'Investigate the board': Library book banning remains concern for free press advocates
Rutherford County leaders recently heard another plea opposing book banning, this time from MTSU library science professor Frank Lambert.
Lambert spoke Dec. 4 to the seven-member County Commission Steering, Legislative & Governmental Committee about censorship of books by a Rutherford County Library System Board of Directors that used to include him.
"The board is engaging in these actions in direct contravention of their duties and responsibilities to support (the library system) in the wake of unprecedented sweeping and unconstitutional so-called obscenity laws and ordinances being passed at the state and municipal levels," said Lambert, an associate professor of library science and information systems at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
The board in August responded to the Murfreesboro City Council adopting a community decency standards ordinance in June and a Tennessee General Assembly law by pulling the following four books that were in the young adult library section of the libraries for ages 12-17:
"Flamer" by Mike Curato
"Let's Talk About It" by Erika Moen
"Queerfully & Wonderfully Made" edited by Leigh Finke
"This Book is Gay" by Juno Dawson
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The issues Lambert spoke about came a month after his wife, Kerri Lambert, also spoke against library book banning before the County Commission steering committee. The committee members in November discussed a proposed resolution that would stipulate that county tax dollars not be used to buy books in violation of state law by being too explicit or detrimental to children, chairman Craig Harris said.
The County Commission provides $2.1 million to the library system this fiscal year that started July 1.
Harris said he gave the library board 60 days to find "a way to police having certain books put into our system."
The book, "Let's Talk About It," was of concern in particular, Harris said.
"That book is so explicit, we just can’t see how that book got in our library," Harris said.
Although the steering committee's agenda Dec. 4 excluded mention of the library, Harris said he allowed Frank Lambert to speak on an issue that matters to many and will permit others who make requests in advance to speak at subsequent meetings on the issue.
"I’m also looking at other angles because I believe in the First Amendment and free speech," Harris said. "But if it’s detrimental to our children, that causes me concern."
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The library board led by chairman Steve Sullivan expects to be presenting a plan on reviewing materials to ensure adherence to the community decadency ordinance by the Jan. 8 County Commission steering committee meeting. Library staff is crafting a plan for the board to consider during a 5 p.m. Dec. 18 meeting at the Rutherford County Courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro, Sullivan said.
The board also will be discussing a process to replace Rita Shacklett, who announced Dec. 1 that she'll be retiring from her library system executive director position on Feb. 29, Sullivan said.
Assessing proposed materials will be a challenge from a library system that recently had 2,700 titles proposed to be added to a collection with 209,000, Sullivan said.
"It’s not banning," Sullivan said. "It’s restrictions. It is restricting material in the library. It's something that’s been going on at the library for years."
The library, for example, prohibits materials promoting hate speech, such as the book, "Mein Kampf," by Adolf Hitler, Sullivan said, but does allow Historical books about the leader of the Nazi Party, who became dictator of Germany in the 1930s and 1940s.
The board chairman said people who disagree with the state law could challenge the legislation through legal action.
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Lambert: 'Investigate the board'
Book freedom advocates such as Frank Lambert question why government officials should deny "our county's citizens' First and 14th amendment rights."
The board, Lambert said, is obligated to follow the statutory duties identified by both the Tennessee State Library and Archives' Board of Trustees and Secretary of State Tre Hargett's publication, "A Comparison of Responsibilities: Local Library Board of Trustees, Local Library Director, Regional Library, and Friends of the Library."
"I would urge the steering committee investigate the board and insist that they work within statutory boundaries," Lambert said.
Lambert also contends that Rutherford's library board is "egregiously" ignoring the need to establish a collection policy that should be reviewed annually.
"It is quite clear to me that our county library's board of directors is negligent in its statutory responsibilities," Lambert said.
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Sullivan: Board and its staff vet many materials
Library staff examine proposed materials before acceptance, Sullivan said.
