Controversies
Montgomery County Texas had a divisive string of book challenges. In August 2002, a group of citizens attended a meeting of the Commissioners' Court to push for the removal of Robie Harris' It's Perfectly Normal due to complaints that the title was inappropriate. Commissioners voted unanimously to ban the book. Despite the Commissioners' vote, the book was required to go through the review of a committee first. The Republican Leadership Council (RLC) pushed for a change in policy on how the committee was devised. Previously, it was 5 librarians; however, it was amended to include 5 citizens as well. The RLC also started a campaign to combat a bond issue to raise $10 million for library expansions citing tax increases as the reason for the campaign.
In 2003 a library takeover was planned by county commissioner Alan B. Sadler that resulted in an investigation by the Montgomery County District Attorney and a confidential settlement regarding violations of Texas open meeting laws. Sadler sought to give control over the approval of all materials procured by the library to the county commission. As a result of these ongoing struggles, Library Director Jerilynn A. Williams received the PEN First Amendment Award in 2003.
Read more about this topic: Montgomery County Memorial Library System