A Texas county removed 17 books from its libraries. An appeals court says eight must be returned.

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court says eight books dealing with subjects including racism and transgender issues must be returned to library shelves in a rural Texas county that had removed them. Thursday’s ruling by a divided appellate panel in New Orleans was a partial victory for seven library patrons who sued numerous officials in Llano County after 17 books were removed. In the opinion from a panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one judge voted to uphold a lower court order that the books be returned. Another partially agreed but said nine of the books could stay off the shelves as the appeal plays out. Another judge dissented.