Honestly, I thought the book sucked. The writing and editing are both terrible. The only reason people are eating it up is because it is porn. People might not want to call it that, but that's what it is. A flimsy plot line with gratuitous sex scenes thrown in... yeah, definitely would call that porn. As for the library carrying it, I think that is up to the library. If you want to read the book that badly go purchase it or download it. Problem solved.

So I guess they should add Hustler to the magazine racks as well.

As I stated in a similar opinion post on that other local website:
After you get copies of 50 Shades of Grey in the library, I’d like to view this month’s Hustler and Juggs magazines in my local branch. I’m sure you’ll support this, right? You don’t want to have any censorship, do you? Otherwise, I suppose you would be the one getting to draw the line and not them, and that would just be silly.

It is pretty clear according to MD. CODE ANN., CRIM. LAW § 11-202 (2010). Obscene matter - - Distribution, exhibition, importation, and publication that any bookstore within Harford County should remove this book from it's shelves and that the sale of it by any person employed by the establishment should be charged under this statute. Further, any person in possession of this material should transport it to the appropriate law enforcement agency within the county for destruction and disposal. All US Post Office location should suspend the delivery of packages from book retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Deepdiscount, Booksamillion, Alibris, etc.) until law enforcement personnel can inspect and review the contents of all mailings within the county that may contain the obscene material. The general counsel of all major telecommunications and cable providers should be contacted to ensure that strategies are implemented to ensure that 3G wireless downloading of the obscene material is blocked and reported to local law enforcement for prosecution. Cable providers Comcast and Verizon should implement filtering and blocking technologies to block the download of files that could be transferred to e-readers, tablets or smartphones containing the obscene material. Lastly, parks, public pools, private swim clubs and recreational facilities should be subject to searches and sweeps for the objectionable material in the possession of lawbreaking Harford county residents. That'll solve it.

Don't waste taxpayer money on this kind of book. Want to read it...go buy it.

The best thing to do is to cut up your card and mail it to them. Tell them you're taking a stand against censorship. This is America. Censorship should not be in our vocabulary. Sometimes it's tough to live in a country where you don't agree with someone else's opinion or choice of reading materials, but without that right we might as well be living in Iran. Who, by the way, probably banned the book as well. It's not fun to be compared to Iran. Is it?

Has it occured to any one but me that the library management has created more buzz about this book than it ever would have garnered on it's own? The publisher should send flowers...

Thanks Jeffrey for your opinion/article. I am of the same opinion. While I don't think the library needs 396 copies of it, I don't think it should be banned.
By the way people, it's not a "picture book" very different than your "Hustler" or "Juggs".

Wings: If that is what we need to do to prevent the erosion of our Christian nation the answer is definitely yes. We are our brother's keeper and cannot sit idly by while the our community becomes a cesspool of obscenity. Exposure to material steeped in sin leaves open the door for the devil to take root in your heart. I want my tax dollars to only be spent on library books that uplift the teachings of Christ and promote Christian values and brotherhood. How can anyone object to that unless they are unsaved, unchurched or a member of a heathen religion or cult?

It's pornographic fiction. Spin it any way you want, but the fact is, it's a work of fiction based heavily on pornographic topics / material. Ironically, if it had been written by a man, I'm sure the ideas of male dominance over a woman, female submissiveness, punishment, bondage, and sexual violence (even if consensual)... would generate a lot of outrage and disgust about it's contribution to unhealthy stereotypes and the degradation of females in general. And nobody would be all that concerned about finding some "deeper meaning" behind it all.

Pornography of ANY kind doesn't belong in public libraries in my opinion...

If the book is something that you prefer not to read, then DO NOT read it. Aside from the "pornographic" book, has anyone considered positives? "Mommy porn", is what the book is often refered to, any women that has been child bearing often loses self esteem, intimacy lacks in the relationship, is it wrong that this book may help them regain their intamacy levels. Just one example. So many people are concerned with the adult book. Do what everyone else does, read the description and if you do not like what you see put it back. Are people that offened by words that are not harmful? Or are their scared that they might actually enjoy the content. I would not be 600th on a waiting list, I would have purchased it. Force people to turn it into the local police station? Did I read that, I think that Harford Co has a lot more serious issues than a top selling book. Real crime, drug related, murder related, etc... let's go back to the book burning ages, will that make you happy. Real Images/Videos of real porn are free, and clicks away on the internet for any age to view. Afterall, aren't books made for the imagination and pleasure?

I love the debate going on here. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and he mentioned off-hand that almost every woman he knows is reading this book. I was intrigued. His observation isn't off the mark for the nation apparently. The book is at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers list this week. Is that typical for porn? http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html

The library can do what they see is right. They aren't preventing you from reading it. If you want to read it, go buy it.

Let's face it, women have been reading cheesy romance novels for years and I don't see this book as much different except it gained a huge amount of media coverage as many of the others tend to not do.

I'm with the ones who say, if you want to read it buy it or borrow it.

If people don't want to read the book, they don't have to check it! But who is the library to censor what readers can read. I have read the books and I have also got books from Harford County Public Library that are as graphic, if not worse!

Fiona Larbi, that's a fair point. I know I read books from the Harford County Public Library as a young girl that made me blush. I feel as though a comparison study might prove interesting. Thoughts?

I'm on the 3rd book. I love them. Idc if the HCPL carries it or not. Buy it! I don't think its any worse then the romance novels my mom would read when I was a child. The media has made the books come off alot worse then they really are.