Newswire
Posted on February 25, 2020 at 10:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek
Two Tennessee state lawmakers have introduced legislation that they say will improve oversight of what programs are offered in public libraries.
Their proposed Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act, like similar legislation proposed in Missouri, would establish external review panels and would punish librarians who disobey a panel’s decision.
The sponsors of Tennessee’s bill, state Representative Andy Holt and state Senator Paul Bailey, say that they’re not targeting materials, however — their oversight panels would hear complaints about “age-inappropriate” programming.
That said, groups like PEN America and the American Library Association have expressed concern that the bill would in fact lead to censorship of books.
Learn more in the Jackson (Tennessee) Sun’s coverage of the bill and check out statements from PEN America, the ALA, and the Tennessee Library Association.
Categories: Today in Books