Despite mostly favorable media coverage and assistance from out-of-state entities, the group supporting sexually explicit children's books in Alabama libraries has yet to claim a significant win.
Read Freely Alabama is a group formed out of tensions with the Autauga/Prattville library over residents' protests of sexually explicit and LGBTQ+ promoting books. The group has since gained some support in similar conflicts in localities the state over. Read Freely was started in response to Clean Up Alabama, a group opposed to the inclusion of certain books deemed inappropriate.
Read Freely also has the support of Every Library, an Illinois-based group designed to "support grassroots groups across the country defend and support their local library against book banning, illicit political interference, and threats of closure."
The Read Freely website "about our work" tab says the following:
"Read Freely Alabama is a volunteer group of concerned citizens who oppose censorship in our local libraries. As the scale of censorship efforts and attacks on libraries have expanded across the state, we have grown to meet the challenge. Read Freely Alabama is the state-wide resource hub for local chapters and affiliated groups fighting censorship. By connecting library advocates to one another and to state and national partners, Read Freely Alabama enables liberty-loving patriots across the state to stand together against this un-American campaign of bigotry."
Suspiciously missing is a list of accomplishments.
Despite consistently being the loudest and most disruptive people in any given room, the Read Freely types have consistently racked up losses without a win in sight.
In Prattville, where this whole thing started, the library board does not contain a single original member since Read Freely began petitioning the city council and county commission, who appoint board members. According to Read Freely, "the Autauga-Prattville Public Library board was successfully stacked with Clean Up Alabama sympathizers."
That same board terminated library director Andrew Foster for allegedly recording executive sessions and sharing privileged information in an open records request.
After Foster's firing, members of Read Freely went to the Prattville library, where employees decided to lock the doors in protest. Despite the cries of "yes queen" and other vapid affirmations, the protesting employees were subsequently terminated for their actions as well.
This came after that same board passed a series of regulating policies for ordering and placing "obscene" books in the local library.
In Trussville, Read Freely attempted to mobilize supporters to oppose the removal or relocation of several books in the Trussville Library after several community members addressed the board in February, asking for the books to be removed.
Despite the planned protest, the Trussville Library Board voted to remove 11 books, with plans to relocate another 18 to a new section of the library for mature teens or mature young adult content.
The L's continue to stack up across the state.
SEE: Foley library makes leadership changes, moves explicit books to adult section after complaints
SEE ALSO: Huntsville Library responds to accusation it targeted LGBTQ books for relocation: 'That is not true'
At the state level, Read Freely has also received an equal number of unsuccessful petitions and protests.
Not only have several lawmakers proposed legislation to address sexually explicit books in libraries, but the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) has also adopted several policies vigorously opposed by Read Freely.
Gov. Kay Ivey locked horns with APLS director Nancy Pack for the lack of attention paid to the library issue, suggesting a lengthy series of policy recommendations. Ivey also replaced former board member Virginia Doyle after Doyle expressed vehement criticism of Ivey and other lawmakers. Ivey replaced Doyle with Amy Minton, a long-time critic of sexually explicit and age-inappropriate children's books.
Despite consistent protests from Read Freely, APLS also voted unanimously in January to withdraw its American Library Association (ALA) membership.
The ALA is at the center of the statewide debate over local libraries' inclusion of sexually explicit books made available for minors. Those opposed to the books' inclusion have pointed to the ALA's support for sexually explicit children's books and the political bias of the ALA and its leadership.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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