Alabama’s public library oversight board on Nov. 20 voted to approve a measure to remove books related to transgender themes from children’s and teen sections across the state’s more than 200 public libraries.
The rule goes into effect in 2026 following a mandatory publication period, and amends existing guidelines requiring youth sections to exclude sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate materials. It explicitly directs libraries to either remove the content from the library or relocate it to adult sections.
Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors Chair John Wahl, who is also chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said the vote was “a major step forward in putting parents back in control in what their children are exposed to.”
“We want to put Alabama families in charge,” Wahl said. “We want them to make the decision what is best for their families.”
The vote came after a public hearing last month. Opponents on Nov. 20 lambasted the proposal as censorship and an effort to minimize people who identify as transgender.
Protester Mack Reynolds said books are “the best way for people to learn about people who are different from them.”
“What I hope is that other children can approach my daughter with curiosity and compassion,” Reynolds said. “And if they don’t know, then there is so much more room for angst, fear and frustration.”
Board member Amy Minton said that most feedback received by the board was in favor of the change.
“This is what the majority of people of Alabama want,” she said.
Those in favor of the removal say that parents who want these books for their children can rent them from the adult sections or other sources.
The board also bolstered policies on youth library cards. Standard library cards for minors will not allow them to access adult collections. An all-access card requires written parental permission.
The board withheld funding for the Fairhope Public Library, citing certain books in the teen section.
Board member Ronald A. Snider accused the state board of acting like a board of censorship by overseeing professional librarians and local boards.
“You can call it second-guessing or you can call it accountability,” Wahl replied.
