Markham Public Library removed Islamic history displays but returned them after review: CEO

Markham Public Library removed Islamic Heritage Month displays from its branches after it received complaints from the community amid the Israel-Hamas war, but put the displays back the same day following a management review, its CEO says.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Catherine Biss said the library temporarily removed the materials while management was deciding what to do about the concerns.

Biss said the library heard "a range of perspectives" from staff and community members about the displays early last week. Staff monitored feedback from the community about the displays and discussed the matter with management, who decided to temporarily remove the materials.

Management later decided it was "appropriate" to put the displays back up, she added.

"The management team reviewed the issue in the morning. We looked at all of the sides of the issue and we decided to follow our normal protocol, which is to withdraw the collection temporarily and then go through the normal decision-making process. We met at 3 o'clock that afternoon and we decided to return the displays to the libraries," Biss said.

Biss said the complaints were received as events unfolded in the Middle East.

Israel has carried out unrelenting airstrikes against Hamas-ruled Gaza since the Hamas militant attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians. The Israeli military said Monday at least 199 hostages, including children, were taken into Gaza — more than previously estimated. Hamas said it was holding 200 to 250 hostages.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli airstrike Tuesday hit a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, killing hundreds. Israel said it had no involvement in the explosion, blaming the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

Email lead to 'confusion,' 'hurt': CEO

On Monday, Biss apologized for the "hurt" and "confusion" caused by the situation and by an employee email posted on social media this week that suggested the library was going to take down the displays. According to the email, promoting the displays would have been seen as taking a particular side in the war.

The email was sent to to branch librarians, branch managers and to staff who are part of what is called readers advisory.

The Markham Village branch of Markham Public Library is seen in this photograph. (Markham Public Library)

"Given the current situation in the Middle East, it is best for us not to be actively promoting the Islamic Heritage Month, this will be perceived as if we are taking a particular side," the email said. It went on to say the library was asked to take down the displays by Biss and an unnamed councillor.

Biss reiterated her apology on Tuesday, adding the unnamed councillor mentioned in the email gave no direction to the library.

"A message was sent out prematurely that did not reflect the normal protocol that MPL follows in dealing with concerns from the community, which is to thoroughly review the complaints and make determinations on the direction moving forward," she said.

She added that the library celebrates Islamic Heritage Month every October and the displays will remain in the branches until the end of the month.

"I want to be absolutely clear that in no way does MPL, that is Markham Public Library, confuse Islam, Islamic culture or Muslim people with the events in the Middle East," she said.

"We support the staff and the community who are experiencing trauma and grieving the loss of life in the Middle East."

The library is committed to doing a review of its relevant policies and procedures and to continue to invest in training to address unconscious bias, equity and inclusion for all staff, she said. It will also reach out to faith-based communities to reassure them of its commitment to diversity and to rebuild trust lost as a result of this incident, she added.

She said the library will work with any community to ensure the incident doesn't happen again.

Muslim organization calls for investigation

In a statement on Monday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, a non-profit organization, called for an investigation into the matter from the city of Markham. It also called for accountability from everyone involved in decision-making.

Uthman Quick, director of communications at the NCCM, said on Tuesday that many community members are still concerned and have questions about what happened at the library and how. They deserve answers, he said.

"Islamophobia is on an incredible rise across Canada. And to see a body within the community that is supposed to educate, to protect and to provide a safe space go through a decision process this quickly, this swiftly and come out with a decision to remove books that essentially do not have anything to do with the political situation or the conflict that is happening, many in the community are just asking why. They would like to know why," Quick said.

"We just think it was wrong."

Quick said Islamic Heritage Month is important to the community and it's something that library users have to come to appreciate. He said the library needs to rebuild trust with the community because it has been damaged.

In its statement, the NCCM said there has been a spike in Islamophobic incidents since the Israel-Hamas war began.

"Let's call this what it this. Islamophobia. Pure and simple," the council said.