Join LaVerna in her quest to rid
Utah schools of sexually explicit books.

Volunteer to read books and look for questionable content

Step-by-step instructions on joining the UPU book team

STEP 1

Join the UPU Book Team on Mobilize
Be part of our team of parents and connect with them in Mobilize. Sign up today and find members in your district to coordinate your efforts and avoid duplicating work. 

STEP 2

Join LaVerna in the Library Facebook page
LaVerna's Facebook page is a great place to see what sexually explicit books have been found in Utah school libraries.

STEP 3

Learn how to find sexually explicit books in your child's school library
Watch the below video tutorial on how to find books in your public school library.  Every school is different.  Some only let you search for one school at a time.  Some let you search the whole district.  Ask your librarian for help, if needed. You may also try using this link to search for your school. It follows roughly the same process outlined in the video, but at the beginning you search by state and then type in your school. Later you can select the district as a location option, if offered. 

Book Lists

  1. Use the book lists above to search for books. You can see what type of content each book has been flagged for and also a link to the UTAH post that shows the offending passage(s).
  2. Type the book title into your school's library catalog per the instructions in the video above.
  3. Record where the books are (see next step)

STEP 4

Report locations and/or books
  1. Did you locate a book in your school that's on our Index of Laverna Books?  Email the title, author, school and district to MaryinthelibraryUSA@gmail.com. We will put this information in our public list so other parents can know where it is.
  2. Did you find an obscene book you want other parents to know about? Please email MaryinthelibraryUSA@gmail.com. If possible, please provide the following:  book title, author and page number(s) where you found the offending passage, or provide a screenshot. 
  3. Ask your school or district for a MEDIA CHALLENGE FORM (Davis District Sample). Fill it out and turn it in requesting that they review the book.​
  4. Help us review books!  We occasionally post titles that need more specific information.  Click here to learn more.

STEP 5

  1. Share your book list with your principal, librarian and district.  They may not be aware of what's in the books.
  2. Consider creating or volunteering with other parents of a variety of viewpoints to preview new books coming into the library.
  3. Share obscene books with legislators and encourage them to create legislation to keep obscene pornography out of schools.​

HELPFUL LINKS

Davis School District LIBARY CATALOG
​https://library.davis.k12.ut.us

Canyons School District Library Catalog
https://destiny.canyonsdistrict.org/district/servlet/presentlistsitesform.do?districtMode=true

REPORTING OBSCENE MATERIAL

​Below are some links to presentations and Laws in Utah that can be used to challenge obscene books in libraries.
  1. Talk to schools.
  2. Report obscene materials to the police.
  3. Keep a record of the police report number so you can add to it.
​
Repealing Obscenity Exemptions:
https://docs.google.com/.../1nYSFNEcTe9bo7v9sZTrJ.../edit...
Utah Obscenity Exemptions: https://docs.google.com/.../1UArSnjR29.../edit...
 
Utah Criminal Code against obscenity:
t tps://drive.google.com/.../178mTEzpxwtbJ5bTQpIA.../view...

Utah Sex Ed code:
https://drive.google.com/.../1ajgtGBd5tooJmka6guj.../view...
Sample of Citizen's Reconsideration Policy of Books (Cache):
https://drive.google.com/.../15nU2rLxEE58DYXiwjBG.../view...

Utah Code, Title 76, Chapter 10, Part 12
Specifically 1203 and 1204.
https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter10/76-10-P12.html

US and Utah violation concerns are listed below:
https://www.schools.utah.gov/.../96361a05-763d-4edb-9df3...

There is a very strict vetting process for materials that are used in Sex Education.
https://le.utah.gov/.../Tit.../Chapter10/76-10-S1206.html...
https://le.utah.gov/.../Title53E/Chapter2/53E-2-S301.html...
https://www.govinfo.gov/.../USCODE-2019-title18-partI...

Children's internet protection act.
http://ifea.net/cipa.html
https://www.ecfr.gov/.../subchapter-B/part-54/subpart-F
E-rate program. "§ 54.520 Children's Internet Protection Act certifications required from recipients of discounts under the federal universal service support mechanism for schools and libraries."