Alpena County voters on Tuesday approved a renewal of the property tax that funds operations and upkeep at the Alpena County Library by a very healthy 60% to 40% margin.

Library officials and their supporters should not take that as a mandate to keep controversial books on the shelves in the children’s and teens’ sections of the library.

The vote was more nuanced than that, and conversations between the library board, county board, and the community need to continue.

Here’s the background: For about two years, some residents have complained to library and county officials about a handful of books in the youth sections of the library that those residents considered too sexualized and graphic for young readers and demanded the library move or remove the books. Library officials and other residents defended the books as important tools to help parents have difficult conversations with their children or as the only way some kids might learn about sex and sexuality. Library defenders also said moving the books could violate the First Amendment rights of residents who wanted access to the books or could subject the library to lawsuits.

As the library refused to move those books, some of the concerned residents called on voters to reject the library tax renewal.

The county board got involved this year and, citing inaction by the library board, voted to begin the process of removing and replacing the entire library board. In response, some residents who had pushed the no vote on the library tax said they would instead urge residents to support the tax.

So the issue gets complicated right there. Some who oppose the books and their placement may have nonetheless voted for the tax because the county board took action and they believe the books are on their way to a new location.

Still others may have supported the tax because they support the library’s many programs, but still oppose the books or their placement.

And the tax’s support wasn’t universal. Early returns from the county’s townships showed those voters largely rejected the tax. It wasn’t until votes from Alpena Township and Alpena came in late Tuesday night that the tax got put over the top. So the library doesn’t have universal support throughout the county.

In short, the overwhelming yes vote on the library tax shouldn’t be taken as an overwhelming yes vote on the controversial books, and the community still must settle that issue.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)