LGBTQ+

“As the Director of the Rutherford County Library System, I am professionally and ethically bound to uphold the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” James said in an email to the Library Board. “Public libraries serve as vital repositories of diverse ideas, both popular and unpopular. Restricting access to these materials through subjective relocation or removal constitutes a violation of the community’s right to information and a direct infringement on the principles of free speech. Our libraries are funded by and for the citizens; therefore, the right to access information—free from government interference—is a protected hallmark of our democracy.