It is not whether the leader has the words, to my mind, but whether she first stops the flow of the music, hands out extra books she has brought along for such a circumstance, tells everyone the page number and waits whilst they find it. If she just wants to look at the words her ownself, fine, if others are fast enough to figure out where it is in their books, fine. Otherwise, they can ask her later one what was that lovely song and read the words at their leisure in the bathtub or Starbucks or wherever.

And if you have an ongoing event, song circle, session, music camp, and you want to not deal with these books, better do something right now to get something in writing and put it out when you publicize your event that we sing sans books for perhaps everyone but the person leading the song. It will save a lot of trouble up front.

Of course, if people like the books and want to start their own events where books are welcome, encouraged or mandatory, more power to them. My problem is when the books ruin ongoing events that have been wonderful without them. New events where they are part and parcel are just fine. People can choose whichever style of singing they like and attend events accordingly. mg