- October 12, 2024
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The Volusia County Council is reversing its decision to discuss the public library system's book challenge process. The council voted unanimously on Tuesday, May 2, against holding a discussion on the matter in the future.
The council had voted on April 18 to hold a future discussion about "inappropriate materials" in the children's sections of libraries. But County Councilman Don Dempsey, who had made that motion at the April 18 meeting, said on May 2 that he had just been concerned about the Volusia County Library Advisory Board’s scope of duty when the council had discussed appointments to the board.
He’s since been informed that the advisory board doesn't make decisions on vetting books, and that there have been no complaints about books on library shelves.
Dempsey said on May 2 that he wasn't interested in getting into "book banning."
"I don't want to create a fear with the public," he said. "... I know we voted unanimously to look at this, but I don't think any of us intended to create any type of scenario. We just wanted to see how the library was running."
County Council Chair Jeff Brower said that for the past two weeks, he's received and seen social media posts questioning why he and the council would participate in book banning.
"It was never said that we were going to ban any books, certainly not burn any books," Brower said.
While the council will not hold a discussion on the county's book challenge process, it will still hold a discussion about the Library Advisory Board. County Councilman Jake Johansson said he is interested in eliminating the board because he wants to have "less government."
