DBRL board expected to discuss Jay Ashcroft's proposed book-challenge rule

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft last month proposed a rule change requiring libraries that receive state funds to determine what material is "age-appropriate" and restrict minors from accessing some books.

Daniel Boone Regional Library is among those receiving state aid and the Board of Trustees is expected to discuss this proposed rule change at its 6 p.m. meeting Thursday in Columbia through a presentation from Executive Director Margaret Conroy.

The 30-day public comment period for the rule change opens Nov. 15. The Secretary of State's office is taking submissions via email through comments@sos.mo.gov and by traditional mail to Office of the Missouri Secretary of State, PO Box 1767, Jefferson City, MO 65102.

More:Proposed Missouri rule would restrict minors' access to 'age-appropriate' materials in state libraries

Daniel Boone Regional Library already separates out its collection into five general age ranges and materials are separated into different sections in the library, according to information provided by Mitzi St. John, library public relations manager.

The library also has a policy where patrons can challenge materials, wrote Kirk Henley, collection development manager, in a recent email to the Tribune.

Ashcroft's proposal would also allow parents to challenge a library's "age-appropriate" designation, and ban state funds from being used to "purchase or acquire materials in any form that appeal to the prurient interest of any minor." Libraries that receive state funds could see them cut off if they violate the proposed rule.

DBRL's collection age designations are:

• Start Early — birth to preschool

• Easy — preschool to third grade

• Juvenile — third through sixth or seventh grade

• Young Adult/Teen — middle and high school aged

• Adult — college level and above

The library in 2021 received roughly $14.2 million in funding. Nearly 97% of that came from property taxes, 1% from state aid, 0.3% from contributions and 1.1% from other sources, such as grants, St. John wrote. A majority of the state aid of roughly $142,000 was used to purchase more materials for the library collection.

"When state dollars are involved, we want to bring back local control and parental involvement in determining what children are exposed to," Ashcroft, a Republican, said in a statement. "Foremost, we want to protect our children."

The rule change is concerning for Aaron Schekorra, president of LGBTQ+ advocacy group PFLAG Springfield.

He is concerned the rule mirrors national book challenge efforts of materials featuring themes of race and gender, including those written by LGBTQ+ authors or authors of color. If the rule change goes through, it could be used to justify restricting literature written by or featuring LGBTQ+ characters and relationships — even if there wasn't necessarily explicit sexual content involved, he said.

"A lot of the times this definition of sexual content or age-appropriate content is pretty broadly applied to just discussions or mentions of sexual orientation or gender identity," Schekorra said. "Because there's always been a constant effort to try and sexualize people's identities when it's not remotely about sexuality and sexual actions. It's about identities, it's about relationships and love."

Ashcroft's rule change requires a "written, publicly-accessible" policy determining "how selections are made in considering the appropriateness for the age and maturity level of any minor … who accesses any material in any form."

This is something DBRL already has through its Materials Selection Policy, which last was updated in August 2021. All library policies also already are posted to its website.

Any challenges made by parents to a library's designation of materials "shall be disclosed to the public and published on the library's website." Libraries must submit copies of their policies to the state librarian, as well as any future revisions to their policies.

DBRL does track all comments it informally receives or through its patron comment policy, Henley wrote. The library in the last three months has no informal comments and only has had one formal complaint so far this year.

Galen Bacharier of the Springfield News-Leader contributed to this report.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: DBRL board to discuss Secretary of State's proposed book-challenge rule