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Book challenges have cropped up across Alabama over the past year, with some residents going so far as to call on city councils to do something about books they find inappropriate for children.
The Mobile City Council heard from a couple of residents Tuesday for the first time seeking the removal of books from the Mobile Public Library or the denial of funding for the library.
Melissa Gates of Eagle Forum and resident Toni Keener submitted a list to the council that includes some of the same books that have been challenged elsewhere in the state.
Mobile Councilman William Carroll responded during the meeting that removing books is a slippery slope.
“In the Bible, you can find prostitution, adultery, fornication, wars, men with lower extremities removed,” Carroll said. “When we talk about information in books, let’s be careful about what you’re asking for. It sounds like some of us would want the Bible taken out of the library. That would be extremely suggestive, but it could happen if we start (removing books).”
The council is set to approve $8.2 million in funding for the library at its next meeting and councilors indicated that is very unlikely to change.
The Mobile Public Library released a statement following the meeting reinforcing its commitment to offering diverse books while hearing the concerns of patrons.
“We are aware of the concerns raised at the recent Mobile City Council meeting regarding certain books in our collection,” the statement reads. “The library acknowledges the right of all community members to express their views on library materials, and we take these concerns seriously. As a public institution, we uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and ensure that all materials in our collection meet established selection criteria, including literary merit, educational value, and alignment with community interests.
“Our commitment remains to serve the community with fairness, inclusivity, and respect for all viewpoints. The Mobile Public Library will continue to provide a broad range of books and resources, allowing individuals and families to make informed decisions that align with their personal values.”
Libraries across the state are currently considering whether and how to adapt policies to continue receiving state funding from the Alabama Public Library Service after changes to the administrative code that require policies to prevent sexually explicit materials out of sections designated for minors among other things.
Larger systems like Huntsville and Mobile are well-funded by local governments and could feasibly decline to change their policies and simply forego state aid. The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library board has already indicated that option is on the table, as they seek to ensure their policies benefit their patrons regardless of whether they receive state aid.
Smaller libraries more heavily rely on state aid and could be forced to reshape policies to fit the new APLS code, despite those changes also bringing potential financial burdens that include updating library card systems and potential physical partitioning to separate sections in one-room libraries.
Library leaders are watching a federal lawsuit play out against the Autauga-Prattville Public Library, which has spurred much of this movement and served as a template for the APLS code changes. Plaintiffs allege the policies currently in place at the library are vague, over broad and discriminate on content based on viewpoint.
Challenges across the state have focused on LGBTQ+ books alongside books that contain sexual content and sometimes even racial or political content.
