The Athens-Limestone Public Library board of trustees recently joined other local libraries in compliance with the Alabama Public Library Service's (APLS) recent administrative rule change mandating libraries adopt to continue receiving state funding.
The rule changes came after the over-year-long battle regarding sexually explicit books.
The battle started at Prattville and spread to local libraries across the state, eventually reaching the APLS and Gov. Kay Ivey.
Ivey became involved after Alabama residents began petitioning the APLS board to address the preponderance of sexually explicit or inappropriate books in the children's section of public libraries.
In September 2023, Ivey sent a letter to APLS Director Nancy Pack demanding answers about the sexually explicit books and APLS's connection with the American Library Association (ALA).
Ivey later responded by offering a series of policy recommendations, which were delayed during the public comment portion of the rules' deliberation.
After months of debate and public comment, the APLS board approved the rule changes in May.
The legal ramifications of the state rule change may end up being adjudicated, which is where the controversy began in Prattville. Left-wing advocates sued the Autauga-Prattville Public Library (APPL) over its previous rule changes. Now that the APPL has aligned its rules with the state regulations, any additional litigation may require the state to enter the court battle.
SEE: Athens-Limestone County Library Board meeting descends into chaos over book policy
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According to the Decatur Daily, the change didn't come without the protests of those who see restricting children’s reading material as akin to Nazi book burning and censorship.
“Americans, and Alabamians in particular, have been toying with fascism for years,” said the Rev. Carey Cobb, an Athens resident and pastor at Madison Christian Church. “It’s time to reject fascism in all its insidious forms. Say no to one of the major tools of fascism: the banning of books.”
According to the Daily, Curtis Turner, a military veteran from Limestone County, began his three-minute comment by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
“Still there are those who don’t know what ‘liberty and justice for all’ means,” he said. “The May 10, 1933, Nazi book burning targeted authors’ works for their un-German ideas. Book burnings and book bans and books being moved were not exclusive to Nazi Germany and did not end with the Third Reich.”
Representatives from the Alabama Library Association (ALLA), the state chapter of the American Library Association, which is also suing the Prattville library board, also spoke at the meeting. Jessica Hayes, the advocacy coordinator for ALLA, reportedly expressed concern that the Decatur library would have to close for an extended period to relocate any books covered under the policy.
Ultimately, the board approved the rule changes for the library despite the protests.
The new APLS rules require libraries to do the following:
Create policies governing the selection criteria for minors and how they are safeguarded from sexually explicit or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth.
Approve written guidelines that ensure library sections designated for minors under the age of 18 remain free of material containing obscenity, sexually explicit or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth. Age-appropriate materials regarding history, religion, biology, or human anatomy should not be construed to be against this rule.
Approve written selection criteria for minors that prevent the purchase or otherwise acquiring of any material advertised for consumers under the age of 18 that contains obscenity, sexually explicit, or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth. Age-appropriate materials regarding history, religion, biology, or human anatomy should not be construed to be against this rule.
Approve written guidelines that establish library cards for minors under the age of 18, which must require parental approval before a minor's card is permitted to check out materials.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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