompted me to seek a position on the Library Board and it is important to me to make this reasoning clear to the Meeker community. I believe a culturally and morally conservative approach in the collection of books and materials in the library is beneficial to our community. I also desire to see more books and materials that support a Christian worldview. I am not trying to create a seminary-like collection. I believe a more balanced collection policy is needed to represent our traditional, political and socially conservative community, I will continue to strive to that end.
My personal action point came at the meeting in 2022 when the book “Gender Queer” was discussed at a public meeting. I believe this book meets the definition of pornography and promotes an immoral and harmful worldview. Every chair was filled in that meeting and people were standing around all sides of the room. The overwhelming majority of those in attendance were against having this book in the library. The Board, at that meeting, made what I believe was the wrong decision; to keep the book and move it out of the young adult section. As current President of the Library Board, I am advocating policy where more materials are chosen that support and reflect our conservative community.
I believe there is a constitutional right for this book to be in our library. But I also believe books of this worldview damage and tear down traditional family values and in the long run harm the fabric of our community.
There are members of our community, patrons of the library, consistent observers of Library Board meetings, that do not accept evidence this community is largely conservative. During the last major election 80% of this county voted for the conservative agenda, which is against the issues of DEI, defunding police, legitimizing Marxism, silencing Christian speakers and values, supporting abortion, and promoting transgender normalcy. I believe this is a county largely in favor of traditional family conservative values.
That does not mean opposing views or ‘liberal’ viewpoints, are or should be thrown out. Quite the contrary. There is ample evidence in our library of liberal and left-leaning materials and diverse worldviews. There are many varied and sundry materials that present a worldview opposite of the Christian worldview. And still there has not been one book removed. There is not, and has not been, one book, magazine or any other material, banned by the Meeker Regional Library District. Book-banning rhetoric is falsely asserted by people seeking an emotional firestorm. I am not trying to create a Religious-Seminary Library; nor am I seeking to remove all books I disagree with. I am seeking a different balance than we have had in the past.
There are many traditional families and conservatives in this county – at least I hear and engage in discussion with many of them at church, work and the businesses I support. My encouragement, my exhortation, is that the conservatives and particularly the Christ-followers in this community speak up and engage with conservative, Christian values that you believe in — in the library, in the schools, at the Town Board — just like Charlie Kirk did.
This letter is submitted with my own views and do not reflect the views of the Library Board as a whole.
Sincerely,
John Moffitt
Meeker
Thanks from Ruckman-Reed
Dear Editor:
I would like to submit this letter to the editor because I just need to say thank you to so very many people. The month of September has been a blur, and I have so many people to thank for their support.
First, thank you to the RBCHS board and my staff at the White River Museum. Kay Bivens, Judy Kurth, and April Ruiz have done a really great job of taking care of the museum while I served root beer floats and cotton candy at the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials. And thank you to Ed and Tracy Peck, Mary Jo Carroll, Sparky Pappas, Niki Turner and Heidi Russell for helping at the Trials, too.
Museum staff performed with the same level of excellence while April and I trekked to Fort Garland to open the brand new, Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, “The Americans.” I cannot tell you how lovely and informative this exhibit is. I cannot believe it will be here in Meeker next May. I encourage everyone to watch for the Grand Opening of this exhibit on May 16, 2026.
I also want to thank the county commissioners for finding it in their budget to replace the roof on the Garrison. The new roof is beautiful, fire-resistant, and will protect our artifacts for many years to come.
I want to thank all of you who have listened to me drone on about the sesquisemiquincentennial. While I know the 250th birthday of the nation and the 150th birthday of our state may seem like the last thing we want to think about during these somewhat trepidatious times, it really is a great opportunity to find the good and honor the challenges that have brought us to this place in history. This event will only come around once.
I also want to thank my husband, Scott Reed, for his patience and support while I pour my heart into the community. It cannot be easy.
I want to thank my customers for your patience while I fit your work in around this crazy schedule. I have not kept up as well as I had hoped. I also want to thank Valerie Sjoersdma for continuing to develop her amazing upholstery skills and holding down the T Rose Etc Shop while I have been gadding around.
Finally, I want to thank all of you for your hugs, sweet stories, and prayers after the passing of my father, Jim Ruckman. We will celebrate him one last time on Friday morning at Highland Cemetery. He is at home. He is pain-free. He is at peace. We are so blessed to have had this great man in our lives and community.
Sincerely,
Teresia Ruckman-Reed
Meeker