The Alabama Public Library Service is expected to discuss ways to handle complaints about “inappropriate” books in public libraries at its next meeting Jan. 30.

Gov. Kay Ivey criticized the library service last year for not doing enough to protect children from inappropriate material. She threatened to remove funding for libraries that don’t do more.

The board plans to discuss an “inappropriate book list,” which was created in December. The current list has 82 books, including 23 deemed inappropriate by Clean Up Alabama, an organization leading book challenges statewide.

Also on the agenda is Sen. Chris Elliott’s (R-Baldwin County) pre-filed SB-10 bill, which clarifies how county and city officials can remove local library board members. The bill adds that board members “shall serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing authority and may be removed at any time by a majority vote of the appointing authority.

The agenda includes recognizing former board vice-chair Virginia Doyle for her 20 years of service. Ivey removed Doyle from the board after Doyle expressed concerns about the legislature pulling funds for libraries.

Other agenda items include:

Status of the Opinion from the Attorney General’s Office: The APLS requested an opinion from Attorney General Steve Marshall about oversight ofhow the APLS oversees individual library operations. The APLS distributes state funding to libraries but doesn’t dictate policy. In the November meeting, Ben Albritton with the attorney general’s office said Marshall hads 90 days to reply and that 90-day period has expired.

APLS Administrative Code Updates: Gov. Ivey threatened to pull funding if libraries can’t prevent children from checking out “inappropriate” books. Ivey suggested changes to APLS policy that will go through the Alabama Legislative Reference Service.

Letter to Emily Drabinski, President, American Library Association (ALA): When Drabinski was elected in April 2022 as the national organization’s ALA’s president, she celebrated with a now-removed Tweet that referred to herself as a Marxist and a lesbian. saying, “I just cannot believe that a Marxist lesbian who believes that collective power is possible to build and can be wielded for a better world is the president-elect of @ALALibrary. I am so excited for what we will do together. Solidarity! And my mom is SO PROUD. I love you, Mom.”

This drew the ire of conservatives nationwide, including APLS board member and Alabama GOP president John Wahl. He called for APLS to withdraw from the association.

At the November board meeting, Pack said she would write a letter to Drabinski detailing how her Tweet “negatively impacted” the library community. Pack recommended APLS leave the ALA to protect funding. The board plans to decide on ALA affiliation in March when their membership is up for renewal.

The full agenda is included below. The meeting was originally scheduled for Jan. 18 but was postponed due to inclement weather.