Tennessee library board meets to weigh firing librarian who refused LGBTQ+ book purge

A Tennessee library board will meet Monday to consider firing a library director who refused to remove more than 100 LGBTQ+ books from circulation and who says she was asked to track the personal information of readers who checked them out.

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The Rutherford County Library Board is scheduled to consider disciplinary action, including possible termination, against library director Luanne James. Earlier this year, James refused to comply with a directive to remove more than 100 LGBTQ+ titles from the system.

James has also alleged that the board’s chairperson, Cody York, directed her to compile information on patrons who checked out the books, including names, home addresses, ZIP codes, household composition, and the specific titles borrowed, raising concerns about reader privacy and surveillance.

Related: Tennessee whistleblower says library board chair sought private data as part of state's book purge

Related: ‘I will not comply’: Tennessee librarian refuses to move LGBTQ+ books

The dispute has drawn national attention from anti-censorship advocates, including PEN America, which has encouraged supporters to attend the emergency meeting at 5 p.m. at the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse in Murfreesboro.

“PEN America stands with Rutherford County Library System Director Luanne James in her refusal to banish LGBTQ+ children’s books from access by relocating them to the adult section,” reads a statement from PEN America. “Children and teens deserve access to diverse books that represent their identities and stories, and books that introduce young people to new ideas and perspectives."

The group continued, "At a time when major corporations have buckled to political pressure, Luanne James is putting her job on the line to defend the First Amendment rights of all in her community. We applaud her inspiring example, and her proud and public defense of the freedom to read."

In a letter sent to county officials earlier this month, James made clear she would not carry out the removal of those books, even after being directed to pull materials from both youth and adult sections. “Restricting access to these materials through subjective relocation or removal constitutes a violation of the community’s right to information and a direct infringement on the principles of free speech,” James wrote.

Related: Beloved Georgia librarian fired after child chooses book with transgender character for library display

Related: North Carolina county dissolves library board for refusing to toss book about a trans kid

The showdown comes amid a surge in book bans nationwide. PEN America has documented 6,870 instances of book bans across 23 states and 87 school districts during the 2024–2025 school year alone, part of a broader wave of more than 22,000 bans recorded since 2021. The group has found that many of the targeted titles involve LGBTQ+ themes, race, and gender identity, reflecting a coordinated push to restrict access to certain ideas in schools and libraries.

In December, James sought whistleblower protection, alleging that York had directed her to remove books from the library’s collections and take actions she believed violated core library principles and readers’ rights.