BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
In a 4-3 vote Tuesday night, the Prattville City Council shot down a resolution that would have created a contract for services with the Autauga-Prattville Public Library Tuesday night before a packed house. It would have also raised the age to view such materials to 18.
Since earlier this year, there has been tremendous controversy of the public library, including some of the books therein that include some reference to sexuality or an explanation of gender identity. Once called out by some area residents for the nature of the books, they were moved to an older age section, but not banned from the library. This was done voluntarily by the library staff.
This is not just happening locally. Across the United States there has been a huge move to protest against public libraries and their content, usually when it refers to anything other than heterosexuality.
From the beginning, the Prattville Council members said that it was not the responsibility of government to run the public library, but they did have a hand in appointing some board members.
Last week, that stance changed, as a “compromise” was created with short notice for it to appear on the agenda Tuesday night.
A meeting was held with city officials, a spokesperson for the group who did not want the books removed, as well as members of “Clean Up Prattville” who wanted the books removed. Both sides were able to plead their case to city officials in the quickly called meeting Friday. But differing opinions have also taken center stage at every Prattville City Council meeting during public comments for months. Some council members discussed why library board members were not invited to the meeting Friday.
Voting against the resolution Tuesday were council members Robert Strichik, Lora Lee Boone, Marcus Jackson and Albert Striplin. Those voting in favor of the contract for services plan were Blair Gornto, Tommy Merrick and John Chambers.
The resolution, which was voted down, reads “Funding for the Autauga-Prattville Public Library is budgeted annually by the City of Prattville. The library serves the public good and is desirable for the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Prattville. The City desires to have sexually explicit materials in the library restricted to minors under the age of 18 and a contract for services is needed to administer and support the allocation of funds.”
Those against the resolution said that the library staff has run a very successful program for many years and should not have answer to the city. They say that Tuesday Night’s vote was a win for freedom and rights for public access. They said that books with a sexual nature, or information about gender identity, should be allowed on an age-appropriate basis and have already been moved to a different section.
Those in opposition called the books inappropriate for children and said they had no place in the public library.
We will have a deeper story focusing on the many comments made to the Prattville Council by residents prior to the vote in the coming days.
