Background: Senate Bill 10 would provide that library boards no longer exercise freedom in their operation once they are appointed by governing bodies. Currently, members of a library board are appointed by a municipality or county commission and are not subject to removal by their appointing board. This bill would require library boards to serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority, doing away with any independence that the library board might have had. Furthermore, if passed, SB10 would allow an appointing authority to remove a library board member at any time with a simple majority vote.
Our Position: We oppose SB10. This bill is yet another attempt by the State of Alabama to micromanage the educational material that reaches students. By opting for a policy that limits the independence of library boards and allows for members' removal, the state aims to further its goals of censorship and to prevent libraries from providing communities with literature that represents diverse perspectives.
