Arlene Quaratiello

christopher columbus

QUARATIELLO: Public Libraries Ignore Columbus

Arlene Quaratiello

In July 2024, Governor Chris Sununu signed House Bill 1014 which requires towns to recognize Columbus Day and not replace it with the woke faux-holiday celebrating indigenous people.  Public libraries are generally closed on Columbus Day, so as with all holidays celebrated with a day off for staff, signs are placed prominently at entrances and … Read more

Dudley-Tucker Library Raymond NH

Be Careful Who You Vote For!

Arlene Quaratiello

In 2022, Pennsylvania State Representative Tony DeLuca was re-elected despite the fact that he had died a month before the election.  While some voters may have cast their ballots for him to honor his memory posthumously, it is likely that many may have had no idea that they were voting for a dead man.  Last … Read more

Books library

Parental Rights and Public Libraries

Arlene Quaratiello

The cartoon aardvark Arthur sang in one memorable episode, “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.” Unfortunately, obtaining your children’s library records IS very hard when they have a library card; in fact, it is against the law in New Hampshire and most other states!  This law needs to be changed, and … Read more

New Hampshire Defunds the American Library Association

Arlene Quaratiello

A recent article on the New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) website regarding Governor Sununu’s withdrawal of his state librarian nominee confirms that the previous state librarian withdrew the New Hampshire State Library (NHSL) from the American Library Association this year. While the reason given for this withdrawal was that “the yearly dues were not worth what the … Read more

Goodlander Hides Behind Out-Of-State Money

Arlene Quaratiello

How can a Congressional candidate who has received 87.5 % of her campaign contributions from out-of-state donors truly represent New Hampshire?  How can you trust a candidate who suddenly rents an apartment in the district she seeks to represent after spending years elsewhere? How can you believe a candidate who avoids debate opportunities and relies … Read more

NH state house dome

Do Most State House Speeches Simply Fall on Deaf Ears?

Arlene Quaratiello

On Veto Day, I addressed the New Hampshire House of Representatives one last time. I made a speech in favor of overriding the veto of HB1093, the bill prohibiting school boards from mandating mask-wearing.   Last March, the House voted to pass this bill while the Senate did the same a few weeks afterwards, but it … Read more

Defund Woke Library Lobbyists: Our Tax Dollars Should Not Fund the ALA

Arlene Quaratiello

In February 2024, the American Library Association posted a press release on its website opposing Georgia legislation that would have defunded it.  This press release describes the ALA as “the preeminent non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services in the United States.”  The American Library Association further claims not to “espouse … Read more

Night Cap: No Elected Official Is Above the Law

Arlene Quaratiello

All elected officials, from the President of the United States down to those who serve their towns as public library trustees, take an oath of office. While the wording of these oaths might differ, they have one thing in common: they require the oath-taker to support the United States Constitution.

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No Mask

The Unmasking Bill Should Pass

Arlene Quaratiello

Now that the COVID pandemic is behind us, we must thoughtfully evaluate what happened during this unprecedented time and prudently consider what should be done if a similar crisis ever happens again. One of the major issues that emerged during this challenging period was the mandatory wearing of face masks in schools.

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Book books pages jonas-jacobsson-0FRJ2SCuY4k-unsplash

Keeping Secrets: The Confidentiality of Kids’ Library Records

Arlene Quaratiello

It’s the Great American “rite of passage”—getting your first library card!  The importance of a child having a library card has been celebrated from Arthur the Aardvark rapping “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card” to Francie Nolan keeping her first library card as a memento of her youth in one of … Read more

Books library

They’ve Got the Power: The Crucial Role Played by Library Trustees

Arlene Quaratiello

Last March during a “Candidates Night” forum in my small New Hampshire town, I was criticized by an incumbent library trustee who was running for reelection.  Although she was seeking to continue in her elected office, she illogically asserted that I had inappropriately “brought politics into the library trustee race and,” as she further declared, “there is no place for politics in any library.”

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Protesting “Inclusive Collections”

Arlene Quaratiello

During an online professional development course called “How To Build and Defend Inclusive Collections” sponsored by Library Journal, Cornell University collection development librarian Carson Williams, asserted that “fostering an inclusive, safe queer library environment is the most important thing you can do.”

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