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Alamosa librarians plan drag story time after review of state law; program set for Aug. 29
Summary
Library staff told council the event aligns with the library mission and Colorado law SB24-216; program will be 6 p.m. Aug. 29 with parent/guardian attendance required for minors.
City library staff explained to the Alamosa City Council why a planned "drag story time" is scheduled and how state law affects programming decisions.
Maria (library staff) told the council that the library follows a mission to "inform, educate and culturally enrich" and that the library board unanimously supported the event. She said Colorado Senate Bill 24-216 prohibits a public library from excluding a program solely because of ideological, political or religious disagreement with its contents, so the library must have a programmatic reason to decline an invitation.
"This is SB24-216, and that law prohibits a public library from excluding a program based purely on ideological, political, or religious disagreement with its contents," Maria said during the presentation. She and city legal counsel said the law applies equally across viewpoints and that a comparable application from a religious group would have to be evaluated under the same standards.
Staff said the event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 29, outside regular children's story time hours, and that parent or guardian attendance is required for anyone under 18. Andy (parks and recreation staff) emphasized that the program is voluntary and that attendance is a choice for families.
Council members who spoke said they supported the library's decision and commended staff for reviewing legal obligations and safety protocols. No formal action was required; staff said they were informing council so elected officials could answer community questions consistently.
