Does Palin seem like the type of person who would ask a library how to ban books?
If she wanted to ban books, that would be stupid.
She is not stupid.
The story isn’t proven as a fact, but lets examine the scenario.
Small town, religion, and a newcomer to politics. New mayor wants to fix something she considers wrong...so she wants a couple of books removed from the library...she even has a list already made up, which would indicate that she’s done her research (as you’d expect from a college grad).
She shows up to tangle with the librarian, wearing the hat of the mayor. It ought to be simple and easy. The librarian won’t budge (as you’d expect from 99.9 percent of all librarians). A book is a book...you can’t dissolve it away.
So when the threat of termination comes up...I’m guessing the librarian simply smiled. To make this threat come true...you have to fire with “cause”, because, you end up in municipal court with official paperwork detailing the reason. The minute the judge involved sees “won’t ban books” as the cause...the town is in serious trouble and would likely have to reinstate the librarian or pay her off. These days? You’d be talking about $300k minimum. No small town can afford to just hand money out, and the political figure who screwed up...is finished in the next election.
So Mayor Sarah at that point, grasped the refusal to give in by the librarian and the impact on her career...thus giving up her stupid idea.
The only problem I now see...is that she has ultra strong religious convictions...and would be agreeable to the banning of books, or holding hostage various scientific principals. Its a great thing to have strong religious character and morals....at some point, you run across a line where you threaten other people and their beliefs. We did write that silly provision into the constitution, you know....freedom of religion, which coequals the concept of freedom from religion.