Fairhope, Alabama
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| April 2024 Library Board. |
STATE GRANT MONEY AT STAKE
The city's public library board may consider adopting policies in line with new Alabama Library Service guidelines adopted May 16 (that take effect July 17) during its 4 PM meeting Monday, according to sources on the board.
The new policies are not mandatory, but must be adopted to continue receiving substantial state grants for the library.
BOOK LOCATION POLICIES QUESTIONED
After hearing and reviewing requests from citizens earlier this year and last concerning the location of what they deemed too "sexually-explicit" books in the children/teen areas, the Fairhope library board decided not to make any changes to existing practices/policies; but measures enacted last spring by the state legislature possibly restricting the grants has caused the reconsideration.
The library board is autonomous, not part of the city but is heavily subsidized by it, about $850K per year. The city owns/maintains the building as well.
MAYOR WEIGHS IN
When asked about it by the Times mayor Sullivan commented: "If we want to continue getting state funds, we have to adopt the new policies. That is about $40,000 of the Library’s budget."
The mayor is not on the library board; Jimmy Conyers represents the city council there though.
PROPOSED CHANGES
According to an earlier Al.com report:
“In order to receive state aid, a library board must approve written policies for the public library which cover the following:
- Materials selection policies, including selection criteria for minors and how they are safeguarded from sexually explicit or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth.
- Physical location and relocation of sexually explicit or other material deemed inappropriate for children or youth
- Advance approval of materials recommended, displayed or otherwise actively promoted to children or youth.
- Approve written guidelines (and selection material) 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 religion, history, biology or human anatomy should not be construed against this rule.
- Approve written
guidelines that establish library cards for minors under the age of 18
must require parental approval before a minor’s card is permitted to
checkout materials from the library’s adult sections."
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| April 2024 meeting. |