The Sumner County regional library board read aloud a 10/27/2025 letter from Tennessee Secretary of State Trey Hargett that asks each regional library to undertake a 60-day age-appropriateness review of juvenile and children’s materials and forward a final report to the Secretary of State’s office and the state librarian by Jan. 19, 2026.

Board Chair Parker told directors the letter "asks the following of each library in the regional library system" and read instructions that include an internal reconsideration process, a final report to state officials and a recommendation that county or city attorneys guide reviews. The letter singled out the children’s title Fred Gets Dressed by Peter Brown for review.

Why it matters: the letter ties collection reviews to compliance with state- and federal-funded grant terms and references a federal executive order cited by the state office. Several public commenters and board members warned that conducting content-based removals without careful legal review could expose the system to First Amendment challenges.

Public comment: community members urged caution and support for library staff. "I hope that letter ... might be some information or some encouragement for how our library board might support our libraries," Brooklyn White said, expressing concern about patrons who rely on libraries for internet access and social services. Jesse McKinney, quoting a First Amendment expert, said the directive risked infringing free-speech protections, and Jack Elston urged the board to seek legal counsel before implementing any content removals.

Board response: board members and directors discussed how federal and state funds are used for materials and whether the presence of a title in a collection equates to promotion. One board member noted that having a title on a shelf is not inherently a promotion and that careful policies can reduce risk. Chair Parker called the letter "intimidating" for directors but said no immediate removal action was required at the meeting; she encouraged directors to use the state librarian and archivist, Jamie Ritter, for clarification and troubleshooting.

Possible steps: board members suggested options that fall short of removal — moving titles to alternative shelving, creating parental-resource sections, or using higher shelves for sensitive material — rather than outright removal unless a title clearly violates existing policy. The letter’s 01/19/2026 report deadline was noted and staff were urged to communicate questions to the state contacts.

What’s next: the board did not adopt an immediate content-removal policy at the meeting. Directors were invited to contact the state librarian for guidance and to report back as they complete their local reviews.