The Huntington Beach City Council this week further outlined how a community library board would review books for sexual content to be either removed from the children’s section or not purchased at all.
The council, in October, ordered for the board to be created, which critics called a book-banning system. The planned 21-member board will have the power to review children’s books in circulation, move them to a restricted section of the library and block the library from purchasing new books that the board by majority vote deems inappropriate.
Opponents of the ordinance said it would hamper the library’s ability to get new books fast and could lead to young adult literature that has sexual references of any kind being restricted.
The council’s conservative majority passed the ordinance with more details about the board with a 4-3 vote on Tuesday, March 19.
The board will meet at least twice a year and will be subject to the state open meetings law. The city’s community and library services department head will submit a list of new children’s books intended for purchase 45 days ahead of meetings, and any board member may pull a book for review.
Books under review cannot be purchased by the library until approved by the board. The board’s decisions aren’t appealable, but books can be reviewed again one year after the board’s decision.
Books not selected for review will be automatically approved after 90 days.
Councilmember Pat Burns said he envisions the committee “seeing about six books, maybe, a year, once it gets really going.”
“There are certain books that really through our guidelines … we are asking them to not be put in there,” Burns said. “I don’t think that’s a big, difficult reach to say be a little more diligent and please respect the guidance we give.”
Each councilmember will be able to appoint three representatives to the board. The appointees will serve the same term as the councilmember who appointed…
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