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 definition will help parents and local boards prevent minors from encountering material they consider inappropriate. At the meeting, one resident, Sheryl Corbeau of Fairhope, told the board she viewed the board’s actions as punitive and said, "That is not leadership. That is retaliation." Chair John Wall framed the board’s intent as balancing parental rights and access: "I believe strongly in parental rights that every parent should be able to decide what their children have access to." The chair and other board members repeatedly said the policy seeks to protect children while still permitting adults and families access to materials.

After discussion the board adopted a motion to publish the definition on the APLS website and distribute it to libraries. The motion as stated on the record was: "That we pass these definitions for 'sexually explicit' and that it is posted on our website and sent out to every library today." The motion passed by voice/hand vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Board members emphasized the distinction between discussion, local direction and formal action. Several speakers — including local directors — described following local reconsideration processes and moving certain titles. Fairfield Public Library director Robert Borlais told the board his system had moved six titles from juvenile or teen to adult sections during local review and said the library had received many more reconsideration forms from a small number of individuals. He asked the board to give local processes time to conclude before taking further enforcement steps.

The board also noted exemptions described in state code (for example, some medical or religious works) and said those exemptions would be respected when applying the definition. The meeting record shows the board intends to circulate the text it adopted to libraries and to provide follow-up guidance when local directors request clarification.

The public comment period highlighted wide disagreement. Carrie Hill, an academic librarian who spoke about personal experience with trauma, told the board: "When a book is on the shelf, anyone who would choose to walk past it or tell their child no. But if it isn't there, the kids who need it can't find it." Others, including local residents who supported restriction, described material they considered explicit and urged stricter placement rules.

The board’s recorded action is procedural: pass and publish the adopted definition and send it to libraries. Local libraries retain responsibility for applying reconsideration policies and for decisions about placement, the board said. The transcript shows the meeting adjourned after further routine business.

The APLS board’s vote is likely to change how local libraries evaluate specific titles and how patrons and parents use reconsideration procedures. The board indicated it will provide more guidance on request and urged local directors to follow the updated guidance and to consult the board if they need additional clarity.

Ending: The board passed the definition and directed staff to circulate it; local libraries now face applying the new language in reconsideration and cataloging decisions and may continue to seek guidance from APLS staff and the board as that process plays out.