RPL Board of Control to hold special meeting to create new policy and reconsideration committee

RAPIDES PARISH, La. (KALB) - The Rapides Parish Library Board of Control will hold a special meeting in the near future to create a new Policies and Reconsideration of Materials Committee.

The proposal for the new committee comes in the wake of a new law, Act 436, establishing requirements for library reconsideration policies and the library card system, as well as establishing definitions for sexually explicit materials.

Act 436 by State Sen. Heather Cloud of Turkey Creek was in response to debate in libraries statewide around a minor’s access to sexually explicit materials. The debate also played out in Rapides Parish when the board considered an amendment to their policies around sexually explicit materials introduced by board member James Morgan back in December 2022 and then considered by the board in January 2023.

Some community members were concerned the amendment targeted LGBTQ+ materials.

The board’s attorney, Greg Jones, thought the amendment as it was written would be challenged in court. Jones urged the board to seek legal advisement and later in March urged them to wait to take action until lawmakers considered Cloud’s library legislation.

With the new law, Jones believes creating the new committee will eliminate confusion over policies in the future.

”The committee would serve to intake information, discuss and hear each request from the library patron for a reconsideration of library material,” said Jones, explaining that the request would go to the full board after review from the committee.

The board is required to wait two weeks before acting on the proposal. They expect to call a special meeting to discuss the new committee soon. A model policy to guide parish libraries in implementing Act 436 is expected from the Attorney General’s Office and State Library Board. Jones believes the committee will ensure the board is ahead of the curve in complying with the law.

The board must adopt a policy in line with Act 436 by January 1, 2024, and it must be fully implemented by June 1, 2024.

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