Rep. Susan DuBose (R-District 45) hosted a lunch-and-learn event Wednesday to review her legislative priorities at the North Shelby library in Mt. Laurel, including her viewpoints on public libraries.

DuBose told the 25 attendees she’s “on the same page” with Gov. Kay Ivey on adjusting library guidelines “so we can have reconsideration on books so that we can move them from one department to another without being considered censorship.”

“We want libraries to have options,” Dubose said.

Angie Hayden of Read Freely Alabama, a group that opposes book challenges, attended the event and asked if DuBose is a member of Clean Up Alabama, a group that’s been challenging books they deem sexually inappropriate for about the past year.

DuBose said she is not a member but believes in “respectful conversation and debate.” She said she received phone calls from “dozens of parents” concerned about inappropriate books, particularly an LGBTQ pride display in June at the library. DuBose complained over the summer to the Alabama Public Library Service board about the display.

“We are letting a small group of people cause a little bit of chaos,” Hayden said. DuBose estimated at least 100 people are on each side of the library debate.

“Where can we un-complain?” one of the attendees asked.

In a July statement, North Shelby library director Kate Etheredge said of the more than 8,600 people who visited the library in June 2023, only about 1% expressed an opinion about the display.

“We received 76 supportive written comments and 39 negative written comments,” Etheredge said in the statement. “At the Board meeting on June 19, 2023, more people signed up to speak in support of the display than against. I would also like to note that the number of visitors to the library in June increased by more than 3,000 from last year.”

Etheredge said in an Oct. 4 phone interview that there are no sexually explicit books in the children’s section. She said because a book has “two dads or two moms” doesn’t make it sexually explicit, and the library should represent every kind of family.

“Just because a book is not appropriate for your family does not mean there’s not a child or a family out there that doesn’t want that kind of book,” Etheredge said.

There was also discussion at the luncheon on library board member elections. DuBose said Shelby County is uniquely positioned because library board members are publicly elected. The next board meeting is Oct. 19 at 4 p.m.