The Lee County Board of County Commissioners became the latest government entity to enter the political fray surrounding public libraries.

Citing the unspecified politics of the American Library Association, the commissioners on Tuesday voted 5-0 to end the $2,472 annual contribution to the organization.

The measure was brought forward by Lee County District 4 Commissioner Brian Hamman, whose district covers Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

“Some parents have reached out to me with some concerns about the American Library Association,” Hamman, the outgoing board chair, said. “These are concerns that have grown statewide and even nationwide. Earlier this week, the State of Florida has dropped their membership with the American Library Association.”

Hamman said he is “very concerned about what appears to be the pushing of an agenda on kids, you know, a political agenda on kids. I think if this group ever gets back to just political neutrality and really just starts to focus on libraries again, we can think about joining again.”

Hamman also called for asking for a refund of the county’s dues.

District 1 Commissioner Kevin Ruane, whose district includes Sanibel, Pine Island and Cape Coral, said he was contacted by many parents.

“It seems to be an agenda that is not really consistent with where we are going. I hope and pray that we can come back to neutrality sometime in the future,” he said.

Lee County resident Marcia Ellis called the vote by the county commissioners to pull away from the American Library Association a “personal attack” and an “affront.”

“There are mechanisms available that parents can pursue to take more control of the materials their children are exposed to through proper supervision,” Ellis said. “This is fundamental to who we are as a nation.”

Ellis said children’s access to a “wide range of materials” is being eroded.

Lee County resident Christine DeVigili, a former candidate for the Lee County School Board, said the county’s action to remove itself from the American Library Association is not the same as restricting public access to libraries.

“The only difference is now you are choosing to protect children from radical ideologies that are pushed by a radical organization. I would love to see the American Library Association turn around and change their ways,” she said.

DeVigili framed the issue as “children’s safety” and thanked the county commissioners for their vote.

District 2 Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass, whose district covers Fort Myers, said “this is about paying $2,000 a year to an organization that we do not support their ideology.”

Pendergrass said the move by the commissioners wasn’t about restricting access to libraries but “paying an organization that is out of state so they can fund their own beliefs.”

According to Lee County Government spokesperson Betsy Clayton, the county’s membership with the American Library Association included:

• Subscriptions to professional journals from ALA and Divisions are included with membership.

• Access to specific programs/initiatives (such as for children and early literacy – Every Child Ready to Read, a foundation of the county’s story time programs).

• Access to the Library Salary Database for position-by-position salary analysis.

• Access to awards, grants, and scholarships.

• Discounted purchase of professional resources, library merchandise, conference fees and continuing education activities.

• Discounted job listings in national marketplace of library opportunities.

The vote by the commissioners put themselves into the middle of a debate in which state and national social and religious conservatives have pushed to ban books in schools and libraries that have content they oppose or believe is not suitable for children and, more recently, pushing back against the American Library Association. In some states, libraries have been closed altogether as the movement against non-conservative ideas gains traction amongst some.

“I am absolutely not asking to any restriction of access to the libraries.” Hamman said, adding the majority of people who pay the taxes in Lee County don’t agree with the politics of the American Library Association.

“I have a lot of moms that are very concerned,” he said.

While county commissioners referred to the “politics” of the American Library Association, they didn’t specifically cite any specific disagreements with their politics or cite instances of where the American Library Association had interfered with the libraries of Lee County.

Emails sent to all five county commissioners seeking comment and further specificity were not immediately returned.