Texas county roiled by book ban considered closing libraries

By JAMIE STENGLE

Leaders in a rural Texas county held a special meeting Thursday to consider the drastic option of shutting their public library system down rather than heed a federal judge’s order to return books to the shelves ranging from teen sexuality and gender to bigotry and race. After public comments for and against a possible shutdown, the Llano County Commissioners Court removed consideration of a possible closure from the agenda, assuring its three libraries stay open. Llano County’s struggle reflects an explosion of attempts in recent years to ban books around the U.S. The special meeting was called after the judge granted a temporary injunction last month, ordering almost 20 books back on library shelves.