Drama in Greenville’s Libraries?

In April of this year, the Greenville County Library System’s board mandated a policy that required library branches to ask for permission to put up displays if they promoted certain regulated materials. Then, later in June, the Library System asked a Travelers Rest branch to take down a Pride-themed display, however, the manager refused. The Library System gave the facility a week to take down the display, and by then Pride Month would be over. The Board then took three months to deliberate a new policy, in which no themed displays were allowed. Now, the Library System’s Board of Trustees voted 6-4 on a policy that prohibits themed displays unless they are promoting paid holidays. With this new policy, the executive director has the power to remove any displays if they find them too political, inappropriate, or not relevant to the holiday. Board member Elizabeth Collins believes this will solve the problem of “display boards being used to promote a political agenda or a single point of view.” However, many Library employees are extremely unhappy with this new policy.