Gov. Ivey mentions Foley in letter to State Board over library books
Gov. Ivey mentions Foley in letter to State Board over library books
The Foley Library and City Council, in response to complaints from a citizen, is reviewing the content of eight books in the library’s young adult section, and (pictured) Mayor Ralph Hellmich said council will accommodate the concerns of parents by possibly separating books and allowing some books to be checked out only by adults.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey in a letter to Nancy Pack, director of the Alabama Public Library Service, asked for clarification about juvenile library card holders’ right to privacy and parental supervision. Gov Ivy wrote that she is concerned that inappropriate, sexually suggestive materials are in public library spaces where children and teenagers are the intended audience.
Gov. Ivey went on to single out one of the books Foley residents have voiced their concerns over: “Who are You?: The Kid’s Guide to Gender Identity.’’
“According to reports, the children’s section of the Foley Public Library has featured a book called Who are You?: The Kid’s Guide to Gender Identity, which is marketed to five to eight-year-olds for ‘understanding and celebrating the gender diversity that surrounds us,” Gov. Ivey wrote in her letter.
“If our children and youth are going to encounter these books at all, it should be because of a considered family decision, not the whims of a local library,’’ the stated.
The Foley library requires that children 15 and younger have parental approval before checking any books out. The American Library Assn guidelines that website says “Like adults, children and teens have the right to find the information they choose.”
“Public libraries should be spaces where parents can feel confident that their children can explore and learn,” Pack wrote in response. “Despite the challenges posed by limited funding, most public libraries in our state do an excellent job of meeting the information needs of their communities.”
A new Foley library, twice the size of the current structure will not only be a place to check out books, but a community center and learning facility. The new library on city property south of the Foley Post Office, near the city Dog Park, will be open in two years. The current library, open since 2006, will be used for other city purposes after the new facility opens.