Opinion: New Library Board Chair's Political Activities Under Scrutiny

Edited on 3/17/2025: Changed the percentage of LGBTQ+ challenged books from 97% to 91%.

Edited on 3/18/2025: Deleted that the organization “Truth in Education” was formerly “No Left Turn in Education.” “No Left Turn in Education” became “Freedom in Education.” Both organizations have some similarities, however Truth in Education and Georgians for Responsible Libraries are both founded by the same person (Rhonda Thomas).

At the 3/12/2025 Columbia County Library Advisory Board (CCLAB) Meeting the board voted on 6 different appeals. I wrote about these Reconsiderations in December 2024 and again in January 2025. Many weren’t expecting the board to vote on these appeals at this meeting because there was no way the entire board had time to read all the material in the past month. Historically, the board has set up sub-committees to review the material. Hillary Millar abstained from voting because she admitted she hadn’t read or viewed any of the books. Regardless, the CCLAB voted to shelve the books along the same line as the new Columbia County Librarian. Normally, I would hold this up as a good practice, however I know that the new librarian agreed to implement the guidelines as a condition of her promotion. I take her book placement recommendations with a grain of salt because I think she is more than likely directed, or at least pressured, by Columbia County.

Further, the County didn’t even follow their own Reconsideration Policy of creating a Librarian Review Committee. Our new librarian should not have been the only librarian weighing-in on the Reconsiderations. It gets more complicated when you consider the moves regarding Graphic Novels. Our new librarian chose to move an adult graphic novel (Gender Queer) from a graphic novel section. She also chose to move a YA graphic novel (Flamer by Mike Curato) from that same graphic novel section. Even if Flamer was categorized as “adult”, it should have stayed in the same place. There was no reason to move Gender Queer either. The guidelines don’t even address graphic novels. Moving the graphic novels just opened up a whole new can of worms. The CCLAB didn’t vote on those 2 graphic novels though because, since the patron got what she wanted, there was no appeal. According to the policy, there’s no way for anyone else in the public to appeal that decision for the next 2 years either.

Back to the case at hand, why did the CCLAB vote this way? In my opinion, it’s a calculated political move. This way they can say, “See, we support our librarians. It’s not about targeting LGBTQ+ books!” (Although, they did move LGBTQ+ books as those were the only ones challenged.) The CCLAB have been trying to claim they aren’t affiliated with the political activists making anti-LGBTQ+ remarks... that they aren’t trying to target LGBTQ+ materials with the guidelines although those are 91% of the books challenged. It’s a great political argument and some will tell me that today’s vote is proof that CCLAB is somewhat reasonable because they are just voting in-line with the current librarian. Here’s the thing though, these books were still targeted for LGBTQ+ content and they were still moved for that same reason. Just because they voted to not move 2 picture books and one YA novel, they still chose to move 2 books obviously written for Middle Schoolers out of Middle Ground and into the Teen Room because they had trans characters. They use the guidelines as the justification, however in my opinion, the guidelines are illegal and unconstitutional.

Let’s also take into consideration that at this same meeting, the CCLAB voted for David Davis to be the new Chair of the Library Board. Mr. Davis just came onto this board in January. However, he was present at the December 10, 2024 Regional Board meeting when the guidelines were voted on and, as a citizen, was very firmly for the guidelines. You can see him here holding a sign while the Columbia County Republican Chair made his remarks. The sign said something like: Warning! Explicit Content Ahead. At that same meeting, he told one of the speakers who spoke against adoption of the guidelines that she needed “to go to church.” It has also been reported to me anonymously that he has been seen meeting at the library with many of the political activists that frequently challenge LGBTQ+ materials. I was at the library on two different occasions and witnessed this myself. These activists were quite expressive in their joy at his new Chairmanship.

Oh, but friends, it gets better. As you know, many of us have been speaking out about adoption of Georgia SB74 because it will criminalize librarians. Mr. Davis is seen in these pictures going to Atlanta with the same individual(s) who are constantly challenging books for LGBTQ+ content at our local public libraries. It appears that our local activists (including Mr. Davis) are affiliated with Truth in Education and Georgians for Responsible Libraries. Both of these organizations push the same messaging alleging “pornography” in libraries. Although these pictures were posted on Georgians for Responsible Libraries Facebook Page on 2/27/2025, Columbia County activists went to Atlanta to speak at the Senate’s Education and Youth Committee on 2/25/2025, although the chair of the committee did not allow public comment. You can also see that they met with SB74’s sponsor, Senator Max Burns, as well as HD 125 Representative Gary Richardson.

Mr. Davis is seen in this picture with what appears to be a binder that includes the logo for the Greater Clarks Hill Regional Library Board (GCHRLB). Mr. Davis was already seated on both the County and Regional boards when he took this trip. Was he advocating on behalf of the GCHRLB, Georgians For Responsible Libraries or as a private citizen when he attended the Senate Education Committee hearings and spoke with legislators on 2/25/2025? If it was as a member of the GCHRLB, this seems like a conflict of interest. If it was either of the latter, the use of the GCHRLB logo on a binder at this event is a misrepresentation of his role and brings up ethical questions.

Georgians for Responsible Libraries even posted this image on their Facebook page in June 2024 for an event in Bryan County, Georgia. Yeah, nothing so see here folks. There’s no anti-LGBTQ+ agenda at all.

How is this association and behavior appropriate for someone on both the CCLAB and GCHRLB? How is this appropriate for the person who was just voted-in as Chair of the CCLAB? Tell me again, how the CCLAB and the Commissioners who appointed the entire board do not have some sort of agenda? It seems quite clear to me. Yesterday’s vote was purely for political expediency because, in my opinion, they fully intend to enact something much more sinister down the line with not only Mr. Davis’s appointment, but his elevation to Chair so quickly after his appointment.