Eight days after a special library board meeting was called at the Columbia-Marion County Public Library about alleged inappropriate material being in the young adult section, which is for those 12 to 18 years old, the board met to deliver its decision Friday afternoon.
The board attempted to make its motions and promptly end the meeting in just a couple of minutes, but the more than 50 concerned citizens made sure their voices were heard in what turned into a contentious meeting.
Library Board Chairman Libby Aaron opened the meeting with a prepared statement, saying that there would be no public comments because the board had reviewed the “Heartstopper” series, along with reading the material complaint forms. Aaron called for a motion on the series, and Board Member Sharon Dungan motioned that the “Heartstopper” series be permanently shelved in the adult section at each of South Mississippi Regional Library locations, which was unanimously approved.
Dungan then motioned that all books in the young adult section of the library be reviewed and that all books found to have sexually explicit material be moved to the adult section at all three locations, which was also unanimously approved.
At that point, just two minutes and 30 seconds into the meeting, Aaron asked for a motion to adjourn because those were the only two items on the agenda. The motion was seconded and passed, but the citizens in attendance were nowhere close to being done with the meeting.
Rachel McMurry, who was the first to raise the alarm on the “Heartstopper” series, asked if a child attempted to check out a book from the adult section would be stopped at the counter. Branch Manager Mona Swayze said that when a child gets a library card, their parent or guardian signs an application that they are responsible for any of the material checked out.
Regional Director Ryda Worthy said there currently isn’t a protocol in place to restrict access to material.
“It would have to be the parent’s decision. If a parent decided that their child could check out adult material, they would have to give that approval,” she said. “A parent would have to be there if (the book) is in the adult section.”
A citizen then mentioned that there is a group that has been formed to identify inappropriate books in the library, and it has found 14 books that has material it objecting to. Those books are “The Nowhere Girls,” “Story of a Girl,” “Dress Codes for Small Towns,” “What Girls are Made of,” “Burned,” “Ready or Not,” “Luna,” “The Upside of Unrequited,” “Shiver,” “Eleanor and Park,” “All the Bright Places,” “Absolute Boyfriend,” “A Bad can be Good for a Girl” and “Girl in Pieces.”
The group gave each member of the board a packet that featured excerpts from these books in the young adult section, which highlight extremely graphic sexual encounters among underage participants, rape and extreme profanity. Many of the excerpts are too graphic to share.
Carey Varnado, who is the attorney for the library board, then clarified that it is not the responsibility of the board to choose what books stock the shelves of the library and that it is up to library staff. Worthy said library staff does read books before they are purchased.
Sen. Angela Burks Hill then shared MS Code 97-5-27, which states, “Dissemination of sexually oriented material to person under eighteen years of age” is illegal.
State Rep. Ken Morgan, R-Morgantown, who was in attendance, then chimed in.
“Listen up. She just read you a code section that has proven there is a violation being done. It’s not a federal (charge) or a felony, but it is a misdemeanor. So if you’re going to operate in violation, you’re also operating in a situation where you can be charged,” he said.
Several people in attendance began to talk over one another, with each saying that these books should all be pulled from the young adult section. Varnado then reminded everyone that Dungan’s section motion, which was to review all books in the young adult section for sexually explicit material, was approved.
“Just remember,” Morgan added, “that the taxpayers pay for this institution to be here. People are drawing salary to be here. If you can’t clean it up, we’ll get somebody who can.”
That statement was met with several people exclaiming “amen!”
Aaron then said that the meeting had already been adjourned 10 minutes earlier and that board is dedicated to making sure the books are reviewed. The question was then posed about the timeframe regarding these books, and Aaron said there is no specific timeframe at this time.
The crowd in attendance’s volume proceeded to grow, prompting Varnado to motion with his hands that the board should exit the room, concluding the meeting.
