History
JCPL Allies was formed as a direct result of attacks on our county public libraries and their long-term connection to the Fontana Regional Library. Read about how we reached this point.
A group of locals has been, for the last few years, raising concerns about the presence of LGBT and sex education “ideology” in our public libraries, with the claim that these materials and any displays should be excluded from the library or moved to the adult section. While some relevant materials could be and have been addressed via formal challenge, censorship of public library materials based on religious or morality grounds has repeatedly been judged to violate the First Amendment rights of minors or adults. Individuals who hope to see these materials moved or removed, en masse, have gained positions of power on the Jackson County Public Library board of trustees, the Fontana Regional Library board of trustees, and the Jackson County Commissioners board.
Recently, the Commissioners voted to leave the Fontana Regional Libraries system in a stated attempt to force change and censorship of these materials. The JCPL Allies was formed as a direct response to this landscape, to help educate and mobilize the public regarding the value and mission of libraries, public library-relevant legal precedent, local governance structures, and relevant financial costs to taxpayers if JCPL leaves FRL.