Was Llano County’s purge of certain books from their local library system censorship? That’s what a lawsuit brought by local residents alleges.
The group of plaintiffs are “card-carrying members” at their local library, and their suit is claiming the removal of the books was a First Amendment violation.
“Though Plaintiffs differ in their ages, professions, and individual religious and political beliefs, they are fiercely united in their love for reading public library books and in their belief that the government cannot dictate which books they can and cannot read,” the suit reads.
The official reason given for the removal of this particular group of books is that they were determined to be pornographic and inappropriate, but the plaintiffs allege the motives were actually more akin to censorship for political and/or religious reasons.
Included in the books purged from Llano County’s libraries: In the Night Kitchen by children’s author Maurice Sendak (one of the book’s characters appears nude in one scene) and It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie H. Harris.
The list also included multiple award-winner Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Pulitzer winner Isabel Wilkerson.
In addition, the county sought to ban a pair of books from OverDrive, a fully digital resource for library patrons featuring more than 17,000 e-books and audiobooks that serves the local elderly community as well as those with physical disabilities.
When the county found in December that they could not control the inventory on OverDrive, authorities suspended its use completely despite the presence of parental controls, according to the suit.
Further, the suit alleges a 14th Amendment violation of their right to due process over any changes to the library’s available selections after Llano County commissioners opted to dissolve the library advisory board and remake it with new stipulations giving commissioners more sway over who sits on the board while also voting to make all meetings private, according to DailyTrip.com.
The move comes amid a push by Republican leaders across the nation to ban certain books dealing with racial and LGBTQ challenges.
Llano County court coordinator Jennifer Buchanan said the county will not comment on the pending litigation.
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