Librarians Lock Autauga-Prattville Public Library in Protest After Director Fired by Board

During Thursday, March 14, 2024’s Autauga-Prattville Public Library board assembly, library director Andrew Foster, alongside different workers, had been fired from their jobs. It was yet one more transfer by the board to not solely impose energy over the establishment, however to additionally be sure that the library will fail to serve its position as an establishment of democracy in the neighborhood.

For months, Autauga-Prattville Public Library (AL) has been beneath fireplace. Much of it started with the work of 1 particular person who complained about The Pronoun Book in the youngsters’s space of the general public library. This escalated to the event of “Clean Up Prattville,” a right-wing, religiously-affiliated group searching for to tug any and all books they deemed “obscene” or “inappropriate” (one other chapter, “Clean Up Samuels” almost closed the Samuels Public Library in Virginia final 12 months).

Then final month, the board of trustees handed a brand new 53-page coverage information February 8, 2024, with out the help of library director Andrew Foster, regardless of his title being included on the coverage. The passage of the coverage led to board member Christie Sellers instantly resigning, noting that the board was assembly in secret to create this coverage.

That was the fifth board member to depart in beneath a 12 months. By pushing out increasingly more board members, the board has been in a position to construct itself right into a partisan physique.

Among the brand new insurance policies in the latest information, which was not developed nor authorized by the director are that:

• Children beneath the age of 18 shall obtain library playing cards which might be particularly designated for minors. These playing cards is not going to allow the checkout of fabric with content material containing, however not restricted to, obscenity, sexual conduct, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender id, or gender discordance. Age-appropriate supplies regarding biology, human anatomy, or faith are exempt from this rule.
• The library shall not buy or in any other case purchase any materials marketed for shoppers ages 17 and beneath which include content material together with, however not restricted to, obscenity, sexual conduct, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender id, or gender discordance. Age-appropriate supplies regarding biology, human anatomy, or faith are exempt from this rule.
• Library employees shall affix a purple warning label prominently on the binding of any ebook or different materials in the library’s assortment containing content material together with, however not restricted to, obscenity, sexual conduct, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender id, or gender discordance and marketed for shoppers 18 and older. Materials regarding biology, human anatomy, or faith are exempt from this rule.
• The Library Board of Trustees reserves the best to train discretion over all library materials, together with however not restricted to books, motion pictures, paintings, shows, and programming.
• Removes the requirement that patrons learn a whole work earlier than lodging a proper problem.

One of the important thing problems with the board is materials with LGBTQ+ content material, as must be clear. But it was as a result of director’s refusal to take away over 113 titles with such content material from the younger grownup part that the board elected to fireside him on the March 14 assembly.

In response to the firing, library employees members walked out and locked up the library in solidarity with their director.

In a video captured by reporter Monae Stevens and shared on Twitter, a employees member stands on the door of the library. Their voice waivers as they state that “Libraries are the last free safe place for everybody in the community, no matter who you are or what you believe in and they are being taken away. It is our job as citizens to stand for our right to freedom of information.”

They are met with applause.

The board responded by firing 4 employees members of the library. It is unclear whether or not or not the board even has the authority to fireside employees members, provided that it’s typically the job of the director.

Thursday’s assembly was introduced on Tuesday by way of the library’s Facebook web page. “The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the good name and character of an individual,” the publish reads, including that “Public comments will not be taken at this meeting.”

When the Alabama Political Reporter reached out to board president Ray Boles concerning the assembly, he responded that the positioning was “fake news” and provided no particulars.

At the assembly, the board went right into a closed session. When they reemerged, they shared that that they had an announcement which might be launched to media about their determination to fireside Foster.

The assertion was not learn aloud on the assembly, and the board took no questions.

This is a growing story. None of it’s shocking, given what has been happening, however it’s deeply troubling and a reminder of how a lot is at stake proper now on the subject of democracy. These choices aren’t concerning the books on shelf. They are concerning the energy of 1 political faction to eradicate complete swaths of individuals beneath the title of “cleaning up” the library. Given how Alabama’s governor is keen to additional goal libraries, to incorporate giving herself vital energy in figuring out what library boards appear like, this story will seemingly be removed from an remoted incident.

The library employees right here, nonetheless, have to be counseled. Not solely did they arise for the rights of each citizen to whom the library belongs, however they did so realizing their very own livelihoods are on the road.