APLS board adopts formal definition of “sexually explicit,” prompting heated public comment

At a public meeting, the Alabama Public Library Service board voted to adopt and publish a formal definition of “sexually explicit” material intended to give local libraries clearer guidance on whether titles belong in adult or minor sections.

Board members said the clarification is designed to reduce confusion for local directors and trustees while preserving local control. The vote followed roughly two hours of public comment in which librarians, parents and activists argued sharply about access to books, local authority and the role of the state service.

Supporters of keeping contested titles available in young-adult sections said moving or removing books erases access for teens who need them and undermines professional judgment. Craig Scott, director of the Gaston Public Library and immediate past president of the Alabama Library Association, argued that "libraries are not political playgrounds. They are not here to serve an agenda." Several librarians and library directors urged the board to trust local collection policies and reconsideration procedures.

Opponents said the new…