Rachel Rodman was fired from her job as a library clerk and program assistant with the Crawford County Library District in Missouri after refusing to take down a Pride month display of LGBTQ+ books.
She had curated the exhibit in the district’s community center room without prior instruction to remove it. The branch manager left a handwritten note demanding the display be taken down after just five days. Rodman posted on Facebook that she would not deny visibility to a marginalized group because the district feared community backlash. She stated she would not yield and was not sorry for her stance. The dismissal followed the next day.
Records show hesitation
Public records obtained by 404 Media indicate that library leadership in several jurisdictions is willing to tolerate self-censorship to avoid unwanted attention from community members or religious leaders. This caution often results in hesitancy to organise cultural heritage programming or LGBTQ+ book displays.
In an email exchange, the Crawford County Library District director told other area library directors that firing Rodman was not discrimination but a move to protect staff and patrons. She noted the situation looked bad before accusing the employee of playing victim. The records show the library attempted to host a “Rainbow Storytime” event in 2022 but cancelled it after receiving death threats.
Librarians express fear
Steven Campbell, director of the Scenic Regional Library in Union, Missouri, wrote to colleagues about the difficult political and social environment in rural Missouri. He noted that not every board or appointing authority will back staff on LGBT issues. Campbell wrote that while he admires those willing to make the sacrifice of their jobs, not everyone is prepared to do so, and that decision should not be judged.
Internal emails from librarians reveal the pressure they face. One staff member wrote they do not promote Pride Month online and receive pushback from parents every time they highlight a collection piece. Another suggested moving a children’s area display to a different section to avoid complaints. A third librarian described changing sign wording to appease a disapproving parent while trying to keep the display up for ten more business days. Another noted that everyone knows the difficulties regarding LGBT issues are not easy. A director in a small town admitted to having apprehensions about outward pride displays, while another assumed complaints would increase as the month progressed.
The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reports fewer public Pride displays this year compared to recent years, citing a chilling effect from censorship.
Sarah Lamdan, executive director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, told 404 Media that there is no obligation to have any display. She stated that if a community member thinks a Pride display would be appreciated, it should not be a source of fear or incrimination. Lamdan distinguished between libraries that never do displays and those that have done them in the past but stopped due to external pressure.
Religious influence and privacy
CatholicVote, a political action committee coordinating “Hide the Pride” campaigns since 2022, has donated to library defunding campaigns. Pastors have challenged LGBTQ+ collections and displays over the years. In June 2024, a local pastor checked out dozens of books from specific collections and posted them on social media for his congregants to do the same.
Emails obtained by 404 Media show library workers from neighboring systems wishing the library had not drawn further attention to the issue through its Facebook channel. Tom Taylor, director of the Andover Public Library, told colleagues that calling attention to the incident was a bad idea because it gives more people the idea to act.
When asked for clarification, Taylor explained that states like Kansas have patron privacy laws protecting everyone, including religious leaders, from public borrowing disclosure. He said the Andover Public Library has no Pride-specific events planned this year but has signs helping users locate frequently challenged books. Taylor believes challenged books should remain available to check out even if not promoted. He added that avoiding the purchase of books due to fear of controversy is censorship by omission and not how professional libraries should work.
What it means
Ashley Stewart, a campaign strategist with EveryLibrary Institute, noted she received death threats from local ministerial alliances after hosting a Drag Queen Story Hour in 2022. She told 404 Media that people are letting their feelings be heard and telling libraries they should not run certain programs or displays. Stewart said this pressure exists no matter where you go in the community.
Kate Laughlin, executive director of the National Association for Rural and Small Libraries, told 404 Media that when a library engages in censorship-lite out of fear to keep the peace, the patrons pay the price. She stated it is the community that is the victim, not the library or the librarians.
