Residents urge Boone County council to press library board on youth programming

During public comment at the Boone County Council meeting, two residents urged council members who appoint library board members to press the Hussey-Mayfield Library board about youth programming they said normalized LGBTQ themes for children.

A man who identified himself from Lebanon criticized the library for a Pride Month event and a prior display he called unsuitable for children, saying the library had promoted a “pride party for sixth graders through college age” and a transgender-visibility display. He told the council, “Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund these programs,” and asked that council appointees to the library board oppose them.

Later, Christina Holden of Zionsville said she had met with library leadership and learned the library follows a collection-development policy for purchases but that display choices were made by library staff. She urged the council to instruct its two appointees to the board — named in the comment as Edward Kimbra and Sarah Jones — to “stand for families” and to consider appointing conservative board members if vacancies occur.

Why it matters: Library-board appointments are made by the county council; public comments asked the council to use that appointment authority to influence library programming and displays directed at youth.

What the council did: Council members received the public comments; no formal action was taken at the meeting.

Quotable: A public commenter said the library’s invitation for a youth event read, in part, “whether you’re gay, trans, an ally, or anything under the rainbow, you’re welcome,” and urged the council to direct appointees to oppose such programs.

Follow-up: Council staff said they would collect copies of materials the commenter offered and share them with council members and appointees as requested.