We Support Our Charleston County Public Libraries!

Our public libraries are the heartbeat of our community, providing a diverse and well-rounded collection, essential services, resources, and a welcoming space for all. The Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) is a beloved community resource, offering everything from books and technology access to free programs for children, teens, and adults.

However, our library system faces challenges that threaten its ability to continue serving the community at its best. The Charleston County Republican Party has presented a recent resolution that asks for the public library to undermine its policies and to go against the needs of the public.   An excerpt:

 

 

 

 

 

As CCPL is a tax funded public entity, it should not be guided, influenced, or coerced by any singular political party or community group. The Public Library is here to serve all of us.

We, the undersigned, believe that a strong public library is essential to the health and growth of our community. We call on the Charleston County government and local leaders to fully support and fund the CCPL, ensuring that it remains a vibrant and accessible resource for everyone.

Please sign this petition to help protect the rights of parents and caregivers to make choices for their own families, and to keep the current policies of CCPL intact. By signing this petition we are affirming that we believe in: 

1. Trusted professionals: CCPL librarians are degreed professionals who care about their communities and make decisions in accordance with board-approved collection development policies. Our public libraries offer a diverse and well-rounded collection of materials for all ages, especially youth, curated by library professionals. These policies reflect their commitment to our communities and the communities’ right to access a wide range of ideas and information.
 

2. Parental Choice and Responsibility: CCPL is a safe place for our youth and is trusted by the public. It is the right of parents to guide their own children’s reading choices. However, it is crucial to respect that each parent has this right individually. No parent should make reading choices for other families' children. The CCPL youth policy clearly states that library staff is not responsible for overseeing the appropriateness of materials selected by children; this is a role solely reserved for parents and caregivers.
 

3. Appeals Process: CCPL already has a rigorous, well-documented and publicized process and criteria in place to address concerns with the inclusion or classification of a particular item. Upon receipt of a formal request for reconsideration by a Charleston County resident, CCPL convenes an ad hoc committee, including subject matter experts, who are charged with making a recommendation to the Executive Director. This process is working, and should be allowed to continue.  
 

4. Local Oversight and Trust:  Our librarians are guided by locally crafted board policies, ensuring that our libraries meet the unique needs of our communities, and remain vibrant centers of learning and exploration.

 

We value our CCPL public libraries as the heartbeat of our communities. We trust our librarians. We believe in the communities’ right to access a wide range of ideas and information. We believe in the right and responsibility of parents to guide their own children’s reading choices, and that no parent should make reading choices for other families’ children. As a tax funded public entity, we believe that the public library should be a vibrant and accessible resource that serves everyone.

 

Full Resolution we are against is below: