The Library is for Everyone - But Our Commission Just Voted Otherwise
On July 21, the Anderson County Commission had a choice: Would they keep our public library board a space of inclusion, service, and professionalism — or would they hand it over to culture war politics?
They chose politics.
Our neighbors showed up to speak for our libraries — to defend them as welcoming, trusted, essential public spaces. But the Commission had other plans.
Despite overwhelming public testimony, commissioners voted to put Shain Vowell — a self-proclaimed supporter of censorship — on the Anderson County Library Board.
And it wasn’t just the vote that made the decision shameful. It was how we got there.
Watch the Story Unfold
Residents Speak Out for Our Libraries
In the public comment section, we heard powerful, principled testimony from teachers, parents, retirees, and students who see the library as more than a building — it’s a community lifeline. One resident said it best:
“We’re a democratic republic. I expect that all citizens be treated equally. The library should reflect that.”
That’s the kind of common-sense, community-grounded thinking we heard again and again.
Then Came Nathan.
If you’ve ever been to a Commission meeting, you know the character.
Nathan shows up month after month to call Democrats “devils” and accuse the public library of being a front for sex trafficking or communist indoctrination — depending on his mood. He spins conspiracy theories like he’s auditioning for Infowars, but with the aesthetic of a perverted Colonel Sanders.
At this meeting, Nathan declared:
“These Democrats intend to block our First Amendment rights... This plan to censor was created to run interference for Josh’s mayoral campaign.”
Yes, really.
In Nathan’s world, the real threat isn’t censorship — it’s campaign t-shirts and children’s books with rainbows on the cover.
Commissioner Anderson Asks the Question — Then Ignores the Answer
Before the vote, something unexpected happened.
Commissioner Josh Anderson — who previously served as Chair of the Library Board and is currently running in the Republican primary for County Mayor — asked a direct question:
“Mr. Vowell, where do you stand on book bans?”
Vowell didn’t hedge.
“I absolutely agree with Commissioner Allen. I just go about it differently.”
Let’s pause here.
Anthony Allen has spent years publicly attacking the library system and pushing for censorship. He’s caused real harm to library staff — who, it bears reminding, are county employees. His vendetta has nothing to do with improving our libraries and everything to do with forcing them to fit his personal ideology.
So when Shain Vowell says, “I absolutely agree with Anthony,” what he’s saying is:
I support book bans. I support targeting library staff. I support turning a community institution into a political battlefield.
But apparently “just going about it differently” is all the cover some commissioners needed.
Josh Anderson got the answer.
He voted for Vowell anyway.
Let’s Be Honest
This wasn’t about the good of the county.
It was about politics.
It was about rewarding the loudest culture warriors — no matter how extreme or unqualified — and ignoring the people who actually use the library, work in the library, and need the library.
One commenter said it best:
“This is not political theater. This is a county commission meeting. This is a business meeting.”
That would be nice.
But what we saw was theater — of the cheapest kind. A Commission so desperate to appease the far right, they handed a lever of control of the library board to a man who parrots the talking points of someone who thinks librarians are demonic.
And the line?
“Put it in the mailer.”
Don’t worry.
We will.
Why It Matters
Libraries aren’t controversial.
At least, they shouldn’t be.
They’re where children discover the world. Where seniors find connection. Where low-income families get internet, and teens find safety, and job seekers find opportunity.
They’re one of the last truly public spaces, and that makes them a threat to people who only feel powerful when others are afraid.
Book bans aren’t about protecting kids.
They’re about controlling ideas.
And this Commission just handed influence to someone who said, out loud, that he’s on board with that plan — just with a smile instead of a sneer.
What You Can Do
Show up. Library Board meetings are public.
Speak out. Use public comment. They need to hear from you.
Remember this vote. Especially if you're voting in the Republican primary.
Because the people who spoke up for our libraries on July 21 were doing more than defending books.
They were defending dignity.
They were defending democracy.
And we’re not done.
