A coalition of individuals and community groups has formed to discuss ongoing concerns regarding the Daviess County Citizens for Decency’s “continued negative actions” toward the Daviess County Public Library Board and staff. The group issued a release outlining a handful of specific issues.
According to a release, the coalition is “non-partisan and will focus on strategies to support the best interests of the community including marginalized groups.”
Issues discussed by the group at their initial meeting, as outlined in the release, include the following:
1) That all vacancies on the Daviess County Public Library Board, currently and in the future, should be filled with individuals who are not biased and are willing to consider the interests of the entire community, including marginalized groups.
2) The attempts by the Daviess County Citizens for Decency to challenge, disrespect, and limit diversity in our community are unacceptable.
3) Ongoing requests of the library staff by the Citizens for Decency cause interruptions to their work, resulting in waste of time, resources, and taxpayer dollars.
4) Library staff and board of directors are enduring private harassment at home, in the workplace, and in the community by this group.
5) This small group of people attempts to intimidate and pressure library staff and ignores their expertise on library best practices, policies and procedures.
6) Misinformation by the Citizens for Decency is being provided to the community regarding library materials.
The issue dates back to June 2023, when pproximately 25 people representing the Daviess County Citizens for Decency (DCC4D) group protested the library’s celebration of Pride Month, distribution of materials, and/or LGBTQ+ books in the library; about 100 people showed up to counterprotest. The next week, citizens expressed opposing views on library’s programming and books during the DCPL board meeting. In mid-August, DCC4D “audited” books in the teen and juvenile sections of the library. There was plenty of feedback from the public during DCPL meetings over the next couple of months, and in October the library made a couple of policy changes but kept materials where they were.
Earlier this month, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office issued a ruling that the Daviess County Public Library did not violate the Open Records Act when it provided all responsive records following a request by Daviess County Citizens for Decency (DCC4D) Chairman Jerry Chapman for specific communications between the library director and board members. Chapman claimed the matter was “ongoing and unresolved.” He spoke during the public comment section of the DCPL board meeting on January 17, but did not address the AG office’s ruling.
Read all our coverage of the matter here.
