Ron, I agree with you a good deal of the time, but not on this issue. This is one of several forms of harassment which are constituted by the implied threat. Your analogy of the reporter is not accurate, as the reporter has no specific ability to hire, fire, discharge or demote. S/he is not a supervisor under any of the accepted constructs. The reporters job is to report the news as s/he discovers it. A person in a position of authority, speaking with a subordinate over whom s/he has the ability to affect said employee's employment, is assumed at all times to be acting in an official capacity when having a work related communication of any kind. Ms. Palin, or any elected official, surely has the ability to discuss policy, in this case on the books, or music (you paying attention?), that can be found in the library or be played over the publicly funded airways. But it should be on the record, and available for public scrutiny in order that the public has the opportunity to hold accountable, or reward, that same official for their position. To hold a private meeting, or send an individual inquiry, to (in this case) a librarian indicating your displeasure, as the Mayor, at some books is an abuse of power, and should be considered job harassment. Further it is inflicting one set of beliefs on everyone. The obvious implication to the librarian is that the person that signs my check, and has the ability to have me removed, will not be happy with me for respecting Free Speech rights.

Mick