Library and school partnerships highlight continued concerns for Iowa students

This past week at the State Capitol, partnerships between public schools and public libraries came under increased scrutiny, particularly related to compliance with statutorily required “age-appropriate” standards for student material and parental access to children’s accounts.

Public schools are created by statute, funded by state and federal dollars as well as property taxes, and operate within a comprehensive regulatory framework established by the Legislature. In exchange for that status and funding, they are bound by clearly defined guardrails enacted through Iowa law.

Public libraries, funded by local property taxes and eligible for certain state funds, do not operate under the same statutory educational guardrails that apply to K–12 public schools. Instead, many rely heavily on guidance from the American Library Association (ALA) and its state affiliate, the Iowa Library Association (ILA). The ALA is a private, nonprofit organization that develops its own policy framework and standards for member institutions. Notably, elements of ALA standards are embedded within our state accreditation standards for Iowa libraries. This accreditation is necessary in order to be eligible for state funding. This is an issue now under renewed scrutiny and is being addressed in the recent submission of House File 2270.

The ALA’s policy manual reflects ideological assumptions rooted in systemic critiques of American institutions, particularly within its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements. ALA-sponsored training and continuing education initiatives focus on concepts such as unconscious bias, power dynamics, white privilege, and related equity frameworks, all aligning with the critical race theory approach taken by the ALA.

The ALA’s strategic planning documents further emphasize goals centered on equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice as guiding pillars of library work nationwide. For parents and Iowa lawmakers, this explicit alignment with a social justice framework raises questions about whether publicly funded libraries are remaining neutral institutions or are being used to advance ideological agendas.

The ALA also refuses to restrict access to library materials based on age. In a nutshell, their policy has been, “Any age, any book, any time.” Closely related is the ALA’s interpretation of privacy rights under their self-created, “Library Bill of Rights,” which emphasizes confidentiality for all patrons, including minors. Parental oversight is undermined while the ALA takes their firm stand that all children, regardless of age, have a right to confidentiality.

Finally, public statements by current and past ALA presidents have attempted to “queer the catalog” while calling for librarians to adopt a more openly activist posture in advancing social

justice. These organizational positions continue to fuel the debate over whether libraries should function as neutral civic institutions or as agents of cultural and political change.

Until partnerships between public schools and public libraries can clearly ensure that contracts fully comply with the statutory standards established by the Legislature for public schools, parents and the broader public have legitimate reasons to be concerned with these arrangements. Transparency, accountability, and adherence to Iowa law must remain the foundation of any partnership involving public school children.

As this issue continues to move forward this session, lawmakers remain committed to reviewing state library accreditation standards, library statutes under Iowa code, funding structures, and partnership agreements to ensure that parental rights, age-appropriate safeguards, and legislative intent of the law are fully respected.