State law bans book bans starting August 1 – The Minnesota Daily

Governor Tim Walz signed a law on May 17 that prohibits book bans in libraries and goes into effect on August 1.

The law, known as Access to Library Materials and Rights Protection, prohibits public libraries, university libraries, and libraries at public schools and charter schools from removing reading materials based on the messages or opinions they convey, the law says.

“Books are powerful, they open up new worlds and give us new perspectives,” said Walz in a Press release“Protecting access to books means protecting access to the information and knowledge our children deserve. Banning books always puts you on the wrong side of history.”

The law also requires each library to have its own policy on removing books and that objectionable books must be reported to the Department of Education, said Sarah Hawkins, legislative co-chair of the Minnesota Library Association.

Minnesota State Librarian Tamara Lee said a book ban is not the same as a challenge because challenges or requests for a reconsideration process are still supported. Challenging a book can range from a parent asking why the book is there to removal from the library.

“Everyone has the right to be heard and communities have the right to voice their opinions and participate,” Lee added.

Minnesota is one of six states nationwide that have signed laws against banning books, Lee said. The other five are Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Vermont and Maryland.

Lisa German, dean of libraries at the University of Minnesota, said it is important to have books with diverse representation, and banning books could limit that access.

Although the Hennepin County Library has a formal process for reevaluating books, most objections cannot be answered through a simple conversation, says Johannah Genett, assistant director of support services at the Hennepin County Library.

“It’s not uncommon for a customer to come to our staff and say, ‘I don’t know why you have that book on the shelf, I want to talk to someone about it.’ We’ve trained all of our staff to have those conversations,” Genett said.

Genett said the most important part of the law is the prohibition on punishing employees who comply with the legislation.

“We’ve seen librarians in this country lose their jobs over this issue,” Genett said. “So this legislation really makes it clear and obvious.”

Hennepin County Library Board Chair Jessica Kraft said that as a mother, she has the right to guide and set boundaries for her children, but not the right of other people.

“I firmly believe that there should be intellectual freedom in our libraries. Everyone should have the opportunity to look at the content that interests them or that they are curious about. We should not limit that. Our collection should represent our diverse populations, our diverse communities and our diverse perspectives,” Kraft said.

Lee said libraries are one of the last free places and their preservation is crucial to promoting learning and protecting intellectual freedom.

“Minnesotan citizens love their libraries,” Lee said. “We need to make sure that they stay intact, that we preserve intellectual freedom and that we represent their communities. That’s why this bill is important to give a foundation to that work. It’s important for democracy.”