ALA pushing public libraries to ‘sabotage’ conservative story hour

Jun 28, 2023

Mahmoud Bennett Anchor

By Mahmoud Bennett (Anchor), Ben Burke (Digital Producer)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

A Christian book publisher said it has obtained exclusive evidence that the taxpayer-funded American Library Association (ALA) is circulating guidance to “sabotage” conservative or Christian parent groups from gathering in public libraries later this summer. The sabotage has to do with Brave Books’ “See You at the Library” event set for Aug. 5. The event is led by actor Kirk Cameron.

In December of 2022, Cameron requested to read his book “As You Grow” at over 50 public American libraries. The libraries denied him that opportunity, with some taking aim at the ideas in Cameron’s books.

Cameron wrote to some of the public libraries expressing concern they were violating his free speech rights. After Cameron threatened legal action, the libraries conceded, and the “Brave Books Story Hour” tour began.

Cameron and Brave Books traveled to 14 libraries across the country to host story readings for families. Some of the events had more than a thousand people attend.

The momentum of that tour led to the “See You at the Library” event, which has a goal to have people host their own story hour at libraries in their communities to pray, sing and read books of virtue. The event is seen as an alternative to controversial children’s drag queen events.

But, it now appears the ALA is getting in the way. One idea reportedly suggested by an ALA director was for public libraries to schedule events on the same day to prevent locals from hosting a conservative story hour. The children’s services coordinator at the New Jersey State Library suggested libraries block off meeting rooms to prevent Brave Books from renting space.

“Libraries are for receipt of information. That means that the First Amendment does not require the library to even offer meeting room spaces,” ALA Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone said. “So in regard to the Kirk Cameron thing, you are not obligated to offer public meeting room spaces or invite the public in to use the library.”

In 2022, the federal government increased funding that benefits the ALA to the tune of $211 million. Critics say the ALA is benefitting from the public’s tax dollars but is trying to violate their free speech rights.

Tags: American Library Association, Brave Books, Free Speech, Kirk Cameron, Libraries, Religious Freedom

A CHRISTIAN BOOK PUBLISHER SAYS IT HAS OBTAINED EXCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT THE TAXPAYER-FUNDED AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IS CIRCULATING GUIDANCE TO SABOTAGE CONSERVATIVE OR CHRISTIAN PARENT GROUPS FROM GATHERING IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES LATER THIS SUMMER.
THIS ALL HAS TO DO WITH BRAVE BOOKS’ “SEE YOU AT THE LIBRARY” EVENT SET FOR AUGUST FIFTH.
THE EVENT IS LED BY ACTOR KIRK CAMERON.
IT ALL STARTED LAST DECEMBER — WHEN CAMERON REQUESTED TO READ HIS BOOK “AS YOU GROW” AT OVER 50 PUBLIC AMERICAN LIBRARIES.
THE LIBRARIES DENIED HIM THAT OPPORTUNITY \ WITH SOME TAKING AIM AT THE PROGRAM AND THE IDEAS IN CAMERON’S BOOKS
IN RESPONSE — CAMERON WROTE TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES EXPRESSING CONCERN THEY WERE VIOLATING HIS FREE SPEECH RIGHTS.
AFTER CAMERON THREATENED LEGAL ACTION — THE LIBRARIES CONCEDED, AND THE “BRAVE BOOKS STORY HOUR” TOUR BEGAN.
CAMERON AND BRAVE BOOKS TRAVELED TO 14 LIBRARIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HOST STORY READINGS FOR FAMILIES.
SOME OF THE EVENTS HAD MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE ATTEND.
THE MOMENTUM OF THAT TOUR HAS LED TO THE AUGUST 5TH EVENT — WHICH HAS A GOAL TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU HOST YOUR OWN STORY HOUR AT LIBRARIES IN YOUR COMMUNITIES TO PRAY SING AND QUOTE READ BOOKS OF VIRTUE
THE EVENT IS SEEN AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONTROVERSIAL CHILDREN’S DRAG QUEEN EVENTS.
BUT — IT APPEARS THE A-L-A IS GETTING IN THE WAY.
ONE IDEA REPORTEDLY SUGGESTED BY AN A-L-A DIRECTOR WAS FOR LIBRARIES TO SCHEDULE EVENTS ON AUGUST 5TH TO PREVENT LOCALS FROM HOSTING A CONSERVATIVE STORY HOUR.
THE CHILDREN’S SERVICES COORDINATOR AT THE NEW JERSEY STATE LIBRARY SUGGESTED LIBRARIES BLOCK OFF MEETING ROOMS TO PREVENT BRAVE BOOKS FROM RENTING SPACE.
“Libraries are for receipt of information. That means that the First Amendment does not require the library to even offer meeting room spaces. So in regard to the Kirk Cameron thing, you are not obligated to offer public meeting room spaces or invite the public in to use the library.”
IN 20-22 — THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INCREASED FUNDING THAT BENEFITS THE A-L-A TO THE TUNE OF 211 MILLION DOLLARS.
CRITICS SAY THE A-L-A IS BENEFITTING FROM THE PUBLIC’S TAX DOLLARS BUT IS TRYING TO VIOLATE THEIR FREE SPEECH RIGHTS