Taking a page from a library system to its west, the York County Library in South Carolina is preparing to update their collection policies and ban trans and gender themed books from children’s and teen collections. The policy, proposed June 9 during the library board’s policy committee meeting, copies and pastes the policy imposed by Greenville Public Libraries.
York County Library would not outright ban books for young readers on topics related to gender and trans people. They would, however, make them difficult to access by restricting their location to the adult collections. This systematic and intentional barrier is still a form of censorship, and it blatantly discriminates against queer, trans, and gender nonconforming people.
Such policies are the antithesis of a free and welcoming public library, funded and accessible to all within a community.
Proposed updates to the teen policy read as follows:
Proposed updated to the children’s policy read as follows:
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Dennis Getter, chair of the library board’s policy committee, thought that the discriminatory policy in Greenville made for an excellent template for York County, calling it “wonderful.” He also suggested during the meeting that the library consider implementing Utah Parents United/Mary in the Library/No Left Turn for Education’s RatedBooks ratings for materials. The ratings system is not one created, maintained, nor implemented by professional library workers or educators but instead, by members of the “parental rights” movement. It undermines the work, knowledge, and expertise of the very professional librarians employed by York County.
Greenville County Libraries were sued in late March by four parents of minors, supported by both the South Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the federal American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over their discriminatory policy. Another library in South Carolina, Pickens Public Library, attempted to pass a similar anti-trans and anti-gender policy for its collections accessible to those under the age of 18 in late March as well. They were warned by the ACLU ahead of their vote that such a policy would put them at risk for a similar lawsuit. Leaders for Pickens County Public Library elected not to pursue the policy.
York County Library knows what’s being proposed is dangerous. They were told this in May 2023–more than two years ago–when a representative from South Carolina’s ACLU spoke at a board meeting during public comment.
“Book banners are copying and pasting foolish ideas from one county to the next, but libraries are still for everyone, and so is the Constitution,” said Paul Bowers, Communications Director of the ACLU of South Carolina. “We already informed Greenville County via a federal lawsuit that identically worded policies discriminating against LGBTQ library patrons are discriminatory and unconstitutional. Now some leaders in York County want to go down the same road. We strongly encourage them to reconsider.”
Last year, York County Library made headlines for a proposal that would have ended purchasing materials for the collection published for readers under the age of 18. It came as a response to the state budget proviso, which required that public libraries ensure none of their youth materials contained “sexual content.” What unraveled was a mess of board policies, including no record keeping of meetings that left the community in the dark about their library.
Changes to the York County Library Board over the last few years have included shrinking the number of representatives who could be appointed. Six of the seven board members are affiliated with York County’s republican party.
“We are deeply disappointed by the YCL Policy Committee’s recent discussion to relocate age-appropriate diverse and inclusive books from the children and young adult sections. Our libraries should reflect the full diversity of York County, and that includes offering books that represent all of our community’s families and identities,” said Support York County Libraries, a grassroots local group working to push back against attacks on intellectual freedom in the library. “Decisions about how books are shelved should be made by trained, professional librarians—not politicians or policy committees. Librarians have the expertise to curate collections that serve the educational and developmental needs of all readers.”
The proposed changes to the York County Library collection policy put them firmly in the position of potential litigation, especially as their language is copied and pasted from Greenville’s. It makes clear that the goal of the library isn’t to serve the whole community, either. The goal is to lean into partisan politics at the expense of all young people living in the community–with LGBTQ+ young people being told explicitly that they do not belong.
“This proposal is not only discriminatory, but it also puts our county at serious legal and financial risk. We urge the board to uphold the values of inclusion, intellectual freedom, and fiscal responsibility by rejecting this harmful and short-sighted suggestion,” Support York County Libraries added.
Per The Herald, costs for any litigation arising from such a proposal would come from York County Library’s insurance, meaning it would be footed by taxpayers in one way or another.
Support York County Libraries has put together a petition demanding that the board reject this new policy that anyone can sign. You can follow their work and get involved through their website.
The York County Library policy committee will meet again this coming Tuesday, June 24. It will be at 1 p.m. at the Lake Wylie branch. Consider reaching out to the York County Board via email and keeping an eye on their webpage for updates on meeting times and locations.