Fairhope Public Library likely to lose all state funding after vote to keep explicit material in juvenile section
The Fairhope Public Library board voted not to move a controversial book from the teen section to the adult section after the state paused funding due to explicit material, meaning it will no longer receive state funding.
"Sold" is about the human trafficking of a child. It is one of the books that Moms for Liberty Baldwin County founder Rebecca Watson read to the Alabama Public Library System (APLS) before the APLS paused funding to the library.
Watson claimed the book did not comply with the new APLS policies. During its April board meeting, Fairhope library board members decided the book would not be moved because its content was deemed appropriate for teens.
Board members and some Fairhope City leaders believe "Sold" addresses a difficult reality that teens should be aware of.
APLS chairman John Wahl said the library board's action clearly shows members do not want to go along with the state, and that the move will likely result in them losing all state funding.
The board moved "Let's Talk About It" and several other books to the library's adult section due to their inappropriate content. More than a dozen challenged books are still under review.
The Fairhope library has already received half of its $42,000 a year from the State. In just five days, a national non-profit raised over $40,000 for the library after claiming that APLS slashed the library's funding by over $42,000. Wahl said the effort is a national push for a liberal agenda.
Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan said the library was never in danger of being shut down and that the funding pause was simply due to a misunderstanding.
The Fairhope library board has not responded to a media request asking what will be done with the money raised by the non-profit.
Sullivan said she had hoped for discourse between Wahl and the library board.
The library has implemented a juvenile library card system, allowing parents to choose which sections of the library their child can check out books from. The move was part of the APLS's effort to ensure the protection of children in public libraries.