A contentious proposal to revise the Irving Public Library Board’s collection development policy advanced Monday after hours of divided public comment and board deliberation, setting in motion a process that will culminate in a final decision by the Irving City Council.
The proposed changes, as reported by KERA, would significantly alter how library materials are selected, including removing most references to “diversity,” adding stricter standards for sexually explicit or graphic content in youth sections, and shifting the emphasis away from certain library practices.
During the April 6 meeting, 23 residents spoke, prompting the board to limit comments to two minutes each. The testimony revealed deep divisions over whether the policy is necessary to protect children or risks restricting access to information.
Supporters of the changes repeatedly framed the issue as one of child safety and parental rights.
“The library has purchased many age-inappropriate books which promote anything goes behavior to preteens, teens,” said Vicki Norman.
Others echoed that concern, arguing that existing policies allow explicit material to reach minors.
“We need a statement in the policy that under no circumstance shall diversity excuse sexually graphic books to minors,” Norman added. Toward the end of her remarks, about two-thirds of the audience stood to signal their agreement.
Several speakers called for stricter oversight of materials available to younger readers.
“We need a new book collection policy to allow only age-appropriate books to be brought into our library and read by our children,” said Erin Perdue.
“It’s all about protecting kids,” Timothy Norman said, while also claiming that “diversity is used as a cover to show any kind of sexual, anything, anything goes out there.”
Opponents of the proposal argued the revisions amount to censorship and undermine established library practices, including guidance from groups like the American Library Association.
“Removing those statements is an affront to one of Irving’s greatest strengths,” said Mary Henson, referring to diversity language in the current policy.
Others emphasized parental choice over government restrictions.
“If we support parents’ rights, we must also accept the rights of parents who do not want material to be restricted from their children,” Henson said.
Speakers also defended librarians’ professional judgment. “A librarian is your friend, not an enemy. They know their collections,” said Sherri Johnson, who said she has worked in libraries.
The debate reflects broader concerns raised ahead of the meeting, where reporting indicated the proposal would overhaul key policy language, remove most mentions of diversity, and introduce new criteria tied to “community standards” and literary value, according to KERA.
Critics of the draft policy previously argued such changes could replace professional discretion with subjective standards, while supporters said the revisions are needed to ensure materials are age-appropriate and aligned with community expectations.
Board members began discussing possible revisions during the meeting, including whether to reintroduce a diversity statement with revised wording to balance broad access with community concerns.
The board made compromises and tweaks in real time after public input. However, a final copy of what will be sent to the city council is not on the Irving Public Library website, as of this writing.
After the meeting, the board Chairwoman, Flory Malloy, told The Dallas Express that this process was necessary because the Irving City Council had recently taken action on a similar policy. She called the process “standard” and added that “The [Library Board] finalized our recommendations for the Irving Public Library’s Collection Development policy for council to review.”
Regarding next steps, Flory said, “The draft as proposed by the LB will be reviewed by the Library department and the city legal team. Then, I, as the LB Chair, will present the proposed changes to Council at the May work session. Whatever Council approves will be posted and go into effect.”
Malloy said a policy change is important because it would better define adult content and who can access it. “This is an important step in providing age-appropriate and family-friendly collections in the library. This is an important step in reaching underserved youth populations like homeschoolers or simply families who recognize that their children have a right to be protected from explicit sexual material in municipal spaces.”
The Irving Public Library website states, “The Irving Public Library is a community hub providing valuable resources and services to improve the quality of life for all patrons,” and it boasts more than 35,000 active users in fiscal year 2026.
