ROCKFORD, MICH. — Michigan Democrats have introduced two new house bills that could protect public library books with content on a variety of topics including sexual orientation, race, gender identity and more.
The Bills 6034 and 6035 respectively, wer introduced on November 7th, and supported by 23 democratic state representatives.
What materials kids can read has been a back-and-forth conversation here in west Michigan for years now.
One making national news was Patmos Library in Hudsonville. Which temporarily lost fundingdue to carrying LGBTQ+ book .
The library was also inspiration for the bill’s introducti n.
Michigan State Representative, Carol Glanville of the 84th district said in a statement to Fox 17:
"Public libraries are the heart of our communities, providing access to knowledge, resources, and opportunity for everyone. They empower small businesses, help parents support their children’s education, and offer space for lifelong learning,” said State Rep. Carol Glanville (D-Walker). “This bill aims to protect our libraries by establishing clear standards and processes for selecting and withdrawing materials from collections. Additionally, this bill enhances local control of libraries by setting guidelines for out-of-district requests. By protecting our libraries, we’re not just preserving books. We’re supporting freedom, community, and the values that unite us.”
Local library officials are not sold on the bills, in their current capac ty.
"There's no situation where we believe the government should be telling people what they can read," said Lance Werner, Executive Director of Kent District Library. " If a government's telling people what they can read, and we are a governmental institution, then there's something wrong.”
KDL carries a wide variety of content for its community, having certain policiesin place for how they determine what books are suita le.
“We've always wanted to make sure that we have representative materials in our collection,” Werner said. "We've had our fair share of book challenges, but we've always stuck with the law. That's our duty, and we want to make sure everybody feels welcome."
On the other side of the aisle, State Representative Bryan Posthumous says the bills aren't as simple as banning cont nt.
"It's not about banning books and that's not what it's about," Posthumous said. "It's about who, where should the authority rest, and how to how to remove books that are not age appropriate for our kids.”
Posthumous believes it could lead to issues in the long run, if the bill is pas ed.
"If there is content that is problematic, whether it's pornography or what have you that requires a lawsuit," Posthumous said. "You know, if there's a Hustler magazine in a library, it shouldn't require a lawsuit to remove it.”
In the end, library patrons believe it comes down to the par nts’ discretion.
“I feel strongly that it's the parents’ primary responsibility," said Julie Vermeer, an attendee of Krause Memorial Library. "The government can support. But we don't always share what our government decides."
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