COLORADO SPRINGS — The number of book ban attempts in public libraries across the nation increased by 92% from 2022 to 2023, according to the American Library Association.
State lawmakers are pushing to require public libraries to follow standardized policies for deciding whether to remove any materials.
That bill now sits on the governor's desk.
"Overall our library policy has been almost word for word by the state's [potential new guidelines]," said the Pikes Peak Library District's board president, Dora Gonzales.
If the governor signs the bill, books in Colorado public libraries will not be removed based on the demographics of the author or disapproval of topic.
"[Some of] these are books that can really get into kids' heads, cause some damage, scar some kids and they're right on public library bookshelves for any child to access," said a state GOP employee Darcy Schoening.
Gonzales said this bill will help more books stay on shelves.
"If something is offensive to me, I have the choice of not checking it out, not reading that kind of material but that doesn't mean I should be making a choice for 750,000 people," said Gonzales.
Right now, several librarians are reviewing one book for reconsideration the Pikes Peak Library District. The deputy chief librarian makes the ultimate call.
"In 2023, there were three books challenged, none removed from the shelves, and 2022 there were three as well, and 2021 there was one book," said Gonzales.
That's a total of seven books that were reviewed and stayed on shelves.
"Most people know the challenges aren't going to . . . succeed," said Schoening. "That right there should say something that this is not an easy process and why make it harder."
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