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Regarding "Conservative issues stall after backlash in St. Charles County" (Nov. 16): While several high-profile conservative political efforts in St. Charles County have indeed stalled, opponents say they're gearing up for the next round in this epicenter of the culture wars.

There is no mistaking these boilerplate efforts are not confined to Missouri. Look no further than Collinsville, Illinois. The same conservative hair-on-fire blueprint was successfully weaponized during last year's consolidated election, replacing the Mississippi Valley Library Board (MVLB) with trustees and president of the Collinsville system with far-right candidates.

The MVLB President, Jeanne Lomax, proudly displayed her passion for extreme viewpoints while attending the Jan. 6, 2021, D.C. rally that became the insurrection at the Capitol. As board president, she removed rainbow bookmarks that were part of a "Libraries Transform" campaign.

This conservative majority among board members is currently engaged in effort to reduce the MVLB tax levy, cutting library finding. Citizens and elected officials working together, strengthening our institutions, shouldn't be a lost concept, even in our current divisive environment, but the momentum continues. National polls reveal Americans are tired of the circus-like atmosphere in politics.

Schools and libraries have a way of bringing communities and organizations together, engaging people who may have little common interests. We all want what is best for our schools, children, seniors, and the entire community. Libraries shouldn't be used as tools to advance a political agenda,diminishing their value and making them unwelcoming.

Doug MayCollinsville

NBC reports that Alabama's public library system flagged a children's book as being "potentially explicit" due to the author's last name being "Gay".

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Letter: Let's keep public libraries out of the right-wing culture wars - St. Louis Post-Dispatch