MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas —
In June of 2020, Midland County Public Libraries removed parts of Pride displays at two library locations following complaints from some citizens.
Some pieces of the library displays were relocated to areas of the library that MCPL Social Impact and Community Engagement Coordinator Megan Buck said better matched their intended audience, such as elements that were moved from the children’s section to the adult services section.
Buck said that while they have had complaints on previous displays, this event has heightened the library’s focus on communication and policies.
“At this time, it did become part of our policy to communicate with leadership what displays were gonna happen and what the content and location was,” Buck said. “That’s now become part of the workflow and it really just opens up communication between staff and leadership.”
The library’s goal is to hold collections that represent everyone.
“We have materials in our collection for everyone, and that’s really our intention,” Buck said. “We really strive to have displays and exhibits that add value to the user experience, and we really do want a library user experience where patrons can feel safe and included.”
Moving forward, Buck said she does believe they will have another display this Pride Month, with more attention directed toward where the materials are located.