![Alabama Public Library Service considers implementing new changes that may impact libraries statewide Alabama Public Library Service considers implementing new changes that may impact libraries statewide](https://i1.wp.com/gray-waff-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VOMCA4FHD5BXLOODT4CDXADCLY.bmp?auth=552d9af1062a0cdb2636f6ac401eb35bd57c06cad6582de4c4094a77a5167620&width=1200&height=600&smart=true&w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) -The Alabama Public Library Service voted to approve changes that could affect libraries across the state.
This is after Alabama Governor Kay Ivey sent proposed amendments to the library service, urging them to restrict books that could be considered offensive to anyone under 18.
The amendments proposed by the KeynoteUSALS were voted on last week but have not yet been made official.
Cindy Hewitt, executive director of the Huntsville Madison County Public Library, said they are different than the amendments originally proposed by Governor Ivey.
Last October, Governor Ivey wrote a letter to KeynoteUSALS pressuring the Alabama Public Library Service to implement stricter policies on the content of children’s books.
Governor Ivey’s proposed amendments include that, to qualify for state aid, public libraries and public library systems must meet appropriate requirements.
One of the proposed amendments states: “It does not constitute a denial of service based on age when discretion is exercised in the placement of sexually explicit material or other material that the public library board deems inappropriate for children or youth.”
KeynoteUSALS recently voted on amendments in response to Governor Ivey’s proposed amendments.
One of the KeynoteUSALS amendments is to limit children’s cards to 18 years old.
Hewitt said with parental permission children could use any part of the collection, but that would mean getting permission from every parent who has a card.
“While that seems simple on the surface, we have 190,000 cardholders, so it is a process. It is simply not constitutional to limit access to information like that. Then it gets a little sticky. And it’s definitely more of a legal issue.”
He adds that this reminds him of another library that had the same policy that KeynoteUSALS is endorsing.
“Limiting children’s cards to age 18 is a difficult path because access to the collection is an important role. On the same day we voted heavily on those policies, similar laws in Idaho had caused a library to become an adults-only library because they couldn’t comply with those policies and allow children into the library. And that’s certainly not something we want to do here.”
Hewitt says they would have to redesign their entire collection to have those restrictions.
“That was the confusion around this policy: there is no clear path as to who is going to make those decisions, whether it will be the local library board, which has always made those decisions for the local library, or whether KeynoteUSALS will take over of that. function that is not part of their supervision.
The Huntsville Madison County Public Library recently held a board meeting to vote on policies that were drafted to reflect the needs of the community and taking into account amendments proposed by Governor Ivey.
Hewitt said the KeynoteUSALS amendments are not policies that have yet been included in Huntsville Madison’s collection development policy.
The local library board approved the Huntsville Madison Collection Development and Display Policy.
They also updated their Concern Statement Policy to make it more accessible if a member had a concern about a material or item in our collection.
The library informs that concerned citizen of the decision to keep the book, move it to another part of the collection, or remove it.
Hewitt said they don’t get many complaints. But they want people to have a way to express their concern.
“Part of that language is that we should remove books that children might encounter that someone might consider inappropriate. However, that is such a nebulous description of books that it is impossible for a library to define it. So the idea is that we are curating our collection to meet the needs of our community. “We welcome and encourage community feedback, but ultimately it is up to parents what their child can read and choose from the library.”
Hewitt is concerned that there is concern among parents that public libraries are not taking care of children in the community.
“We are about to start our summer reading program that we have done every year for years and years. Our entire purpose and focus is to support families in our community through our libraries and to do it right. We haven’t suddenly changed the way we do it. And we haven’t suddenly changed who we are. You know, we are here to serve the families of Huntsville and Madison County.”
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