A children’s book about Palestine is under review at a Falls Church library following a complaint alleging antisemitic language.
“P is for Palestine: A Palestine Alphabet Book” is the work in question. Library Director Megan Dotzler said at a Feb. 5 meeting that a complaint had been lodged, leading to the review.
“One of the letters is for a term that is problematic,” said Dotzler, who oversees operations at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, at the Falls Church Library Board of Trustees meeting.
“P is for Palestine,” by Golbard Bashi and Golrokh Nafisi, has drawn complaints elsewhere for its passage, “I is for ‘Initifada.'”
“Intifada is Arabic for rising up/For what is right, if you’re a kid or a grownup,” the passage reads.
“Intifada,” often translated as “uprising,” is a word with disputed connotations.
Supporters of Palestine often use the term to talk about resisting Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, but critics have argued the word is antisemitic and promotes violence against Jews and Israel.
The Mary Riley Styles Public Library’s procedure for dealing with book challenges requires that any complaint come from a city resident to be considered.
It was a local resident who lodged the complaint, and Dotzler said library officials are “taking that request seriously.”
Under the process, a three-member panel of library staff will review the book and recommend to Dotzler whether it returns to the shelf or is permanently removed. Any appeal of her decision ultimately would work its way up to the library trustees.
“The challenged material shall remain in the collection until a final determination is made, including the appeal process,” library procedure states.
The initial review is expected to be complete by March 1, Dotzler said at the meeting. The library’s online catalog says the book is checked out at the moment.
Dotzler said that if the book is permanently removed, library officials would work to find a replacement that meets standards.
“If we say ‘no’ to this book, we want to be sure we say ‘yes’ to another,” she told trustees.
Neighboring Arlington does not appear to have “P is for Palestine” in its collection, according to a search of its online database.
