After a closed-door executive session at a called June 19 meeting, the Greater Clarks Hill Regional Library Board voted 5-4 against the approval of a draft of a revised set of book reshelving guidelines. This decision that will ultimately maintain the current, controversial guidelines which have been in place in the Columbia County Library since September.
The board received legal advisory during their private discussion around the guidelines, because First Amendment litigation may be on the horizon for the library as the guidelines have called into question concerns about censorship and free speech.
While public information about the contents of the draft is limited, what is known is that they were created based on suggestions from legal professionals. Because the draft was not approved, the guidelines will remain as is.
‘We have no idea what they voted on’
Community members who came out to hear the results of this vote seemed to leave feeling confused, as the board did not discuss what proposed changes were included in the drafted revised guidelines.
It was also noted during the meeting that the contents of the draft are not planned to be made public.
“They voted on something. We have no idea what they voted on…are we not allowed as the public to see what you’re working on?” said Karin Parham, who has remained steadily at the forefront of the opposition against the reshelving guidelines.
“You’re voting on it, and we can’t even see that? We’re not allowed to see what that is? How is that transparent?” she added.
Regional Library Board members declined to comment on the details of the meeting or the contents of the drafted revised guidelines.
Parham said that herself and her organization, the Freedom to Read Coalition of Columbia County, plan to continue pushing back against book reshelving guidelines.
“A lot of it is still just getting awareness out,” she said. “I’m amazed by how many people still don’t know exactly what’s going on.”
