Samuels Public Library MATTHEW BARAKAT | Associated Press FRONT ROYAL, Va. — A Virginia library that traces its roots to the 18th century could soon be shuttered over a dispute about children’s books that expose readers to gay, lesbian and transgender characters.
Like many libraries across the country, the Samuels Public Library in Warren County has found itself embroiled in conflict over books with LGBTQ themes.
What sets the Samuels library apart is the very real threat that it will have to close down entirely because of the dispute.
The county’s Board of Supervisors voted in June to withhold 75 percent of its appropriation to the library unless the library board revises its bylaws to give the county more of a say in its governance.