The O4R Library Project

By Richard Leinaweaver

A few months ago I proposed a public library project to the Oregonians for Rationality (O4R) Board of Directors. Its objective was to assure that Oregon library users have available to them materials of scientific merit that counterbalance the materials on pseudoscience, paranormal and supernatural. A few random inventories of local libraries confirmed the abundance of books on astrology, Sasquatch, the Bermuda Triangle, ESP, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, UFOs and the like.

     Twenty-six of Oregon’s 163 libraries currently subscribe to the magazine Skeptical Inquirer, CSICOP’s “Magazine for Science and Reason.” The magazine’s circulation department offered a 50% discount ($32.00 for a two-year subscription) to organizations that donate to libraries. The O4R board asked me to develop and recommend a prioritized list of candidate libraries based on number of patrons, usage and location. Jeanine DeNoma has suggested that O4R members might be willing to donate additional subscriptions to libraries in their communities to augment the program.

     Of the ten most populace libraries, six already subscribe. At its October meeting, the Board decided to donate subscriptions to the other four: Beaverton, Hillsboro, Jackson County, and Josephine County. Of the next ten most populace, three subscribe, and the board will donate subscriptions to Springfield, Lake Oswego, Oregon City, McMinnville, Ledding (Milwaukee), and Albany. The Board decided to also offer subscriptions to our eastern cousins: Pendleton, Baker and LaGrande, and to a few western loci, Woodburn, Silver Falls and Tillamook. Seventeen in all.

     O4R President Dave Chapman will send letters to the library directors informing them of the donation (and giving them an opportunity to opt out). With that, all Oregon libraries with more than 26,000 patrons will have Skeptical Inquirer available.

     It is also intended that the Library Project will find important science/reason books that might also be offered to libraries. Of course that’s down the road a bit.

     If you are interested in contributing or working on this project, make yourself known to an officer or board members at one of our programs or roundtables.