Reaction to LGBTQ Book Display Leads to Library Director’s Resignation

COLOMBIA, Tennessee. (WSMV)- Maury County Public Library is looking for a new leader after its director resigned due to community backlash over LGBTQ Pride Month book show.

On Wednesday evening, the board regretfully approved the resignation of Zachary Fox. Library officials said Fox decided to resign due to mounting pressure from members of the Maury County community. A group of people took to social media starting in June against books they felt were inappropriate to include an LGBTQ theme.

Debate over the issue flared up during Wednesday’s meeting, when people from both sides argued whether the books should be in a place where children can see them. The Pride Month book display was placed on a table near the main entrance, which is used each month to display a different book theme.

Library board chairman Joel Friddell said people were starting to get frustrated that the controversial materials were placed next to the table for the summer baby food program. Although, according to him, the books were all closed, and no one directly encouraged the children to read them.

“If you go to the library right now, you will see another display like this,” Friddell said. “It’s a library. If there’s a book in there that offends you, then we’re doing our job because, frankly, with over 110,000 titles, there’s going to be something you’ll object to.”

Friddell said people have voiced their dissent online and at board meetings, but no one has filed a formal complaint against any LGBTQ books in the library. If a complaint is filed, the board is required to consider the book for possible removal.

According to Friddell, only 423 of the more than 110,000 books in the library’s collection include LGBTQ themes. The library already has policies in place to prevent anyone under the age of 13 from reading teen books without parental permission.

“The library is not a parent. The parent has a role to play,” Friddell said. “We do our part to have a policy that says, ‘This is what a young adult is, and this is what books are.’ We have very good staff. They work hard to make sure the books are age appropriate and treated accordingly.

“People need to understand that there is something in common here, which is that no one is really against the library,” Friddell said. “There are some concerns, not necessarily about the books that are in the library, but about where they are on display, and making sure the age-appropriate materials stay in the area where they are age-appropriate, and There are security measures in place.”

The library has added additional steps to ensure monthly book showings are now approved by the director. Each book in the display case will also be registered, and a photo of the display case will be entered into the library’s computer system so that anyone can access it at any time.

Friddell said it was unfortunate that community pressure forced Fox to resign after only three years in the position. He described Fox as an over-qualified individual who insisted on continually expanding the library’s programs to help the community.

“Social networks, baseless accusations, pressure on someone, attempts to portray someone in a certain way so that they leave their position. It doesn’t feel like a democratic process to me,” Friddell said. “It’s more like mob power and bullying and I don’t like it.”

Maury County Public Library is looking for an interim director to help run the library until a new director is hired. Friddell said there is no timeline for when the position will be filled full-time.