Spanish Fort Library board adopts new collection policy limiting minor access to some materials; board says changes meet state guidance

The Spanish Fort Library Board voted to approve a revised collection development and reconsideration policy (Resolution L12025) that narrows automatic minor access to some materials and creates a formal two-step review process for challenged books.

Library attorney/ staff member Mister O'Connor, who presented the policy, said the changes were developed after months of work and review of state guidance. "This policy is a living, breathing document," he told the board, adding it is intended to balance constitutional protections, state law and local community standards.

The new policy requires parental consent for minors to access materials outside the library's children's section (defined as birth through age 12) and establishes a young-adult collection described in the policy as for ages 18–25. Under the policy, materials that the library determines contain sexually explicit content as defined by state statute (cited in the presentation as Alabama Code section 13A-12-200.1) will not be purchased for or located in the children's section and may not be accessed by minors under age 18 without parental consent. The policy also says books that "require parental guidance" — including items the presentation listed as addressing sexual orientation, gender identity, consent and…