The library staff in Smyrna, for example, denied a request by an employee to allow Christian faith based books on gender because the materials didn't "meet our selection criteria" by having reviews from normal reviewers to describe what the books are about, Sullivan said.
The four books the board decided in August to pull from library shelves after being determined to be obscene, indecent or inappropriate for children were among the six that residents requested be removed, Sullivan said.
"We are only responding to what taxpayers have asked us to do," said Sullivan, who confirmed that five of the six books in question in August pertained to LGBTQ+ topics.
Board members determined two books should be allowed to remain in the library:
"An ABC of Equality" by Chana Ginelle Ewing for the young adult section of library;
"Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe for the adult section of library.
The board also established a policy for library cards for children 12 and under, youth for ages 17 to 12 ,and adults 18 and over. Parents can allow full library materials access for their children either all the time or for a temporary time, such as for a school research project, Sullivan said.
"We restrict all kinds of things," Sullivan said. "We restrict access to the internet."
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'Fifty Shades of Grey' kept off library shelf
The library prohibits pornography, such as Penthouse magazine, Sullivan said.
"We don’t allow youth to rent or check out video games without a parent’s approval," Sullivan said. "The parent approval is for any kind of video."
The library board since the August meeting decided to reclassify, "Sex, A Book for Teens: An Uncensored Guide to Your Body, Sex and Safety," to the adult section, so parents can decide if their children are ready for this topic, Sullivan said.
The library has permitted the erotic novel, "Fifty Shades of Grey," to be in the collection but behind a counter where staff would respond to requests to check out the book, Sullivan said.
"You couldn’t just grab that off the library shelf," Sullivan said.
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Local tax dollars provide $3.9 million for library budget
The County Commission committee Frank Lambert addressed recommends to the full commission the appointment of four library board members to represent the Rutherford government for three-year terms.
The board also consists of four representatives from Murfreesboro, two from Smyrna and one from Eagleville.
In addition to the county providing $2.1 million for library operations, Murfreesboro City Council allocated $1.3 million this fiscal year to a system that includes a Linebaugh Library that's adjacent to Murfreesboro City Hall in the downtown area. The system also has the Myrtle Glanton Lord Library within Murfreesboro's Patterson Park Community Center and operates the Technology Engagement Center by the city's Hobgood Elementary School on the eastside.
The library system also has branches in Smyrna and Eagleville. The Smyrna Town Council is contributing $423,450 in funding for its library branch this year while the Eagleville City Council is providing $47,977 for the small city's library branch on the far southwest side of the county.
La Vergne operates a library that's separate from the county's library system.
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Lambert: Endorse 'Library Bill of Rights'
Library board members can serve up to two terms before they must roll off, said Sullivan, the chairman who's in his sixth and final year in representing Smyrna where he also serves as an elected member of the Town Council.
Lambert said he previously represented the county on the library board for six years.
Lambert's speech also suggested the Rutherford County library board led by chairman Sullivan has an obligation to present all types of information to its constituents, the taxpayers within Rutherford County.
"The board should be providing the library the support needed to counter all forms of censorship, regardless whether it comes from a government entity or from an individual citizen," Lambert said.
Rather than county leaders endorsing laws and local government ordinances to ban books, they should "endorse the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read statement and the Freedom to View statement, written by the American Library Association," Lambert said.
The Rutherford County Library System is not a member of the private American Library Association, Sullivan said.
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Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow his tweets on the social media platform X formerly known as Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
Local governments fund Rutherford County Library System
Rutherford County Commission allocation this fiscal year: $2.1 million
Murfreesboro City Council allocation this fiscal year: $1.3 million
Smyrna Town Council allocation this fiscal year: $423,450
Eagleville City Council allocation this fiscal year: $47,977
Note: La Vergne operates a city library independent from Rutherford County Library System
Sources: Rutherford County, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Eagleville and La Vergne governments
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Library book banning remains concern for MTSU 1st Amendment advocates
