SB 24-216

Senate Bill 24-216, which has been signed into law in Colorado, requires public libraries to create clear policies for managing their resources, including how books and materials are added, kept, displayed, used, and reconsidered. Libraries must also make these policies publicly available and ensure that any changes to the collection follow a formal review process. The bill protects library employees from retaliation if they refuse to remove materials before following proper procedures or if they believe their decisions align with the new standards. This law took effect on May 31, 2024, meaning public libraries in Colorado now must adhere to these policies and protections.

Official Summary

The board of trustees of a public library (board) is required to establish written policies for the acquisition, retention, display, and use of library resources and for the use of a public library facility. If a public library reconsiders library resources, the board is also required to establish a written policy for the reconsideration of a library resource. The board is required to comply with specified standards in establishing a policy for the acquisition, retention, display, use, and reconsideration of library resources and for the use of public library facilities. A public library may remove a library resource from its permanent collection only if the library resource has been reviewed in accordance with an established policy for the reconsideration of library resources that complies with the standards established in the act. These requirements do not apply to routine collection maintenance and deaccession in accordance with a public library's established collection development and maintenance policy. The board is required to make its policy for the reconsideration of library materials available to the public. Once a final determination has been made for a library resource that is the subject of a request for reconsideration, the board is required to make the determination available to the public. A request for reconsideration of a library resource is not a library user record and instead is an open record under the "Colorado Open Records Act". A librarian, media specialist, other employee, contractor, or volunteer (employee) at a public library is not subject to termination, demotion, discipline, or retaliation for refusing to remove a library resource before it has been reviewed in accordance with the public library's policy for the reconsideration of library resources or for making displays, acquisitions, or programming decisions that the employee believes, in good faith, are in accordance with the standards established in the act. APPROVED by Governor May 31, 2024 EFFECTIVE May 31, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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