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Staff recommends against creating local library advisory council after SB13 changes; parent controls available in Destiny
Summary
Following Senate Bill 13 library changes, staff recommended the board not appoint a local school library advisory council, arguing that existing Destiny catalog parental controls and required board approvals satisfy statutory requirements while avoiding additional administrative burden.
District staff briefed the board on new statutory requirements for school libraries (described in the presentation as Senate Bill 13) and recommended the district not establish a local school library advisory council.
Wes Jackson, director of school policy and student support, said the new law expands parental controls and requires board approval for new library materials and a 30-day public comment period for acquisitions. Jackson said the district’s current library software, Destiny, already allows parents to view and block titles and that staff can enable email notifications so parents receive checkout alerts in real time.
Jackson described potential downsides of creating a local advisory council — a board‑appointed, public committee that would review titles prior to board consideration — including administrative burden, public‑meeting requirements, training needs for community members on legal definitions such as "indecent" or "profane," and the risk of slowing or complicating acquisitions and aligned classroom use.
Library staff said the district already follows selection criteria in board policy and conducts periodic "weeding" (deselection) and relabeling of materials; staff report no formal book‑challenge history in the district. Based on those factors, staff proposed responding to TASB’s survey that the district does not plan to establish a separate school library advisory council while retaining parent controls via Destiny and board approval for new materials.
Jackson and library staff noted administrative steps the district must still complete by the statutory timetable (board approval of an acquisitions policy, public comment processes and procedures for donated materials), and recommended early communication to parents about the new options and timelines.
Board members asked whether the board or trustees could view Destiny catalog contents; staff said board members already have guest access to the Destiny catalogs and parents can log in to see and manage checkout permissions for their students.
