Hitchin Library trolled in social media storm after swapping bear with 'gender neutral alien' - Paynes Park deny claims

Hitchin Library's Twitter account normally highlights reading groups, book clubs and community events dedicated to boosting literacy.

The library has won plaudits for helping youngsters develop a life-long love of reading.

However, over the last few days, the site on Payne Park has been embroiled in a Twitter-storm that saw one of its posts (below, which saw Hitchin Nub News also tagged in the original message) go viral.

Why? Well, this week the main question aimed at the library in Hitchin town centre has been whether an alien can be gendered.

Hertfordshire County Council who run the Hitchin Library attracted criticism for changing its storytime bear - called Bookstore Bear - with a multi-coloured, gender-neutral alien.

Campaigners incorrectly stated Tala — an extraterrestrial who uses they/them pronouns and is nonbinary — was transgender, insisting the policy was intended to 'push gender ideology.'

The 'My First' series at Hertfordshire's libraries includes a library card for kids featuring Tala the Storyteller, which is meant to entice families to return to Paynes Park and other reading centres across Herts.

Yet, the move brought condemnation from high-profile gender issue campaigners (below), who commented on Hitchin Library's original post.

However, Herts CC insisted Tala the Storyteller is a 'bright, vibrant creature [that is] the star of Hertfordshire libraries' in a bid to boost interest in young readers.

The council said in a statement: "To suggest that Tala is being used to push any ideology other than a love of reading is completely misleading. Bookstart Bear was withdrawn by BookTrust and we created a new mascot. Tala is a fictional, other-worldly creature used to capture the imagination of young people."

Emma Phillips and Eva Povey, who created Tala said they were inspired by the children's own artwork at workshops held across libraries in our county, including Hitchin.

"They helped us to understand what children liked best in a creature," they said in a statement.

The storm started after the previous fictional character intended grab the attention and imagination of tots. 

Bookstart Bear (below) is has been withdrawn, to be replaced at Rhyme Time - a storytelling event at the county's 46 libraries for eager, book-hungry youngsters from toddlers to the age of five — by Tala, the alien.

Bookstart Bear. CREDIT: Herts Libraries

In the aftermath of the Twitter storm many from Hitchin and elsewhere fought back, insisting that Tala was simply an alien - not a gender neutral alien.

See Hitchin Nub News shortly for a comprehensive round-up of the best reactions in support of our wonderful library.