Pamunkey Regional Library Land
The tale of a "King" who usurped power to ensure our children have unrestricted access to obscene material.
Once upon a time in the land of Pamunkey Regional Libraries… all was fair and bright. Adults and children enjoyed reading wonderful books without worry. Until one day, a towns lady gazed upon a display of books for children that seemed very unusual…
She curiously opened one of the books and laid eyes on its pages, but what she found was of such a fearful sort that it would make even a fire breathing dragon blush! “What wretched soul could have arranged these loathsome books for my children’s eyes to openly behold?” she wondered.
Alas, after much query, it came to be known that the librarians, at the behest of library director Mr. Tom Shepley, had purposefully ordered and placed these scandalous books for the unconstrained viewing of children.
What’s more, it was revealed these licentious books lurked in every corner of the library without the slightest warning or description of the vulgarity found within their pages.
Parents and citizens alike were indeed troubled at the news. They realized the library had become dark and treacherous for their children, not the reading sanctuary they once enjoyed.
So, they took the issue to the Library Board, the governing authority of Pamunkey Library Land, and asked them for help to restore decency and safety to the shelves.
Their request was simple - warning labels and careful placement of the boorish books so that parents and children know their nature before reading, and all could safely browse.
However, to their shock and dismay, instead of cooperating with the citizens to reach a pleasing solution, the Board reacted with wickedness and spite.
Not only did they reject every request, but their new rules proudly crowned Director Tom Shepley “King” of the Libraries.
They declared, “The ultimate responsibility for material selection, as for all library activities, rests with the Library Director. [The King!]”
The Board also resolved that the King’s power should not be challenged. If parents took issue with pornographic books, the only recourse would be a lawsuit addressed to “a local court of competent jurisdiction.” In other words, they would be forced to sue.
King Shepley wasted no time issuing decrees to expand his Kingdom. He set to work issuing orders to the Board of Supervisors to allow more library staff to serve him and and with higher salaries. He also ordered the Goochland branch expansion and the construction a giant $ 4 million-dollar state of the art library building for Central Garage in King William County. But in his most self-generous gesture, he demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new personal Palace, also called a “permanent facility for administration.” A lavish office building for himself and his royal court to obtain obscene books for children more comfortably.
“The library will continue to grow!” he exclaimed in his latest Director’s Report (as the towns people imagined him saying with a diabolical laugh).
The people of Pamunkey Library Land were gutted. “How could this happen?” they cried. What has our Library Land become? Why won’t they help us protect our children? And worse, how could the Board appoint such an immoral King to rule over us?”
Pamunkey Regional Library Land had now become Pamunkey Library “Kingdom,” ruled by a despot. Without decent and moral leadership, the libraries would be doomed. The townspeople knew they had to fight back.
To be continued….