In a recent news story titled, “Christian County Library finalizes removing American Library Association from their policies” (November 18, 2025) Chris Drew from KSMU, Osarks Public Radio reports that the library’s board of trustees has finalized removal of references to the American Library Association (ALA), which includes its Library Bill of Rights.

So, if trustees John Garrity and Mary Hernandez de Carl don’t approve of of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, then let’s propose one that they likely agree with.

1. Books and other library resources should be provided with no concern for the interest, information, or enlightenment of any people of the community the library serves. Materials should be excluded because of origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting only the points of view a handful of elected politicians agree with. Materials should be proscribed and removed solely through partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
3. Libraries should embrace censorship regarding the fulfillment of their responsibility to restrict information and enlightenment.
4. Libraries are not to cooperate with any persons or groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
5. A person’s right to use a library will be denied or abridged because of their origin, age, background, or views.
6. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available solely based on the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
7. No person, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possesses a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries will not advocate for, educate about, nor protect people’s privacy, freely sharing library use data, especially personally identifiable information.

Doesn’t that sound lovely? No? Does it sound dystopian? It most certainly does. Writing that was a fun exercise, and obviously it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I wrote it to explicitly be the exact opposite of what the ALA’s Bill of Rights represents.

Now, the ALA’s Bill of Rights is very ambiguous, and to get a better idea of what they are referring to, I highly recommend reading their Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights, which gets into the specifics as to what their philosophy is regarding libraries, and the aspects of library access they promote. From their interpretations, the part I have cited the most in the last few years is:

“Libraries are essential to democracy and self-government, to personal development and social progress, and to every individual’s inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” —American Library Association

This is why I work at a library. This welcoming idea of inclusivity and belonging is what makes me look forward to each day at work. I mention belonging, and funny enough on June 29, 2025, ALA updated the title of their interpretation on this topic to include the words, “and Belonging” to its previous title of “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion”.

I could go on about DEI, but I won’t. It’s amazing how our politicians and media has spent so much energy in convincing our citizens that because we’re trying to make life more tenable for everyone, that it’s somehow discriminating against White people. I know I’ve heard this repeated from various sources, but I too believe that libraries are our last bastion of hope, democracy, and humanity.

The last thing we want in our libraries is the Bill of Wrongs.