Huntington Beach city libraries might soon have a community board reviewing children’s library books to determine if materials “meet the community standards of acceptance” and would need to have books containing any sexual content be placed on shelves designated for adults.
Councilmember Gracey Van Der Mark, who has pushed for the city to make it harder for children to access sexually explicit books in city libraries, is proposing the new board and other changes the City Council will consider on Tuesday.
“All of this is to really empower the parent,” Van Der Mark said. “We are simply giving the parents more control over what their children have access to.”
When the council first talked about making it harder for children to access sexually explicit books at city libraries, it pushed many residents to voice their ardent disapproval. The proposed resolution is the clearest sign of what major changes could be coming.
Van Der Mark’s proposal would mandate that no city library allow children to access books or other materials that contain “any content of sexual nature.” It would require a parent or guardian’s consent to access those materials, whether they are intended for children or adults.
Van Der Mark’s resolution also would require city libraries to receive approval from a community/parent-guardian review board to obtain new materials intended for children containing any sexual content or references. She is proposing each of the seven members of the City Council would appoint three people to be on the board, which would meet at least twice a year and could reject by a majority vote material recommended to the library.
Dina Chavez, a board member of the nonprofit Friends of the Huntington Beach Public Library, said the proposed resolution isn’t needed and is an insult to librarians. The library purchases about 9,000 children’s books a year, Chavez said, and the proposal “will absolutely disrupt operations of the…
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