23-03-2025
Athens-Limestone County Public Library Board of Trustees releases statement on ‘age-appropriate material' concerns
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Athens-Limestone County Public Library Board of Trustees released a statement Saturday to clear up reports of inappropriate material shown in the youth sections of the library.
According to the Board of Trustees for the library, there is a report going around that there are non-age-appropriate materials in the youth sections of the Athens-Limestone County Public Library.
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The statement released Saturday states that, before the tenure of Vicki Hereford on the board, a parent reached out and emailed 'unsolicited graphic images' from a book called 'Let's Talk About It.'
The board said this book is a graphic novel format marketed to teens and said, in the email to Hereford, that the parent acknowledged that the library did not own a copy of the book.
The board of trustees said other news articles said the parent mentioned another book called 'It's Perfectly Normal,' but the board said the email to Hereford did not mention that book. The board did acknowledge that the library had a copy of this book but that it was shelved in the adult collection because of its purchase in 2010.
'While the book advertises on its cover that it is for age 10 and up, because of the images and material in the book, the library believed it was inappropriate for that age level and placed it in the adult section,' the Board of Trustees said.
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You can read the full statement released Saturday by the board below.
'Athens-Limestone County Public Library Board of Trustees
The Athens-Limestone County Public Library and its board of trustees are committed to the common-sense proposition, shared by the vast majority of citizens in Limestone County, that only age-appropriate materials be located in the youth sections of our library. Any reports that suggest otherwise are dead wrong.
The ALCPL Board of Trustees is and always has been made up of Athens and Limestone County citizens appointed by the local governments. All the board members meet this qualification. Newly appointed board member Vicki Hereford's qualifications also include an extensive, professional background in finance and academia, and she is known across our community as a conservative mother of three now-grown sons. She is a welcome addition to the board and we look forward to her championing a conservative approach to decisions concerning library operations and materials purchased for children.
Before Ms. Hereford's tenure as a board member began, a concerned parent emailed unsolicited graphic images from a book called 'Let's Talk About It', a book in graphic novel format marketed to teens. The parent's email acknowledged that Athens-Limestone County Public Library does not own a copy of this book. That is correct, and there are no plans for our library to ever have a copy of this book. The images sent to Ms. Hereford were very sexually graphic. Ms. Hereford was disturbed by opening an email to see these unsolicited graphic images and she replied by insisting that the parent not send her those kinds of images.
Some news articles have mentioned another book called 'It's Perfectly Normal'. The parent's emails to Ms. Hereford never mentioned that book and never sent images from that book. The library owns a copy of 'It's Perfectly Normal', and it has been shelved in the adult collection since it was purchased in 2010. While the book advertises on its cover that it is for age 10 and up, because of the images and material in the book, the library believed it was inappropriate for that age level and placed it in the adult section.
The selection of materials for the library is an on-going process guided by the principle that the collection reflects our community's beliefs, standards, growth and diversity. The library has clear policies and procedures to help guide purchasing and placement decisions, and it takes positive action to continually review and evaluate its Children's and Young Adult collection to ensure the collection aligns with current guidelines set by the Alabama Public Library Service.'
Craig BeasleyChairman
In the ALCPL materials selection process information guide, page 16 is titled 'Materials Selection Reconsideration Procedures.'
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You can read the full ALCPL Materials Selection Process guide below.
3-Materials-Selection-Reconsideration-Process-ALCPLDownload
In this section, the library says it supports the principles of intellectual freedom in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.
'The Board of Trustees has endorsed the policy that while any one individual is free toreject any books or materials that don't meet their individual approval, this right ofindividual censorship cannot be used to restrict the freedom of other individuals to readthe materials they choose. The Library will make efforts to properly categorize materialsin such a way that certain materials as stated herein are not placed in Juvenile or YoungAdult sections, however, the responsibility for the choice of library material for minorsrests with their parents or legal guardians,' the section reads.
The section then says that those who are in 'good standing' with the library can request that materials be withdrawn or reconsidered. The section says that pieces of work will then be evaluated as a whole, not by 'excerpts taken out of context.'
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The ALCPL materials selection process information guide also said that something will not be removed or relocated without proof that the item violates the ALCPL Material Selection Policy.
'An item in the collection will not be removed or relocated at the request of anyone whodisagrees with the content or format unless it can be proved that the item is in violationof the Athens-Limestone County Public Library Material Selection Policy or by finaljudgments or rulings by a court of competent jurisdiction,' the guidelines say.
To request that material be reconsidered by the library, a member can fill out a 'citizen's request for reconsideration of library material' form found below.
3-Materials-Selection-Reconsideration-Process-FORMDownload
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