City Council Resolution 2023-41
Huntington Beach City Council approved Resolution 2023-41 at the October 17, 2023 meeting. To view the full text of the resolution, as well as proceedings and Council discussion, please click here.
1. Children's Accessibility to Library Books:
a. No City Library or other City facility shall allow children ready access to books and other materials that contain any content of sexual nature. Books and other materials containing any sexual writings, sexual references, explicit sexual images, and any other sexual content shall not be placed in, or be present in, any section of any City Library or facility other than adult section(s), i.e., those areas/shelves designated for 18-years or older.
b. Parental or guardian consent will be required before accessing or checking out any book or other material that contains any sexual writing, sexual references, sexual images, and/or other sexual content by anyone under 18-years of age, whether the books or materials are intended for children or adults.
2. Procurement of New Books and Materials Required to Meet Community Standards:
a. No City Library or other City facility shall procure (children's) books or materials containing any sexual writing, sexual references, sexual images, and/or other sexual content that are intended for children without first receiving the approval of a community parent/guardian review board.
b. A community parent/guardian review board shall be established, comprised of up to twenty-one (21) adult community members, each Council Member appointing three (3) to review all proposed or new children's books and other materials procured by the City Libraries or City Librarians that may contain sexual content before the books or materials are placed in the City Libraries or facilities.
c. This community parent/guardian review board shall meet at least twice a year, and more if necessary, to review children's books recommended to the City Libraries to determine by majority vote if the books and materials meet the community standards of acceptance for the City of Huntington Beach. If recommended books or materials do not meet the City's community standards of acceptance, they may be rejected by vote of the community parent/guardian review board.
d. The community parent/guardian review board may also recommend books or other materials currently in circulation at City Libraries be subject to the same review process on a case-by-case basis. Should the community parent/guardian review board find a book or material currently in circulation does not meet community standards, it shall be placed in the adult section and subject to parental and guardian consent before being checked out by anyone under the age of 18.
e. This section does not modify the requirement in Section 1 of this Resolution that any book containing sexual content be placed in the adult section and require parental or guardian consent for children to access.
Check here for answers to common questions we've received about Resolution 2023-41.
Question: Where have the materials been moved?
Answer: At Central Library, materials containing content determined to be "content of a sexual nature" have been moved to the Fourth Floor of the Book Stacks, in the adult section of the library. At Branch Libraries, materials have been placed in designated areas in the adult collection.
Question: Can my child/teen visit the library without me?
Answer: Children 12 years old and younger must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times when visiting the Huntington Beach Public Library. Minors holding a Youth Access Card who are 13 years old or older may visit the library unaccompanied by an adult and access all public spaces at library locations. Minors holding a Youth Restricted Card who are 13 years old or older may only access the Children's Library and public seating areas at Central Library or Children's sections and public seating areas of branch libraries when visiting the library unaccompanied by an adult. Minors who are 13 years old or older and who do not have a Library Card are subject to the same restrictions as those with a Youth Restricted Card.
Contact the library by emailing library@hbpl.org or by calling 714-842-4481.
