Iowa’s public libraries ‘next grounds for the oncoming civil rights movement’

Books like “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” an award-winning coming-of-age story acclaimed for its beautiful writing but panned because of sexual references and profanity, could perhaps be banned from Iowa school libraries under a new state law — but nonetheless can be found at public libraries.

Yet community challenges to books some see as obscene or too liberal — which forced the Vinton Public Library to briefly close and pressured the Kalona Public Library to remove a book, which it ultimately did not — illustrate how public libraries, in addition to school libraries, have become another front of political strife.

Following this year’s vote for Senate File 496 to restrict school library offerings in Iowa and efforts in other states to bar books from public libraries, some Iowa public librarians worry they may be the next target for Iowa lawmakers.

“Whether the restrictions are coming from the (potential future) legislation, or whether they're coming from people in the communities, it’s just adding pressure,” said Jennie Garner, president of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and director of the North Liberty Public Library. “Those kinds of attacks are going to be a big struggle for libraries.”

Sam Helmick, president of the Iowa Library Association and community and access services coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library, said the importance of libraries as one of the last free public spaces has been growing amid such calls to limit access.

“I think that we've, in part, become the next grounds for the oncoming civil rights movement,” Helmick said. “It's important to recognize that as the information sector for everybody — the great equalizer of democracy — libraries are going to always be a part of the civil rights conversation.”

Iowa legislative leaders, including those involved in pressing for the school library legislation, did not return calls or emails seeking comment.

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Where library money comes from

Public libraries are, of course, dependent on public funding. And critics of library selections say that tax money should not be used to acquire materials or programming they disagree with.

Money for libraries comes from the federal state and local governments. In some Iowa communities, including Iowa City, voters also have agreed to tax themselves extra for library services. There are also libraries across Iowa that, in addition to relying on public funds, accept donations from citizens and hold fundraisers to support the space.

“It is sort of sad how much work it takes to just keep basic level funding for libraries often in the state of Iowa — despite the fact that the Library Bill of Rights were penned here, and that a lot of library ideals and values and standards come straight out of Iowa,” Helmick said.

Funding for public libraries is divvied into a variety of expenses, including programming, book acquisitions and staffing. Deciding where that money goes depends on the individual library team.

State legislation passed earlier this year could impact library funding in communities were voters already had approved raising property taxes for public libraries. House File 718, passed to rein in local property taxes, forces communities that levy the library tax to count it toward their overall cap — and not in addition to it — beginning in the 2029 budget year.

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That means that in Iowa City, where voters approved taxing themselves an extra 27 cents per thousand dollars of taxable value, libraries may have to compete with other city services for all its funding. Helmick said the Iowa City Public Library receives 17 percent of its funding from the library levy.

While content in public libraries has not been restricted in Iowa, there has been a precedent in a neighboring state for tying public funding to book selection. According to a report from NPR, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft adopted an “administrative rule” that causes libraries to lose state funding if they provide materials state officials deem as inappropriate for young readers.

“When you start taking books out, where does it end? Is it going to end with the school district, or is the public library going to be the next here in Iowa that will be asked to remove materials?” asked Janette McMahon, the library director at the DeWitt Community Library, north of Davenport. “This is a snowball that's going to be very hard to stop.”

Future of public libraries

Helmick said there is some “classic misdirection” about the role of public libraries in the political sphere. Unlike, for instance, assigned readings in classrooms, libraries are not compulsory. This means the information, events and books available there are not forced upon anyone.

“They're simply there to serve as the community's collection of resources so that everybody can be guided, and informed, and grow and be well-rounded,” Helmick said. “The library's role, I think, is to continue to do the great work that we have been doing since the Founding Fathers funded public and free libraries.”

Public libraries are going to do what they can to fill the gap caused by a potential book bans in schools, according to Helmick. While there is not going to be a “one-to-one” purchase for every book banned, Helmick said many librarians plan on purchasing books that speak to the general topics — like American history, critical race theory, gender identity and social justice.

Dara Schmidt, the director of the Cedar Rapids Public Library, said deciding what books to buy in the Cedar Rapids system is based on what books the public is interested in. Schmidt said the collection development model Cedar Rapids follows is centered on the “popular browsing library,” where books that are requested or in high demand are purchased to meet community needs.

“A library's collection is a living and breathing thing,” she said. “Parents and individuals who are really frustrated because their child no longer has access to that book — if they are then asking the public library for copies of it, then absolutely you would see it on our shelves.”

DeWitt’s McMahon said access to diverse and representative literature is essential for education and building empathy in any space.

McMahon said her library has hosted programming centered on “understanding” and “debunking some of the fear” surrounding certain controversial topics, including the LGBTQ community. In rural spaces that are predominantly white and Christian, McMahon said access to different perspectives is essential.

“It's hard to understand people or other ideas if you don't have the chance to explore them,” McMahon said.

One of the main goals of any public library is “continuing education,” according to McMahon. But continuing education will take on a new, more crucial meaning, she said, as efforts continue to limit the information that is available.

“We are not a school in the public library, but we are here for adults to continue to educate themselves, and for kids to go beyond the curriculum to find interest,” McMahon said. “We still are that, and now we're going to need to be even more so as they scale back school districts.”

While there are obvious similarities between school and public libraries, these spaces do have their distinct roles. Public librarians can help guide children to a book they would enjoy that is targeted to their age demographic.

But according to Erin Sehorn — the Midwest regional representative for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries — the role of librarians is not to facilitate the reading materials of children based on their own opinions.

“I think sometimes there's this expectation on us that we are policing what kids read, and we're 100 percent not doing that,” Sehorn said.

Angela Pilkington, the children's services coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library, said librarians don’t necessarily need to fulfill that role as a gatekeeper of what children read — because most kids visit the libraries with a parent.

But many libraries in Iowa have reconsideration policies, where community members can formally come forward with concerns about a book. In turn, the Iowa Library Association has a confidential form where “intellectual freedom challenges” can be reported and potentially garner push back from the association.

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Where public and school libraries intersect

In Iowa, there are several programs where school libraries and public libraries have conjoined services.

In some rural Iowa spaces, a city’s public library also functions as a school’s library. With unclear guidelines spurred by SF 496, conflict between city entities and school officials have risen. For these spaces, guidance has not yet been provided by state officials.

There are also spaces where schools and public libraries offer programs that come from collaboration between the two entities. A few years ago, the Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty public libraries implemented a system where students are able to use student identification to check out library books.

Pilkington, the librarian who spearheaded the efforts for this collaboration, said the program was founded to make information more accessible to students.

“We really wanted this card to be an extension of the library when the kids are not in school,” Pilkington said. “We want to just make the library experience accessible and barrier-free to every student in our community.”

Pilkington said she doesn’t anticipate this program will be impacted. Despite the connection to schools, access is contingent on parental approval.

However, Pilkington said the lack of guidance from the state on how to implement SF 496 and specificity in the bill’s language is a sign that increased restrictions beyond current expectations is going to be put into play.

“Students have educational civil rights, legal rights, to make sure that they have access,” Pilkington said. “We don't need any new processes, especially one that cannot be explained to any librarian in the state.”

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Comments: jami.martin-trainor@thegazette.com