A minor sparked a controversy in Sioux Center when she checked out Icebreaker, a new adult romance novel.
The Sioux Center Library Board has met five times over the last four months regarding a parental request to remove the book from its collection.
In the first meeting, the Board decided to keep the book in its collection but considered implementing a tiered access card system. A tiered access card system would restrict what materials are available to library cards based on age.
However, the state library warned the board that instituting a tiered access card could jeopardize the library’s accreditation. As a result, the Board has agreed to pause the change, pending guidance from the state library.
In an interview, Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association, told Siouxland Public Media that how some Iowans view libraries and books is changing.
"We are seeing... some interesting actions in little pockets of our state, where we’re not trusting ourselves or our neighbors to steward their family’s library cards in a way we have for nearly 90 years," Helmick said.
