Mother Goose Might Ask: How much porn could a homeless person watch, if a homeless person could watch porn?

Picon remembers the Sparks Library controversy involving the clash that arose when Mayor Smith attempted to prevent the first Drag Queen Story Hour at the library in 2019, sparking a feud with Director Scott. This incident raised questions about Mr. Scott’s humanity since Mayor Smith was terribly ill at the time, battling cancer, passing away in 2020. This was the start of an ongoing feud with Jeff Scott vs A Whole Lot of Folks that continues to this day. Picon ponders that it was this feud that cost Scott the WC-1 Ballot measure loss.

Greater Reno/Mark Robison did some due diligence at the request of The Education Crusade, regarding why you can watch porn at the Washoe County Libraries but cannot watch porn at the Clark County Libraries. We question the whole “grant” issue and question why Clark County gets the same grants as Washoe County, but Library Director Jeff Scott professes they cannot limit access to the internet. If limits are imposed they will not receive the grants they needed to bring high speed internet to say the Gerlach Library at a cost of $2.3 million. Frankly we’re not going to spend the amount of time needed to track down grant disclosures and limitations, but someone with more time than we sure should.

On a side note doesn’t the “$34-Million-Dollar Man” County Manager Eric Brown take the credit and praise for bringing high-speed internet to Gerlach? Isn’t that something Commissioner Jeanne Herman has praised Brown for.

HOWEVER, Picon is fed up with anyone or any group trying to harm a library. If you’re frustrated at Director Scott don’t take it out on a library branch.

The Education Crusade has raised apprehensions about the ethical integrity of the Downtown Library, insinuating that the facility serves as a hub for illicit activities. However, the library, as a public institution, primarily functions as a resource center for education and research. The allegations of immoral behavior and inappropriate conduct imply a misinterpretation of the library's core mission.

The insinuation that homeless individuals constitute a substantial portion of library visitors contradicts official statistics and observations. The portrayal of the library as a refuge for illicit behavior overlooks its primary role as a knowledge repository.

Back in the day “The Crusades” were sparked by a zeal to rid the Holy Lands of "infidels"—meaning Moslems primarily—only the First Crusade achieved any real or lasting success. Picon thus asks who does The Education Crusade want to rid the library of? Jeff Scott? The homeless? Who?

The Downtown Library is a den of iniquity, you know a place where immoral or illegal things are done? It’s a library for gosh sakes, there are employees, etc. You really can’t get by with much, they have security.

Is the Education Crusade implying individuals from the Nevada Cares Campus are bussed to the Downtown Library by Washoe County Government where they languish for seven hours (the library is open six days per week from 10AM to 5PM) watching porn. Then go after Washoe County Human Services Agency and make them explain their actions. Washoe County Human Services Agency is housed at 350 South Center Street right across the street from the downtown branch.

The Education Crusade also comments people who use the library use the restrooms to bath, apparently taking breaks between watching porn. Any proof?

Why did this get on our radar? Because we had a whole lot of readers contact us again worried what this will do to their library. Residents’ are concerned the library might close and they are primarily senior citizens and you know how we champion seniors.

In a release announcing their press conference back on December 26, 2024, The Education Crusade wrote, “This library has become a de facto "homeless daycare center" with 70-85% of their daily visitors being homeless men.

The Education Crusade’s press release December 26, 2024.

An investigation into the demographics and usage patterns of the Downtown Reno Library reveals a diverse spectrum of visitors engaging with various services. The library serves as a vital community resource, offering access to research materials, technology, and educational support. The portrayal of the library as a haven for inappropriate behavior undermines its significance as a public asset.

Picon uses the Downtown Library because of the research materials available, and while we see homeless individuals, and have for years, they are not 70-85% of the daily visitors. Picon reached out to Washoe County Libraries Public Information Officer and asked a few questions regarding visits to the library, access of Wi-Fi and use of library computers.

Jamie Hemingway provided, “According to those FY 24 statistics, there were 71,265 visits to the Downtown Reno Library and a grand total of 587,883 visits to our library system overall. The Downtown Reno Library had a materials circulation count of 93,879. There were 36,575 uses of library Wi-Fi, and 16,064 uses of library computers.  

Do the math – the Downtown Library is open six days per week, for seven hours, so that means out of the 36.575 library Wi-Fi uses equates to 117 per day, and same with the 16,065 uses of the library computers 51 per day. That is an epidemic of use?

We took one more step and asked the web to let us know how much time people spend looking at porn. We hit the jackpot with an article from Psychology Today doing a deep dive during COVID (you know, when people had time to watch porn). Back in 2020, “Only 4 percent of today’s Internet is porn, and while a tiny fraction of men watches for more than two hours at a sitting, the vast majority of men—and the women who account for 25 percent of the porn audience—treat it like a coffee break, a brief time-out from daily hassles.”

Psychology Today provided “Visit duration Share of PornHub visitors” 2020 -

0 to 5 minutes 52 percent

5 to 10 minutes 18 percent

10 to 20 minutes 16 percent

20 to 30 minutes 6 percent

30 to 60 minutes 5 percent

1 hour to 2 hours 1 percent

More than two hours 0.2 percent

More than half of viewers spent less than five minutes per visit, and 86 percent, almost nine out of 10 visitors—spent less than 20 minutes. Only two viewers per 1,000 watched for more than two hours at a time.

Picon enjoys s good crusade (it's so medieval-chic), but installing fear in residents about taking their kids to the library is about as helpful as using a bookmark in an e-reader.

And seriously, making seniors afraid to visit their local library? That's like telling grandma her book club is now a fight club.

Sure, Education Crusade go ahead and battle with the Library Director - that's your constitutional right to ruffle those democratic feathers. But perhaps we could do it without turning the downtown branch into the Forbidden Forest of Harry Potter?

Because last time we checked, the scariest thing in a library should be late fees returning.