Alpena backs away from firing library board after sex-themed books are moved
- Alpena County commissioners threatened to fire public library board members in a fight over sexual-themed books
- The books are being moved, prompting commissioners to back away from the threat
- It’s the latest example of book battles involving Michigan public libraries.
A battle over children and teen books with sexual themes reached a ceasefire Tuesday, when the Alpena County Board of Commissioners backed away from a plan to dismiss the public library board.
Commissioners unanimously voted to rescind a resolution to fire all five board members, reversing a July decision and de-escalating the culture wars in this politically conservative northern Michigan town.
In recent months, one librarian had been compared to a serial killer, several library employees resigned and yard signs popped up throughout town accusing the library of “grooming.”
At issue are 14 books including “Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships and Being a Human.” The graphic novel is one of the American Library Association’s 10 most challenged books of 2023 for its depiction of masturbation and LGBTQ issues.
Related:
- Alpena County moves to fire library officials over sexually-themed youth books
- Alpena voters approve library tax, despite fuss over sex-themed books
Another targeted book, “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health” also discusses masturbation and other sex acts.
Library officials told Bridge in July that they followed guidelines and resources provided by an attorney with the Library of Michigan and declined to move the books out of the youth section.
Since then, the library has grouped most if not all of the controversial books into a section about puberty.
“That way if they want to find a book, that’s where they go, and if they don’t want to see those books, they can stay away from that section,” Alpena Public Library Board Chair Joe Garber told Bridge Michigan Tuesday.
Commission ChairJohn Kozlowski said the commissioners can appoint two new library board members to five-year terms in coming months.
The board will look to appoint members who are sensitive to the concerns of residents, Kozlowski said.
“Moving forward, we will look at it (who the commissioners appoint to the library board) a lot more closely than we have in the past,” he said.
Garber said he is pleased that the commissioners backed away from their threat to fire the board.
“This is positive for the community and the library, and allows the board to move forward with its job,” Garber said.
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