Book battle continues, board rejects another proposal

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - The public commented, and the Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library board voted again.

The vote was on a proposal to remove sexually explicit content from the children and teen section of the library.

“It does not ask the library to not purchase those types of books or to remove them from the shelves. It is simply asking the library to move those books... the children’s and teen’s books to one section in the adult area,” said Vanessa Adams, the new director of the library.

The proposal failed, yet again. This time three board members were in favor of rejecting the proposal and two were against rejecting it.

Monday was Adams’ first day on the job and her first library board meeting.

“I know, what I am getting into, so I am really prepared for the worst and today wasn’t,” she said.

Adams has been following this discussion for the past eight months.

Region 8 News asked her if this second rejection of the proposal would end the months-long discussion.

“No, I don’t believe it is the end. If this was the end, then last time would have been the end too. I don’t believe this is the end,” she said.

She said although this may not be the end it is up to her to work with the community, staff, and board members to find a solution.

“I do believe it is my responsibility to find some sort of compromise,” she said. “But I think people need to understand that a comprise means that nobody gets their way 100 percent.”

Adams said she wanted to take a second look at the proposal which failed Monday night, to give her opinion.

As of right now, there is no solid solution to ending this book battle.

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