Rejection of LGBTQ book exhibit leads to resignation of library director

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Maury County Public Library is looking for a new leader after its director resigned due to community backlash over an LGBTQ Pride Month book expo.

On Wednesday evening, the board of directors approved the resignation of Zachary Fox with regret. Library leaders said Fox decided to pull out due to mounting pressure from members of the Maury County community. A group of people spoke out on social media beginning in June against books they deemed inappropriate for LGBTQ topics included.

Debate over the issue flared up at Wednesday’s meeting as people on both sides argued over 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 to showcase different book themes each month.

Library board chairman Joel Friddell said people were starting to get upset because the controversial materials were sitting next to the children’s summer feeding program table. However, he said the books were all closed and no one was directly encouraging children to read them.

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

Friddell said people have voiced their opposition online and at board meetings, but no one has filed formal complaints about the library’s LGBTQ books. If a complaint is filed, the board is required to review the book for possible deletion.

Only 423 of the more than 110,000 books in the library’s collection include LGBTQ topics, Friddell said. The library already has policies to prevent anyone under the age of 13 from reading a young adult book without parental approval.

“The library is not a mother house. The parent has to play a role,” Friddell said. “We’re doing our part to the extent that we have policies that say, ‘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 handled that way.

“People need to understand that there’s a common ground here, and that’s that no one is really against the library,” Friddell said. “There are concerns, not necessarily against the books that are in the library, but where they are displayed and ensuring that age-appropriate material remains in an age-appropriate area and that safeguards are in place.”

The library has added additional steps to ensure monthly book displays are now approved by the director. Each book displayed will also be recorded and a photo of the display entered into the library’s computer system for anyone to access at any time.

Friddell said it was unfortunate that community pressure caused Fox to step down after just three years in the role. He described Fox as overqualified and someone who pushed to constantly expand the library’s programming to help the community.

“Social media, baseless allegations, pressuring someone, trying to paint someone a certain way where they leave a position. It doesn’t feel like a democratic process to me,” Friddell said. “It’s more like mob rule and bullying, and I don’t like that.”

The Maury County Public Library is looking for an interim manager to help run the library until a new manager can be hired. Friddell said there is no timeline as to when the position will finally be filled.