Library freedom bill could squash book bans

A bill in the Minnesota House of Representatives could stop people from banning books. The Education Policy Committee voted to send the library freedom bill to the Judiciary Finance and Law Committee.

“A public library must not ban, remove, or otherwise​ restrict access to a book or other material based on its viewpoint or the message, ideas, or​ opinions it conveys,” reads a portion of the bill.

Civil action and fines of $5,000 per offense could be taken against a library that restricts its content. Illinois has already adopted a similar law.

This proposed state bill only applies to public libraries, which means school district or charter school libraries and media centers, libraries at public higher education institutions and libraries that have “free access to all residents of a city or county [and] receives at least​ half of its financial support from public funds.”

Libraries which “serve a special group of persons” like medical and legal libraries are not considered public libraries for the purpose of this bill.

For limitations, the bill says, “Nothing in this section shall limit a library’s authority to decline​ to purchase, lend, or shelve or to remove or restrict access to books or other materials as a​ legitimate part of the library’s regular collection development practice or to comply with​ state or federal law.”

The bill’s author is Cedrick Frazier, who represents district 43A which encompasses the city of New Hope and the majority of Crystal.

“We have this phenomenon now that is kind of sweeping across this country where we’re seeing groups or individuals supported by groups that have an agenda to remove certain books out of our libraries, our public libraries, school libraries,” Frazier said at a March 13 meeting of the Education Policy Committee. “I don’t have an issue with taking a look at materials in determining whether or not the materials are age appropriate or just inappropriate for our students. What I am concerned with and what this bill seeks to address is the particular books based on particular authors, their background their lived experience or their political ideology are being targeted and that is my concern. It kind of goes back to the First Amendment.”

Frazier added that the current draft of the bill is not likely the final draft and that more conversations will be needed.

LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations OutFront Minnesota and Gender Justice sent letters of support for the bill.

OutFront Minnesota Director Karlton Laster came to the March 13 committee meeting as well.

“As a queer Black man, I can tell you how hard it is to see representation based on my own personal experience,” Laster said. “As a writer and poet, I can tell you that I write about the intersections of race, culture, sexuality and politics: the things that shape who I am and what I do. Reading and writing literature has always provided an escape for me. It allowed me to imagine a better life. It allowed me to communicate my hard feelings and truths to my family and friends and it allowed me to come out to my family. My writing is aimed to be an entry point BIPOC peoples and those who are typically disengaged or do not see themselves in poetry.”

Laster said banning books is “injurious.”

“When books are removed from libraries, it harms everyone,” Laster said. “And it closes opportunities to foster curiosity and healthy conversation.”

Jay Belsito from Gender Justice said reading is “a really necessary skill.”

“Most of us believe that students should have the freedom to read books that explain our world and help them to become the best version of their authentic selves,” Belsito said. “Books are tools for understanding complex issues and challenging issues. And targeting books with LGBTQ inclusion with censorship is an attempt to erase trans and LGBQ people from public life. These efforts promote discrimination and send a harmful message to youth that being LGBTQ is wrong.”

Bloomington resident Kendra Redmond testified as well. Redmond watched some people recently try to ban books from Bloomington Public Schools. Many of the books on the ban list were stories about LGBTQIA+ identities.

“At public school board listening sessions, we’ve heard from students and alums that the library was quite literally a lifeline, the first place they saw themselves reflected and realized that they were not alone.”

Dr. Terance Morrow from the Minnesota School Boards Association said library book policy has been the number one request for the past two years.

Megan Arriola from the Department of Education said the department has been working with librarians and school groups for feedback and language recommendations.

“The biggest takeaway from these meetings is that there is overwhelming support for protecting Minnesotans’ access to information at their public libraries,” Arriola said.

Rep. Heather Keeler (DFL-Moorhead) supported this bill. She said she hasn’t often seen herself represented as an Indigenous queer person. Keeler’s son recently read a book called “Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman” about an Indigenous politician. Keeler’s son was excited to see a story that represented his family, saying “look Mom, that’s you.”

Keeler said one commonly banned book is “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie. Keeler said this book is an important story that talks about Indigenous life, mental health and identity. The new bill could protect these types of books.

“It’s more than which books we can read,” Keeler said. “It’s really about showing our next generations that they belong in these spaces, that they can be authors, that they can share stories about the realities of who we are.”

Rep. Patricia Mueller (R-Austin) said the state’s priority should be teaching children to read. Rep. Peggy Bennett (R-Albert Lea) agreed.

Frazier argued they could prioritize more than one thing.

“At the end of the day there’s an intersection, a cross-section between these priorities that require us to do more than one thing, require us to walk and chew gum at the same time,” Frazier said. “This is one of those priorities, so we have to, with fidelity, stick to it, to ensure that our kids have access to learning materials.”

More information about the library freedom bill (HF4373) can be found at house.mn.gov.