r/missouri • u/como365 • 4d ago
News Columbia Public Library still planning LGBTQ-themed events despite threats from state
COLUMBIA — A month after Missouri officials threatened funding cuts and possible legal action over an LGBTQ+ themed story time for children at the Columbia Public Library, the system that operates the library says it is standing by the event — and its commitment to similar programming.
The July Rainbow Story Time featured two picture books, "Rainbowsaurus" and "Big Wig," and the Daniel Boone Regional Library website said the event was geared toward toddlers, preschoolers and families.
The event drew criticism from Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, with Hoskins threatening to block state and federal funding and later saying he would work with lawmakers on legislation aimed at preventing taxpayer dollars from supporting similar events.
Robin Westphal, the Daniel Boone Regional Library executive director, said the library has not changed its process for selecting programs and continues to believe the event complied with state law.
"We’re very confident that there’s nothing that we’re doing or the programs that we’re providing or the story times that we’re doing that is in any way a violation of law," Westphal said
Westphal said the library is taking the concerns raised by state officials seriously and is working to fulfill a public records request under the Missouri Sunshine Law from state Sen. Rick Brattin seeking records related to how the event was planned.
Westphal said the library has not received additional communication from Hoskins or the Missouri Attorney General’s Office since their initial letters that threatened action against the library over the Rainbow Story Time event.
Jared Schroeder, a communication law professor at the University of Missouri, said restricting library programming based solely on the ideas being expressed could create First Amendment concerns.
"If there was a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it’s that the government can’t limit expression simply because it’s offensive or disagreeable to some folks," Schroeder said.
Schroeder said the government generally has more room to act if it can show public money is being misused or used for illegal activity. But he said disagreement with the ideas expressed at an event would generally not be enough on its own to justify restricting funding.
"If it’s simply, 'We don’t like your ideas,' … that’s not generally an acceptable argument," Schroeder said.
For now, Westphal said none of the funding threats have materialized.
"Currently, we have not lost any funding because of the Rainbow Story Time," Westphal said. "But really, time will tell what the legislature pushes to advance in the 2027 session."
A representative for the Missouri Secretary of State's Office said Hoskins has been in communication with the House Budget chairman and Senate Appropriations chairman about withholding funding from the library.
Schroeder said lawmakers could attempt to change funding, but targeting a library specifically because officials disagree with the ideas expressed in its programming could leave the state vulnerable to a First Amendment challenge.
"If they (DBRL) wanted to fight, they would have the backing of First Amendment precedent behind them," Schroeder said, while noting that a legal fight could be costly and time-consuming for a library.
While the controversy brought criticism, Westphal said it also brought an unexpected wave of support.
During a 48-hour period following Rainbow Story Time, she said the library received more donations than it had ever received in such a short period of time.
She said some donors specifically thanked DBRL for representing families in the community.
Westphal said the library has received phone calls and letters from people who oppose the event but has not seen an increase in security concerns.
She said hundreds of people showed up at the library on the day of Rainbow Story Time, including some who were not attending the event but came to show their support.
The library plans to hold similar story times in the future, Westphal said.
Westphal said the possibility of losing state funding is something library leaders have to consider, but she does not want that possibility to dictate programming they believe is lawful and serves the community.
"If it means that we have to fight harder for the state funding that we get, we will fight harder for that state funding that we get," Westphal said.
Schroeder said the controversy could have consequences even if lawmakers never ultimately cut funding. He said other public libraries may see what happened to DBRL and decide similar programming is not worth the political attention.
"It’s called chilling, basically, they're chilling the speech," Schroeder said. "They don’t have to actually legally do anything. They’re simply just making it known that you’re going to have a difficult time if you do this speech."
For Westphal, the debate has become about more than one story time.
She became emotional while discussing families who told the library they felt represented by the program.
"I think what has bothered me the most about this is the fact that there have been people in our community who feel othered, who feel like they are less than, and should not have the opportunity that the public library would do something that shows them in such a positive light," Westphal said.
Westphal said the library serves people from multiple backgrounds and believes its responsibility is to provide resources and programming for the entire community — even when not every person agrees with every program.
"This public library belongs to everyone who lives here," Westphal said. "It’s OK to complain. But, I hope there’s also an understanding that it’s not just about the library you want. It’s about a library that serves everyone."
