Heartstopper novels restricted to adults in Mississippi library amid new law

In a sweeping move that has ignited concerns about freedom of information and artistic expression, Mississippi has recently enacted House Bill 1315, a law with profound implications for what can be accessed within the realm of public and school libraries. The bill, which has sparked outrage and criticism from free speech advocates, takes aim at materials that address themes of sex, cruelty, and violence, ostensibly to protect minors. However, the implications of this legislation have led some libraries to raise the minimum age for a library card to 18, while others have halted e-book access for young readers. The most recent target of this has been the popular LGBTQ graphic novels Heartstopper.

Censorship controversy deepens as Mississippi Library law restricts Heartstopper novels

As a result, the Columbia-Marion County Public Library in Mississippi decided to temporarily restrict the Heartstopper graphic novel series to the adult section following demands from a group of residents during a board meeting on Friday and an ambiguously-worded law that has also curbed access to library cards for minors. According to the Mississippi Free Press, the move follows claims that the books were “pornographic” and that “homosexuals” were using them to recruit young readers. The library temporarily pulled the series after the August 9 meeting. While the library did not provide a clear rationale for the removal, the series, also adapted into a Netflix show, features LGBTQ+ themes but not explicit sexual content. The library board also initiated a review of all books in the young adult section for possible removal.

The decision raised concerns about censorship and access to diverse perspectives. Critics questioned the logic behind restricting books that do not contain explicit material. The incident mirrors broader efforts by groups like Moms For Liberty to influence library collections, highlighting ongoing debates over the role of libraries in promoting diverse viewpoints.

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The recent legislation prohibits libraries from engaging with electronic vendors that provide content deemed “inappropriate materials depicting or dealing with matters of sex, cruelty and violence in a manner likely to be injurious or harmful to a child.”

Its vague language has left libraries grappling with how to interpret and implement the restrictions, inevitably curbing access to a wide array of materials. Jonathan Friedman, director of Free Expression and Education at PEN America, an organisation dedicated to safeguarding freedom of expression, aptly commented, “This new law follows a pattern of efforts across the country to stretch the definition of obscenity to intimidate librarians and private vendors, and to deny people access to books.”

Friedman’s assertion strikes at the heart of the issue – the encroachment upon the right to access information, particularly in a space as integral as libraries. The law’s vague language, including the broad terminology used to delineate what is deemed inappropriate, has plunged libraries into a conundrum: either risk potential legal repercussions by providing access to a vast range of materials, or enforce stringent restrictions that limit young individuals’ access to a wealth of knowledge.

Unpacking Mississippi’s law and its impact on libraries

Tracy Carr, Deputy Director of Library Services at the Mississippi Library Commission, lamented the sweeping ramifications of the legislation, noting that the law’s broad scope is hampering libraries’ ability to provide essential services to patrons. “The bill means to limit or restrict pornographic and obscene material, but it is written very broadly,” Carr explained. “And so broad, in fact, that it’s affecting Libraries’ ability to provide databases and e-books and e-audiobooks to their patrons.”

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Moreover, existing safeguards like the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) already aimed to ensure a safe online environment for minors. Katrina Stokes, Director of the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library, outlined their compliance with CIPA through web filtering but acknowledged the limitations of such measures. “Filters are not perfect. Things can slip by,” Stokes emphasised. Despite the pre-existing safeguards, this new legislation seems to paint all materials with the same brush, potentially obstructing access even to health information and artistic content that isn’t intended to be harmful or inappropriate.

The impact on access is palpable. Stokes reflected on how the library had to adapt its policies due to the legislation. “We had a policy to where anyone aged 16 and older who had a government-issued photo ID could obtain a library card register for one without a parent’s signature,” Stokes said. “Well, we had to raise that to 18. Going forward, just to comply with the law. Otherwise, the library card would have given them access to those materials online.”

Examining Mississippi’s new law through the lens of free speech

Critics of the bill argue that the law’s impact on young readers is disproportionate to its intended goal. Instead of creating a healthier reading environment for children, the legislation inadvertently discourages access to a wide variety of educational and informative materials. PEN America’s Friedman summed up this sentiment succinctly, stating, “It is shameful that legislators would allow the children of Mississippi to go without library or e-book access to solve a problem that does not exist.”

As of July 1, the law has taken effect, leaving libraries and advocates of free speech grappling with the implications of a bill that, while aimed at protection, appears to restrict access and potentially cultivate a chilling climate of censorship. The Heartstopper series is the among the first in the area to be removed from the library due to the new Mississippi law, but it won’t be the last according to the Mississippi Free Press, as 14 other books have been listed as “objectionable”. The author Alice Oseman issued a statement earlier this year after a similar move in Florida, saying “Indoctrination happens when you remove access to ideas.”

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Similar situations have arisen across the country with the states of Wyoming firing their library director, Georgia also removing a teacher for allegedly reading a gender fluidity book to her class, and in some Iowa districts, using ChatGPT to determine which books to remove over its supposed sexual content. It appears to be part of a wider move by Republican hardliners and far-right groups to restrict children’s access to diverse books containing experiences of people from the global majority and the LGBTQ community.