Press release on APLS Meeting July 17, 2025:
Clean Up Alabama is proud to commend the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) for once again showing courage and clarity in protecting Alabama’s children from exposure to sexually explicit materials and ideological indoctrination in public libraries.
In a recent and decisive move, APLS established a clear, enforceable set of definitions for what constitutes inappropriate material for minors. By doing so, APLS has provided local libraries and boards across the state with practical guidance rooted in both common sense and constitutional responsibility. Their decision to utilize a stricter rubric than the outdated federal Miller test represents a vital shift toward safeguarding minors from content that, while not legally “obscene” for adults, is entirely inappropriate for children.
This action reflects what Clean Up Alabama has advocated from the beginning: that the protection of minors is not censorship, but responsibility. The APLS guidance affirms that books containing sexually explicit words or themes may be reviewed based solely on the presence of that material—without requiring that the work be taken “as a whole.” This provides a necessary and practical tool for libraries to responsibly curate children’s and teen sections.
Today, the APLS Board of Trustees voted to formally propose amending the Code of Alabama to include these definitions. This is a bold and necessary step in the right direction.
Recent court decisions, including Free Speech Coalition, Inc. v. Paxton, confirm that states are well within their rights to go beyond the Miller test in order to protect minors. APLS’s proactive leadership now stands on even firmer legal ground.
“We are grateful that APLS continues to lead with courage,” said Hannah Rees, Executive Director of Clean Up Alabama. “Their commitment to Alabama families, to child safety, and to constitutional integrity is not only refreshing—it’s essential.”
Clean Up Alabama remains committed to supporting community leaders, library boards, and lawmakers who prioritize the protection of minors from inappropriate content in taxpayer-funded institutions.