At the most recent County Commissioners Meeting, Sept. 3, a “guideline” document was rushed for approval by the County Commissioners (even skipping committee review).
It is quite a mess of “what if’s” and is as clear as mud. Even the age ranges they state in the policy OVERLAP, so where do the guidelines for one age bracket even end and the next one start? Ultimately, it’s a document to move quite literally almost every book aimed at young adults to the adults’ section. It’s a form of censorship and forces teens into the adult section, smack dab into an even more wide-open landscape of adult themed material (where the guidelines stipulate “No limitations” on content). It’s a huge mess. So, I’ll focus on the inclusion of the Georgia Obscenity Law, inaccurately applied on purpose in the guidelines.
This is what Library Board Members Carraway/Brantley and Commissioners Carraway/Couch included in the Commissioner approved guidelines:
Sexually explicit content includes, but is not limited to, the following:
1. Acts of sexual intercourse, heterosexual or homosexual, normal or perverted, actual or simulated;
2. Acts of masturbation;
3. Acts involving excretory functions or lewd exhibition of the genitals;
4. Acts of bestiality or the fondling of sex organs of animals; or
5. Sexual acts of flagellation, torture, or other violence indicated a sadomasochistic sexual relationship.
The Library Board “committee” with Commissioner involvement purposely left out Parts 1,2,3 of the code. The legal test.
- (1) To the average person, applying contemporary community standards, taken as a whole, it predominantly appeals to the prurient interest, that is, a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex, or excretion;
- (2) The material taken as a whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value; and
- (3) (This is a National Standard, not local. It comes from the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v. California, which is the current federal law on obscenity) The material depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of this paragraph: (A and E are #1-5 as board noted)
Just a reminder: Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973) stipulates that the material must meet all three parts of the legal test established by the Supreme Court to be found obscene by a court of law. From a state point of legality, the board/commissioners also casually omitted and ignored what is clearly defined in the Georgia Code: The provisions of Code Section 16-12-103 shall not apply to any public library operated by the state or any of its political subdivisions nor to any library operated as a part of any school, college, or university.
Would a judge agree that Young Adult materials found in the library are obscene, pornographic or harmful to minors based upon this litmus test? These are legal designations and must be applied in full. A constant resident speaker at the library board meetings, Priscilla Bence, and the Library Board can say they think something falls into those categories, but that doesn’t make it a fact. I would think the County Attorney is aware. The Board and Commissioners are opening the county and your tax dollars to lawsuits.
The entire document is not anywhere close to clear guidelines (you can tell it was rushed). It is chock full of contradictions and areas open for interpretation and leaves the door wide open for members of the “community” as the commission and board mentioned. When looking at Library Board minutes, the vast majority of requests for reconsideration come from Priscilla Bence, who inundates the library staff with multiple reconsideration forms with the intent to move not one, not two, not even 10, or by Priscilla’s count, 90+ books that she mentions in her editorials and even at the Sept. 10 Library Board Meeting during her speaking time allocation; her intent is to move them all.
Yes, all your Teen/Young Adult books, which means books for 14 to 18 year olds in the guidelines, will be moved to the Adult category under the guidelines. Priscilla Bence and the board aren’t done there. Children’s books are next, even their own newly formed Middle Ground is a target.
Does it stop there? No. In fact, at the last meeting, Bence began targeting programs like the Teen Advisory Board, “an opportunity for teens to earn volunteer credit while making the library programs better” (Library newsletter, Pageturner).
You would think that would be enough for the board and commission to pause and ask, “What are we doing here? When does this end? How much time, staff time, library time are we and will we spend knowing this woman will never cease?” Yet when you attend board meetings and see the heads nod in approval from the board as she speaks, and watch guidelines change thereafter (at least nine changes if you follow the minutes), and have commissioners, as Commissioner Couch as noted below, communicating and giving a positive play-by-play update to Mrs. Bence.
Mrs. Bence, I’ve attached details to guidelines voted on and approved by the Board of Commissioners last night, regarding book placement in our libraries. I thought you may be interested in reading it. Best regards, Alison Couch
Alison, This looks like a big accomplishment. Thanks for sharing with me right away! … I hope this means the YA books will leave the traditionally Teen Room downstairs. That could be the Teen Room 14-18 but the YA books should be shelved in Adult section. Priscilla Bence (Sept. 4,2024 email Open Record Request)
This only creates an environment of encouraging bad behavior. Ever read “Give a Mouse a Cookie” – I don’t think it has been moved or banned from the Columbia County Library…yet.
At the county commissioners’ meeting and noted in the Augusta Press, County Manager Scott Johnson, in regard to these guidelines, stated:
“This is not to censure books in the library, this is not to remove books from the library,” Johnson said. “These are simply guidelines to say where books will be placed according to age level, reading level, those sort of things.” – Scott Johnson, Augusta Press Sept. 4, 2024
You may want to withdraw that commentary and sentiment, Mr. Johnson.
I mention because in October 2023, per the official Library Board Minutes, library board members Russell Wilder, Tripp Calloway, Lindsey Brandt, Windy Bedingfield, and Lindsey Brantley reviewed The Rainbow Parade, a LGBTQ-themed book submitted for review by sitting Commissioner Connie Melear.
They voted to remove the book, yes, they banned a book from a Columbia County Library, though it was later determined that, as an advisory group, the board does not have the power to remove books. The title was restored to the library shelves, but it was sent to the Grovetown branch rather than restored to the Evans branch. With these new “guidelines,” only more forms of censorship and removals are to come, at the direction of the county commissioners guided by the Library Board and implemented by the county manager.
Leave it once again to the hubris of a few to cause issues for the many. Am I surprised that Dr. Sandra Carraway is involved in a process involving books? No. Feels like 2019 CCBOE and “Dear Martin” all over again, but worse as this is the PUBLIC LIBRARY. She’s back… and this time she’s including YOUR county commissioners to bring bias to a decision-making process that ultimately is up to PARENTS.
So, when you see your tax dollars being spent on books being moved, library programs being restricted, your teens being targeted – remember to write a nicely worded note to your Library Board chair and commissioners. Remember, don’t say too many curse words; this is at their direction. Better yet, attend board meetings and commission meetings or ultimately, don’t check the box next to their name at the next election cycle.
Note: At the Columbia County Library Board Advisory Meeting on Sept. 10, the following books were addressed:
Heat Wave by TJ Klune
The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder
You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour
Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
Flash Fire by TJ Klune
All were LGBTQ-themed and were moved from Young Adult/Teen to the Adult Section. More to come, Mrs. Bence has already said so…
With regards,
Andrew Mueller
Disappointed Columbia County Tax Paying Resident and Father to REAL LIFE Teenagers
