The Barrington Hills Observer

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a measure that will withhold state funds from libraries that ban books. The move sparked a lot of questions.

Illinois this week became the first state in the country to make it more difficult for public and school libraries to ban books.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday signed a bill that makes libraries ineligible for certain state grant funding if they don’t adopt the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights, or similar language, that says books shall not be removed from circulation because of personal, political or religious reasons.

Proponents of book bans say they’re trying to protect children from ideas they don’t consider age appropriate or find otherwise objectionable, with some conservatives saying funding shortages could cause libraries to close unless they stock pornography targeting children.

But supporters of the law, like Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, say book bans “[defy] what education is all about: teaching our children to think for themselves.”

Here are some answers to common questions surrounding the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Does the new law defund libraries unless they stock pornography?

Much of the pornography controversy comes from a national backlash against Gender Queer, a memoir from Maia Kobabe about growing up gender fluid and the associated struggles. The book has been banned in more than 100 school districts across more than 30 states. Gender Queer includes depictions of sexting, masturbation and drawings of sexual encounters, all of which book ban proponents deem pornography. Supporters of Gender Queer contend access to the book, and others featuring similar topics, in middle or high school can help students with gender identity struggles.

The new law does not mention pornography, and instead directs libraries to follow the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, which also does not define pornography.

Read more here.

Related: “Pritzker signs law stripping libraries that ban books from state funding,” “Bill blocking libraries from state funding if they ban books clears General Assembly”