‘Culture war’ at the library? Leaders of Florida county want changes to ‘woke situation’

Manatee County officials this week echoed Gov. Ron DeSantis by suggesting key changes to public library policies that give parents more control over what children are allowed to read.

The suggested updates to library protocols are the latest culture war development from the Manatee Board of County Commissioners, which previously vowed to stand against spending money on “woke” ideologies like diversity, equity and inclusion. Similar policy changes, which have been championed by DeSantis, have become a political battle for conservative leaders.

“We need to make sure that we’re not helping out the woke situation in Manatee County,” Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said last month before asking for a meeting to discuss public libraries.

On Tuesday morning, board members clashed with library administrators over the promotion of certain books during Black History Month before agreeing to begin updating several library policies in the coming months.

The discussion also criticized the local library system’s lack of diverse viewpoints and a controversial LGBTQ history display at an early voting site.

The debate comes shortly after the School District of Manatee County made national headlines when teachers were ordered to remove books from their classrooms to determine whether they were appropriate for children.

Book content has become a controversial subject in recent months, with conservative lawmakers arguing that certain themes such as sexual activity or LGBTQ content should not be presented to children without a parent’s approval.

Library Services Manager Tammy Parrott gave board members an overview of the services that libraries provide during a public workshop meeting Tuesday morning. She highlighted the public benefit of Manatee County’s libraries and their popularity within the community.

According to county data, Manatee libraries see nearly one million visitors every year.

But in a sharp critique of how libraries operate right now, commissioners said there are several areas for improvement.

Manatee wants more viewpoints in local libraries

Following Parrott’s presentation, the conservative board raised questions about several library protocols, including how books are purchased, how certain books are labeled and why certain perspectives don’t appear to be represented in the library.

Commissioner Amanda Ballard, who described herself as a voracious reader, asked why Manatee libraries appeared to promote copies of “The 1619 Project” and an Angela Davis biography for Black History Month but not books from other Black leaders, such as Condoleezza Rice or Colin Powell.

“The books that are being pushed in this collection seem to have a certain bend,” Ballard said. “I think that we need to try harder to make sure that we’re giving that content-neutral approach and exposing people in our community to all kinds of Black history and all kinds of ideas.”

“The public library is different than the school library,” she added. “We should have a very wide range of views, and I just want to ensure that we actually have a very wide range of views.”

The board’s discussion comes shortly after the School District of Manatee County made national headlines when teachers were ordered to remove books from their classrooms to determine whether they were appropriate for children.

Book content has become a controversial subject in recent months, with conservative lawmakers arguing that certain themes such as sexual activity or LGBTQ content should not be presented to children without a parent’s approval.

Other commissioners latched on to Ballard’s argument. Commissioner James Bearden said he had an issue with the number of progressive books and suggested selling some off to increase the number of offerings from conservative authors.

Baugh said she believed the library’s policy has been “too lax,” and pushed for a review of library policies.

“As far as the books that Commissioner Ballard brought up, shame on us. It sounds like we’re promoting communism more than democracy, a free country and a free state,” Baugh said.

Acting County Administrator Lee Washington clarified that the Black History Month collection Ballard referenced is compiled by one of the library’s third-party vendors, not county staff.

“I would like to offer a tone of calm and assurance to the board that we don’t have a problem in our libraries,” said Washington, who also serves as the director of Community and Veterans Services overseeing the library system. “There may be some communication issues and misunderstandings. I do agree that there are policies that can be updated.”

‘Culture war’ at the library?

County Attorney Bill Clague also weighed in on the discussion, warning board members that they should not suggest promoting one ideology over another in the library.

“I think however the board deals with, we deal with it in a way that is politically neutral,” Clague said. “That’s really your safe harbor, to make sure what you’re offering in your libraries covers all points of view, not just one particular point of view.”

Parrott also explained that the library system allows cardholders to submit a “request for reconsideration” form, which requires library administration to review whether a certain item is appropriate for the library.

Commissioner James Satcher also had pointed questions for Washington. He demanded answers and an updated policy for library displays after an LGBTQ display had to be removed from the Palmetto Library while it served as an early voting site in October.

“We get accused of starting a culture war. No, the culture war was brought to us,” Satcher said.

Washington said library administrators didn’t use “our best judgment” when they decided to allow the display. Displays are now vetted and approved by several people, including Washington.

Other changes at Manatee libraries?

Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge asked board members to consider “modernizing” the library system and providing more access to educational materials in underserved parts of the county.

“Is the library system actually serving communities that do not have access?” Van Ostenbridge asked.

He said he envisions smaller, technology-focused media centers in communities where kids are reading below their grade level.

But a digital-first library is more expensive than it might sound, Parrott said. While a paperback copy of a book might cost $18, a digital e-book copy of the same book could cost $85, and it can only be loaned to one user at a time.

Ballard also raised concerns about expanding parental consent in the library in order to prevent children from accessing books with subject matter that parents have not approved. She suggested a system that requires parents to sign off on books featuring drug use, LGBTQ issues or coming-of-age stories.

“I do think it would give parents a little more confidence, especially in those young adult books,” Ballard said.

The Manatee County Commission did not approve new policy decisions during Tuesday’s workshop meeting, but they agreed to revisit library policies in the future.