Board restarts grant program as fight over book complaints at Alabama library continues

The board of directors of the Alabama Public Library Service on Thursday heard complaints from several parents about books they felt were inappropriate for children, as part of an ongoing public debate about how libraries should control access to sexual and LGBTQ-themed books.

The Alabama Legislature and the APLS Board demand that local libraries update their policies to protect young readers from sexually explicit materials or you will risk losing government funds.

Many of the speakers in the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting said they believed some libraries were not following the new policies.

APLS Board President John Wahl said parents should first voice their concerns to their local library board and appeal to the APLS Board if they believe the library is not following the new guidelines.

Additionally, in a move supported by local library administrators, the APLS Board reversed an earlier decision and reinstated a federal grant program for local libraries.

In September, the board voted in favor of a statewide plan to allocate services with federal funds instead of awarding competitive Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants, which have been an annual program for years.

Thursday’s meeting attracted a standing-room-only crowd in the boardroom and others watched from afar from a packed room.

Wahl, who is chairman of the Alabama Republican Party and represents the 5th congressional district on the APLS Board of Directors, served as chairman at a convention for the first time on Thursday.

Wahl met with local library administrators for a question-and-answer session before the board meeting Thursday morning.

“I think the board as a whole and our local library directors need to have a good working relationship, and I think the best way to achieve that is through open communication, transparency, and ensuring that they have a chance to talk and share with me as president. It explains how it will affect them.

Dozens of executives attended the session, and others joined remotely. When Wahl called for a show of hands on reinstating LSTA grants. support appeared near unanimous.

Later at the board meeting, Gadsden Public Library Director Craig Scott, who is president of the Alabama Library Association, appealed to the board to restore donations.

“More than 100 library directors are eagerly awaiting your reconsideration today,” Scott told the board. “LSTA funding is a vital resource that empowers libraries in Alabama to deliver transformative programs, services and resources for their communities.”

Jessica Ross, director of the Washington County Public Library, said LSTA grants helped fund the career preparation and small business development center and the community college satellite campus.

“Our library may be small and rural, but it is thriving and dynamic and serves as a key institution and community center for our county,” Ross said.

APLS Director Nancy Pack urged the board to stick to its September decision to use federal funds to allocate services through a statewide plan rather than LSTA grants. This will better serve all libraries, including smaller libraries that can’t compete effectively for grants, Pack said.

Wahl supported reinstating the grants after listening to local administrators’ concerns. The board of directors voted for reinstatement.

“We ultimately agreed with them that the best policy was to ensure that these libraries had the resources they needed directly through a subgrant program,” Wahl said.

Earlier this year, APLS Board approves a new legislative act requiring libraries to carry materials “inappropriate” for children, requiring library cards specifically for minors, and making other changes.

Approximately 132 of approximately 210 public libraries have successfully updated their policies, APLS Director Pack said.

He said 36 had not submitted new policies, while 42 had submitted new policies but still needed to make revisions.

During the public comment period, Melissa Gates of Mobile showed the board a book titled “It’s Totally Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health.”

The drawings include depictions of sexual intercourse, including gay and lesbian images. Gates said the book was purchased from the Moorer/Spring Hill branch and was found on a shelf within reach of a small child.

“I’m sorry, but if my 4-year-old says, ‘Oh, look at the colors in that book,’ I don’t want to have to explain it to him. I like. I will catch him. And I’m going to look into it,'” Gates said. “This shouldn’t happen.”

Gates said that he asked the library to move the book, but it did not do so.

“They said the book had been in the library for 15 years and had been checked over and over again,” Gates said.

Rebecca Watson of Baldwin County showed the board her book, “Pieces and Hearts: A Kids’ (and Adults’) Guide to Transgender Transition.” Watson said the book is available in the Fairhope Public Library’s section for children ages 3 to 12.

Watson said that the request to remove the book from the children’s section was rejected by the library director because the book was classified as an educational and instructive book.

He said the Fairhope Library Board approved the director’s decision.

Read more: Library war in Fairhope: Group calls for board chair’s resignation

Region 3 APLS Board member Amy Minton said “Pieces and Hearts” should not be classified as educational and noted that the Alabama Legislature passed a bill banning the use of hormones, puberty blockers and surgeries as transgender therapy for minors.

Baldwin County Chapter President Watson Mothers for Freedom, He said he wanted to know if the Fairhope Library was complying with regulations regarding the placement of books.

“I’m not personally trying to distort or manipulate anything,” Watson said.

“I want to make sure all libraries comply with the law. Whatever the law is, I want to make sure they comply. And our public library is not up to it.”

“Pieces and Hearts” is an important book for transgender children and their families, said Amber Frey of Prattville, executive organizing director of Read Freely Alabama.

“Whether people like it or not, there are transgender kids out there,” Frey said.

“They are there. “And having a book that shows people like themselves and shows them how to be themselves is so important because those are the biggest targets right now.”

Frey said Alabama’s mission is to advocate for libraries and librarians.

“We are here to defend the freedom to read whatever you want,” Frey said.

“The library is a place that everyone should be able to see. And this shouldn’t be a partisan, political issue because libraries are apolitical. Reed Freely Alabama is apolitical. And there are people at Read Freely Alabama from across the political spectrum who agree that the government should not interfere with the services the public library provides to its patrons.”

Regarding the sex education book “This Is Totally Normal” that Gates showed to the board, Frey said that it is not a book that parents should give their children to read, but a book that they will read with them.

“I don’t think this should be placed next to little children’s books, no,” Frey said. “I think it’s suitable for the youth section, where there are generally higher shelves. If it’s on a low shelf, you may want to consider moving it up. I don’t think this will be a problem.

“But librarians know more about this than I do. “I trust librarians more about shelving books than I do about myself or anyone who challenges books.”

Wahl said the APLS Board of Directors is committed to protecting children.

“Local libraries will have to remove sexually explicit materials from libraries in order to receive state funding,” Wahl said.

“Once this is fully in place, if parents are still finding this material in libraries, they should reach out to their local library board, make sure they are aware of it, and give them a chance to remove it. “If they refuse to repeal it, at that point they should come to the APLS Board of Directors and we will ensure that this policy is implemented statewide.”