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People walk through exhibits from the Utah Black History Museum in the Orem Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

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This undated photo shows a Pride Month display in the children's section of the Orem Public Library.

Courtesy Orem City

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This undated photo shows one of the displays featuring books with LGBTQ+ themes in the adult section of the Orem Public Library.

Courtesy Orem Public Library

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On Monday, the Orem Public Library and the City of Orem were put on notice by the Utah Library Association and other organizations in the latest accusation of censorship at the library.

The ULA previously issued a statement in June 2022 about displays of LGBTQ-themed material allegedly being censored.

“At that time, we expressed our concern about censorship and requested that Orem City Council members publicly and transparently address their actions in this matter, rescind any directives they have given to the library related to displays of materials, and commit to refraining from issuing future directives that seek to restrict library staff from carrying out the mission of the library or that seek to limit access to information for the residents of Orem,” reads the statement, which was signed by representatives of the ULA, Equality Utah, the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, the Utah Educational Library Media Association, the Utah LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and the Utah Valley Parents Alliance.

Since then, the statement adds, the library has ceased all displays related to heritage and diversity months, and some staff have said they felt that they could not speak publicly about the directive under threat of reprisal.

In response, Brenn Bybee, Orem’s acting city manager, released the following statement:

“We are committed to the excellence of the Orem Public Library and fully support its efforts to serve and enrich our community. We are reviewing and updating our library policies to ensure greater clarity and understanding. It is important to note that during this process (and prior to it), no items have been removed, and the city has supported the librarians’ efforts to showcase more of the library’s collection. The updated policies will ensure the stewardship of our librarians while providing appropriate opportunities for input and engagement. We believe greater clarity will help to enhance our library and its important mission in our community.”

The ULA statement notes that “an editorial by city Councilwoman LaNae Millett clarifies that the Orem City Council supports the censorship of previously planned heritage displays.”

“We recently heard from some patrons who wanted the library to return to creating displays for various heritage or diversity months,” Millett wrote in her Feb. 1 commentary. “Earlier discussions on this led to division in the community and interfered with the welcoming environment we strive for. We support city management’s decision to end discontent by eliminating formal displays. We support our librarians’ efforts to showcase a variety of the library’s vast collection.”

According to the ULA, the city’s actions are not only a disservice to the Orem community but also an act of overreach by the city government.

Ed Carter, a Brigham Young University professor of communications and a lawyer specializing in freedom of expression, said it must be all or nothing when it comes to a public entity like the Orem library — in other words, it cannot pick and choose which topics to promote — otherwise it could be seen as an infringement on First Amendment rights.

However, Carter also indicated what is happening may not be wise. “It is not serving the community as well as it should be. Libraries should be where a full range of the community should be able to discuss,” he said.

Carter suspects there may be a misunderstanding among those involved in the Orem library dispute between the ideas of education vs. endorsement. The library may not endorse every book in its collection, he said, but possessing a broad range of material allows for the presentation of a variety of perspectives.

“The community deserves a wide array of viewpoints,” Carter said. “The council needs to understand there is a diverse community in Orem.”

The Utah Library Association asserted in its statement that “the public library exists to serve ALL people. As an institution, the library is both a legal and a symbolic embodiment of the fundamental American value that we all have the right to self-direct, think for ourselves, read, learn, and engage with ideas and information without government interference.”

According to the ULA, public libraries historically — and in accordance with state law — are governed and funded in such a way that they are insulated from political interference by elected officials who may have partisan objectives.

“When politicians overstep and impose their personal beliefs, issue directives outside the legal framework of open public meetings, and back up their illicit directives with implicit or explicit threats of defunding or staff reprisal, they are behaving in an illegitimate manner inconsistent with good government and the public interest,” the group said. “We ask the Commission to offer all Orem residents a clear statement that they will oppose political pressure to limit access to materials.”

Organizations who jointly signed the statement are asking the Orem City Council to “publicly acknowledge that under the state law, the (Library Advisory Commission) is not simply an ‘Advisory Commission’ as stated by Council Person and Commission Liaison LaNae Millett, but has full authority to set library policy. We also call on the Orem City Council to provide a full accounting of their involvement in canceling the Pride, Hispanic Heritage, and other displays, and offer a public commitment to refrain from illegitimate political meddling in library operations.”

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