The City of Coronado has revised its practices for sharing youth programming content in the Coronado Public Library. Due to public concerns and comments about the illustrations in a specific book, The Rainbow Parade by Emily Neilson, the City implemented changes to its Story Time program, which is held twice a week for preschoolers and toddlers. No books will be removed from the collection.
“Our library is a community hub, it provides a lot for us all and it is a place of welcome,” said City Manager Tina Friend. “We have done this to put more power and control into parents’ hands. We believe in the ethos of being a place for all, having a lot of viewpoints represented, and letting people curate their reading for themselves.”
The Coronado Public Library revised practices are.
- Scheduled topics for the Story Time programs will be posted a month in advance on the Coronado Public Library website.
- The selected books for Story Time will be displayed at the library’s front desk 10 to 15 minutes prior to the start time - to provide parents the opportunity to review them.
- Library staff will review the selected books more closely.
The library’s policy that any child under the age of eight must be accompanied by a parent or guardian will remain in place to ensure material accessed is approved by the child’s family. The children’s section of the library is designed for ages zero to 12 years of age.