Members of the Shelby County delegation visited the Alabama House. submitted a bill The first week of the 2024 legislative session aims to align the selection of North Shelby County Library Board board members with the expectations of community residents and procedures in place on boards across the state.

of local librarywas established by the Alabama Legislature in 1988 and is a dynamic resource for the region. It serves parts of Shelby County that didn't have a library or a municipality to support one.

Current bylaws require the North Shelby County Library Board to conduct membership elections every even year. But records show no such elections have been held since 1998, and board members have never faced opposition.

State Representative Dubose (R-Hoover) said, “I hope that having the Congressional delegation elect library commissioners every four years will actually give more residents in the district the opportunity to serve on library boards.'' Ta.

“This bill amendment has been discussed for years, and we did not make this decision lightly, and we are working with Shelby County officials and employees, former legislators who worked on the original bill, and Montgomery County. We have consulted with the Legislative Office. HB 89 has been unanimously recommended by the Shelby County Legislative Delegation for the reasons stated above to align the governance of the North Shelby County Public Library with all public libraries in Alabama.”

RELATED: Rep. Dubose: Alabama Public Library Service is taking a 'step in the right direction'

Public library boards at both the local and state levels are entrenched in controversies stemming from left-wing influence pushed by activists who have risen to elected positions that typically go unnoticed by parents and voters. There is. Last year, state lawmakers sounded the alarm Gov. Kay Ivey on 'detrimental' impact on Alabama libraries gave strength to their calland urge parents to put return to charge A local library was set on fire.

In Shelby County, officials are working to revise an outdated part of the law that they hope will do just that and put stakeholders back in charge. Mr. Dubose also emphasized that the importance of the business community in library governance is underestimated.

“The collection of library dues, fines, penalties and residential liens has been a source of concern for Library District residents and businesses since the Library District’s inception,” she said. “Local residents and business owners expect financial transparency and financial accountability from library boards.”

The five-member Congressional delegation representing the North Shelby County Library District includes state Representatives Jim Carnes, Susan DuBose and Arnold Mooney, and state senators Jabo Wagoner and Dan Roberts.

Grayson Everett is the state and politics editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270