On Tuesday, dozens of people packed out the Corpus Christi Library Subcommittee meeting as the topic on book censorship filled the room.
During public comment, many community members voiced their concerns about the potential ban on certain books, while others supported the need for the subcommittee.
“I would love to see myself in books and stories and I want to make sure that youth can find themselves in books as well,” Director of Coastal Bend Pride Center Robert Kymes said.
Others mentioned that they believed parents should choose what their children are exposed to, rather than the children’s decision.
The city’s Library Board created the subcommittee nearly a month ago to provide advice for the library collection development policy.
The conversation to ban certain books in public libraries and minimize the need for librarians has grown across Texas.
However, in Corpus Christi, many community members believe that without a variety of topics in libraries, people, especially children, will not learn about certain cultures, diverse groups, religions or feel properly represented.