A Tennessee library director who was fired this week for refusing to move LGBTQ+ books from the children’s section said she stands by her decision and believes her firing is part of a broader and deeply disturbing shift in which public institutions are embroiled in political battles.
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Luann James, former director of the Rutherford County Library System, spoke publicly for the first time since her retirement. interview She explained to Nashville NBC affiliate WSMV-TV that her choice was more a professional obligation than a rebellion.
“I had no other choice. I had to do what I had to do,” she said.
James’ term ended abruptly after just eight months. The Rutherford County Library Board voted to fire her for refusing to move 132 LGBTQ+ books from the children’s section to the adult section. Committee members said the relocation was necessary because they determined the material was inappropriate for younger readers.
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For James, the directive raised concerns that went far beyond shelving the decision. This reflects a growing effort to transform libraries from institutions based on access and professional standards into sites of ideological enforcement, she said.
“I think they’re politicizing librarians. That’s not what we signed up for as librarians,” she said. “In the last 25 years, the last time we’ve experienced something like this is since COVID-19. We’ve never seen anything like this until recently.”
Her firing comes as public libraries across the country have become the focus of disputes over LGBTQ+ representation, parental rights and limits on government power. In Tennessee, these tensions are exacerbated by state-level intervention. Last year, Secretary of State Tre Hargett ordered local libraries to conduct a major overhaul of their collections to ensure compliance with state and federal laws, and Rutherford County libraries were closed for a week while officials conducted an “age appropriateness” review.
Free expression advocates quickly rallied to James’ support. In a statement shared with defenderPEN America condemned the board’s decision and praised James for not complying.
“LuAnn James was voted out of her position as librarian because she refused to move LGBTQ+ books to the adult section,” said Casey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Reading Freedom Program. “Ms. Luann showed a deep commitment to the principles of reading freedom and libraries at great cost by resolutely saying, ‘I will not disobey.’ Her story will echo from courthouses across the county in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, as a symbol of the fight against censorship and oppression.”
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The Rutherford County Library Board is scheduled to meet next week to discuss the appointment of an interim director. It remains unclear what will happen to the 132 books at the center of the dispute, and whether James’ removal will resolve the conflict or deepen it.
James said he has no regrets.
“I’m not going to change my mind. I would make the same decision again,” she said. “If this makes a difference for librarians across the country, I’m happy. It’s unpleasant, but if it makes a difference for librarians and ultimately ends this, then I’m fine with it.”
Her case reflects a pattern that has been widely documented in recent years. As discussed in the documentary The Librarians, many public librarians say they were not looking for political conflict, but have become drawn into it as challenges to their books, particularly those about race and LGBTQ+ lives, proliferate. The film depicts how librarians across the country, who describe their work as protecting First Amendment principles and the public’s access to information, face increasing pressure from harassment, job threats, and organized campaigns.
According to WSMV, James has hired a lawyer and is considering his legal options. “I’m very disappointed,” she said.
GoFundMe james page More than $96,000 has been raised as of Friday night.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
