Virginia library faces potential shutdown over funding after children's books are challenged

Source: Associated Press

Virginia library faces potential shutdown over funding after children’s books are challenged

BY MATTHEW BARAKAT
Updated 3:22 PM EDT, September 12, 2023

FRONT ROYAL, Va. (AP) — A Virginia library that traces its roots to the 18th century could soon be shuttered over a dispute about children’s books that expose readers to gay, lesbian and transgender characters.

Like many libraries across the country, the Samuels Public Library in Warren County has found itself embroiled in conflict over books with LGBTQ+ themes.

What sets the Samuels library apart is the very real threat that it will have to close down entirely because of the dispute. The county’s Board of Supervisors voted in June to withhold 75% of its appropriation to the library unless the library board revises its bylaws to give the county more of a say in its governance.

The library, which is structured as a nonprofit organization that receives the bulk of its funding from the county, has said it will run out of operating funds by the end of the month.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/library-book-challenge-closure-virginia-lgbtq-183baafd5b5533108b5fd92b650d78c1